Discover Arlington’s Best Fall Foliage
Did you know the capital area is called the “City of Trees”?
Arlington in particular has an abundance of forested parks and vibrant tree-lined neighborhoods making it an ideal place to discover fall foliage.
Here are 7 places to see beautiful fall colors:
1. Arlington National Cemetery
The roads and walkways inside Arlington National Cemetery are bordered by historic oak, chestnut and poplar trees, some planted more than a century ago. Within the cemetery is the recently refurbished Arlington House where 250-year-old oaks glow with golden leaves in the fall—these majestic trees were established before the Lee and Custis families built their mansion overlooking the nation’s capital. Another stunning viewpoint is from the marble terrace below President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite, where you’ll find sweeping vistas of the National Mall’s forested canopy.
2. The Lady Bird Johnson Park and Lyndon Banes Johnson Memorial Grove
These are two of Arlington’s lesser-known outdoor spaces bursting with autumnal color. From this place of reflection, you’ll be able to see the Potomac River, the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. You can enter these parks from the Mount Vernon Trail and the Columbia Island Marina’s parking lot.
3. Long Branch Nature Center
Bring the family to enjoy the easy walking trails at Long Branch Nature Center. The park is the home to scarlet maple trees and yellow pawpaw trees which glow in the sunlight and provide a home for native woodland creatures like turtles and foxes.
![a covered structure at Potomac Overlook Regional Park in Arlington, VA](https://arlington.imgix.net/images/blog/20181001_Potomac-Overlook_Jake-McGuire_4b4079f92aeaaa0ffd4ee406edf9a260.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=30692239935cfd49ba5ccddeb8f951d0 320w, https://arlington.imgix.net/images/blog/20181001_Potomac-Overlook_Jake-McGuire_4b4079f92aeaaa0ffd4ee406edf9a260.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=cb8ffe0751eed7c007ca2d74f15aedb4 450w)
4. Lubber Run Park
Bikers and hikers enjoy the trails scattered through the forest in Lubber Run Park. The pond there is enveloped by a circle of flamboyant trees reflecting onto the still water, until a leaping frog disturbs the calm. It’s a popular spot for birdwatching, so bring your binoculars.
5. The Mount Vernon Trail
Another way to enjoy the autumn colors is to walk or bike along the Mount Vernon Trail, a national park with unobstructed views of Washington D.C.’s monuments and memorials. This 18-mile paved trail runs between the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Potomac River. You can access it from numerous points in Arlington including Gravelly Point Park. For information about the sights you’ll see along the way, check here.
![a pathway leads to a statue of a man surrounded by trees at Theodore Roosevelt Island in Arlington](https://arlington.imgix.net/images/blog/Theodore-Roosevelt-Island_Jake-McGuire_4b4079f92aeaaa0ffd4ee406edf9a260.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=d7500f342f2e72a528427d6e4d8163b8 320w, https://arlington.imgix.net/images/blog/Theodore-Roosevelt-Island_Jake-McGuire_4b4079f92aeaaa0ffd4ee406edf9a260.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=fc6c7f85ea324ae3be7b8e0d4adc8ee4 450w)
6. Potomac Overlook Regional Park
Explore wooded trails in Potomac Overlook Regional Park where you'll discover everything from organic gardens to an old Indian village site as you wander rustic paths leading to the Potomac River. Among the brilliant shades of autumn, there are streams to cross and a nature center to visit. A map of the 70 acres of trails can be found here.
7. Theodore Roosevelt Island
Take a woodsy walk on the meandering pathways of Theodore Roosevelt Island. This 91-acre island sanctuary on the Potomac River pays tribute to the nation's 26th president, who was an avid outdoorsman and naturalist. From the trails, you’ll catch glimpses of the gleaming skyscrapers of Rosslyn, the spires of Georgetown University and the bustling Washington Harbour. For a map of the trails, check here.
![a man and woman hold hands while strolling through the Westover Neighborhood during fall in Arlington, VA](https://arlington.imgix.net/images/blog/20201109_Cameron-Davidson_Westover_1389_4b4079f92aeaaa0ffd4ee406edf9a260.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=d9f82db293f5a82f5195f4837b4603d7 320w, https://arlington.imgix.net/images/blog/20201109_Cameron-Davidson_Westover_1389_4b4079f92aeaaa0ffd4ee406edf9a260.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=44344755b8160805a2307637d1ddfab7 450w)
Arlington's neighborhoods are also good places to see fall foliage, as they are committed to protecting tree-lined routes and public parks. Each neighborhood has its own unique energy and personality, warmly welcoming visitors to enjoy all the fall colors it has in store. From Gateway Park’s ornamental garden in the Rosslyn neighborhood, to Long Bridge Park’s cherry trees in Crystal City, to the paperbark maple trees planted at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Pentagon City, there are hidden gems everywhere you turn.
Don’t miss these other wonderfully walkable neighborhoods:
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Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, VA 22211 (703) 235-1530
625 S Carlin Springs Rd Arlington, VA 22204 (703) 228-6535
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