Last week, you learned how to navigate Arlington County like a local to get to Iwo Jima and Arlington National Cemetery using public transportation. This week, learn how you can visit the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, all without setting foot in a car!
The Pentagon Memorial is one of the newer memorials in Arlington County. It was dedicated on September 11, 2008 and was built to remember and honor those who died because of the events of September 11, 2001 at the Pentagon.
The memorial serves as a timeline of the victims’ ages, from young to old. Each memorial unit is also positioned to distinguish victims who were in the Pentagon and those where on board the American Airlines flight.
The Pentagon Memorial is moving at any time of day, but is especially beautiful at night when the flowing pools of water, under each bench, are lit. I first visited the Pentagon Memorial when it was dedicated in 2008 and took this photo.
Whether you visit the Pentagon Memorial during the day or at night, your overall transit experience will likely be the same; however, you should take note of your timing as some services may not run or may not be as frequent. The Pentagon Memorial is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
So how do you get there? It’s pretty easy, actually. Check out our recommended transportation options below:
Pentagon Memorial by Metro
The Pentagon Memorial is at the Pentagon. With a dedicated stop at the Pentagon, visitors can reach this Metro Station by either the Blue or the Yellow Line. Once you’ve arrived at the Pentagon Metro Station, exit the station, turn right and walk .5 miles (about 9 minutes) to the memorial. You can follow the signs at the Pentagon, but we’ve included a walking map below for your convenience.
Make sure you walk on the sidewalk outside of the Pentagon’s parameter. You can only walk inside the parameter if you have an authorized badge. That means you do NOT walk under the bridge of the building. Yep, made that mistake before. Sorry Pentagon peeps.
The Memorial will be on your right as you near the end of the Pentagon.
Pentagon Memorial by Walking
You can also access the Pentagon Memorial by walking. It might not sound like it makes sense, especially with a dedicated Metro stop, but it could if you were already in Pentagon City or even Crystal City walking around and didn’t want to get back on the Metro. Maybe its rush hour and the cars were completely packed (which can likely happen!). Or maybe you took a Capital Bikeshare to Pentagon City and wanted to walk the rest of the way.
For the record, there is a Capital Bikeshare Station on S Hayes St just outside of the Pentagon City Metro – circled in red on the map below.
So how do you walk to the Pentagon Memorial? 2 maps are listed below – 1 from Pentagon City Metro Station and the other from Crystal City Metro Station.
From Pentagon City Metro Station
The walk from Pentagon City Metro Station to the Pentagon Memorial is an easy .7 mile (13 minute) walk.
From Crystal City Metro Station
The walk from Crystal City Metro Station is slightly further, but definitely doable at 1.2 miles away (about a 22 minute walk).
So whether you decide to take the Metro or walk, visiting the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington is a must. It’s an important part of our nation’s history and serves as a reminder for future generations.
For additional information on visitor services or activities in Arlington County, visit our friends over at Stay Arlington. For Crystal City specific information and additional activities in this urban village, check out the Crystal City BID.
