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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Arlington

28 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Arlington, Virginia

Updated October 27, 2022

Unusual Attractions in Arlington

Arlington, Virginia

Dark Star Park

This unique historical monument features large concrete spheres designed to resemble fallen stars.

Arlington, Virginia

DEA Museum

An extensive, if one-sided, history of U.S. law enforcement's war on drugs.

Arlington, Virginia

Rosslyn Metro Escalator

At 207 feet, one of the world's longest continuous escalators.

Arlington, Virginia

Deep Throat Parking Garage

Parking garage where Bob Woodward met Watergate source "Deep Throat."

Arlington, Virginia

Headstone-Eating Trees

The rogue roots are gradually consuming some of the historic marble grave markers.

Arlington, Virginia

Gravelly Point Park

This lovely picnic spot featuring thunderous jet landings is an aircraft spotter’s dream.

Arlington, Virginia

The Graves of Robert E. Lee's Garden

Soldiers were buried next to Lee's house in the center of Arlington Cemetery to dissuade the general from reclaiming his property after the war.

Arlington, Virginia

Abingdon Plantation Ruins

The remains of a historic plantation nestled in between a parking lot and the rental car return at Reagan National Airport.

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Stories About Arlington

The Things Inside This 105-Year-Old Time Capsule Have Hardly Aged a Day

The slew of ephemera was tucked in a copper box behind a cornerstone at Arlington National Cemetery.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

Union Soldiers Buried Their Dead in Robert E. Lee’s Garden

Before Arlington was a national cemetery, it was the Lee homestead, and then a tent city for occupying troops.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 26, 2018

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