Wreaths Across America 2023

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On Saturday, Dec. 16, members of the general public can take part in this year’s National Wreaths Across America Day, beginning at 8 a.m. Arlington National Cemetery will be one of more than 3,000 participating locations nationwide. Volunteers may place wreaths at the base of a veteran’s headstone or columbarium niche to honor their legacy and remember their sacrifice.

•  Registration is not required. However, it is recommended that visitors participating in Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 16 register with WAA to ensure they receive the most up to date information about volunteering. Please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/arling to register.


Getting Here: Cemetery Access Points

  We encourage volunteers to use all four of our entrances to access Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 16. The Memorial Ave., Ord & Weitzel, and Service Complex gates will open to the public at 8 a.m. Old Post Chapel Gate is accessible to Department of Defense ID cardholders only.

  DoD ID cardholders will need to present their DoD ID to go through the specially-marked DoD screening lanes located at all entrance points.

  ANC's main entrance is located at the end of Memorial Avenue, just west of Arlington Memorial Bridge and Potomac Park. It is a 5-minute walk from the Arlington Cemetery Metro stop.

  Ord & Weitzel Gate is located on the north side of the cemetery near the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima). It is a 15-minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro stop; walk south on N. Meade St., across Arlington Blvd., and through the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial Park.


Metro

  We encourage volunteers to use Metro transportation. Please exit through the same gate you entered and use the same Metro station for your return travel.

  To avoid congestion at the Arlington National Cemetery Metro stop, we recommend exiting via the Rosslyn or Pentagon stations and walking to the cemetery. From these locations, it is a short 15-minute walk to one of the cemetery entrances.

  The best option is to take the Metro stop closest to the gate you plan to enter at: Pentagon Metro for the Service Complex Gate, Arlington Cemetery Metro for the main entrance, and Rosslyn Metro for the Ord & Weitzel Gate.

  If exiting at Rosslyn, you must enter the cemetery via the Ord & Weitzel gate by walking along the North Meade Street sidewalks. If exiting at the Pentagon, you must enter through the cemetery’s Service Complex Gate entrance by walking along North Rotary Road.

  Volunteers traveling to the event by Metro are encouraged to purchase fare ahead of time. The best option, to avoid lines, is SmarTrip mobile pay.  

  Please refer to WMATA for metro service information and route planning.


Driving and Parking

  To ensure a safe and secure environment for our visitors and employees, there will be NO vehicular traffic permitted inside the cemetery for the duration of the event on Dec. 16.

  Limited general public parking will be available at the Pentagon North and South Parking lots as well as Hayes Parking lot. There will be Wreaths Across America volunteers and signage positioned in the parking lots guiding visitors to walk to the nearest cemetery entrances. 

  For those parking in Pentagon South Parking, we recommend walking to the cemetery’s Service Complex entrance for screening and entry to the grounds. For those parking in Pentagon North Parking, we recommend walking to the cemetery’s main entrance on Memorial Ave. by using the Route 27 pedestrian walkway.


Ride Share

•  For those volunteers who plan to arrive via a ride share (i.e., Uber, Lyft), the drop-off location is 880 Army-Navy Drive. From this point, volunteers will need to walk to the cemetery’s Service Complex Gate entrance.


ADA Accessibility

•  The ANC Welcome Center parking garage will be available for handicapped volunteers only from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. After 7 a.m., drivers will be directed to other parking options. No more vehicles will be allowed to park in the parking garage. This is to ensure the safety of all visitors.

•  Those with handicapped plates/placards will need to go to Pentagon North Parking where their pass will be verified. They will then be directed to the ANC Welcome Center parking garage. The ANC Welcome Center parking garage will be available for handicapped personnel from 6-7 a.m. After 7 a.m., drivers will be directed to other parking options. Please do not arrive earlier than 6 a.m.

  If the ANC parking garage is full, ADA accessible volunteers should park in the Pentagon North Parking Lot. There will be WAA shuttles from Pentagon North Parking Lot to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, a five minute walk to the Service Complex gate entrance of the cemetery. 


DoD ID Cardholders

  Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will be accessible to DoD ID cardholders only; however, parking will be limited to the Tri-Services parking lot located across from the Spates Community Center. The sole entry point to the cemetery from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will be the Old Post Chapel Gate. 

  All other entrances to the cemetery (Memorial Avenue, Ord & Weitzel Gate and Service Complex Gate) will have designated DoD ID cardholder lanes for security screening.


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