Everyone knows that one of the best parts of visiting Washington, DC is being able to see all the amazing memorials. But to get the full memorial experience, visitors (and DC residents) need to cross the river and we know that can be scary—especially if you don’t know where you’re going. You wouldn’t want to come all this way (or live here for years) and miss out on four major attractions:
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Air Force Memorial
- Pentagon Memorial
- Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)
Before You Go
SmarTrip card
Before you get started, we recommend purchasing a SmarTrip card to make your trips easy, seamless and cheaper. We’ve written an informational blog on everything SmarTrip—no question was left unanswered. Once you have your SmarTrip card—you’re pretty much ready to experience the best Arlington County has to offer.
Rules and respect
If you choose to travel to the memorial by bike or Capital Bikeshare, please remember that you cannot ride in pedestrian only areas. Not only is this rule enforced, but it’s also a matter of respect. This is a National Park Service rule for all memorials in Arlington, VA and Washington, DC.
At Iwo Jima, visitors may ride around the outer loop of the memorial or may walk their bikes as they explore.
For additional rules and regulations, visit NPS.gov.
The Memorial
The Marine Corps War Memorial, commonly referred to as Iwo Jima, is located in the urban village of Rosslyn. When you visit Iwo Jima, you’ll also get a great view of DC across the river and a bonus memorial sighting with the Netherlands Carillon a short walk away.
So how do you get there? Take your pick, three great options are listed below.
Get There by Metrorail
Rosslyn Metro Station is located on the Orange, Blue and Silver Lines. Wherever your trip originates, you will need to make sure you exit the Metro Station at Rosslyn, in Arlington, Virginia. View system map. From the station, Iwo Jima is a 13-minute walk (0.7 miles) down Fort Myer Dr to N Meade St.
Get There by Bus
To get to Iwo Jima by bus, you can take any bus to Rosslyn. Click any route to view a full timetable and map.
- Metrobus 38B: Runs Ballston-MU Metro Station to Farragut West Metro Station and vice versa, with stops in Rosslyn.
- ART 43: Runs Crystal City to Courthouse and vice versa, with stops in Rosslyn. The ART 43 only runs Monday through Friday, during rush hour.
- ART 45: Runs Columbia Pike to Rosslyn and vice versa, terminating at Rosslyn Metro Station.
The Rosslyn bus terminal is located next to the Metrorail station. Use the same walking directions as above, to walk 0.7 miles to Iwo Jima Memorial.
Get There by Capital Bikeshare
Capital Bikeshare is a fun way to get around Arlington County and Washington, DC. Visitors can use a bike and dock at any available station around the DC Metro region. There are over 500 stations and more than 4,300 bikes in the system.
Wherever you start your ride, you can dock your Capital Bikeshare bike at the station east of the memorial along N Meade St.
To find stations and unlock bikes from your phone, download the Capital Bikeshare app.
Bikeshare use & fees
Bikeshare is a transit system and should not be treated like a bike rental. Return your Capital Bikeshare bike to any station once you’ve arrived at your destination, then check one out again when you’re ready to roll.
You can take a single trip for $2 or purchase a 24-hour pass for $8. Arrive in under 30 minutes per trip, and you’ll only pay $8 all day. Ride for longer than 30 minutes and usage fees will apply.
For more information on usage fees, visit CapitalBikeshare.com.
Download the Guide
Download our comprehensive guide, which includes all the information listed above, for your trip to Iwo Jima.
For even more visitor information, check out our friends over at Stay Arlington. For Rosslyn specific information and additional activities in this urban village, check out the Rosslyn BID.
Editor's Note: This blog has been updated with new information written by the author.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/Kittner.com for Arlington Transportation Partners