Arlington Cemetery Private Tour

Arlington is not a place to hurry through. On this private four-hour tour, a veteran guide helps you make sense of the cemetery’s scale, history, and ceremonies, while leaving room for the graves and questions that matter to you. The changing of the guard is a major draw, but the quiet paths can be just as memorable.

I like two things in particular: the route can be shaped around your interests, from Civil War history to a particular grave, and pickup in a private, air-conditioned SUV saves you the fuss of getting to the cemetery on your own. Guide Tom Schultz has also made a point of steering groups toward less-visited areas when conditions allow.

The main consideration is the walk. It is hilly and covers about 2.75 miles on foot, so this suits people comfortable with a moderate outing. A public trolley is an option if mobility is limited, but it may mean seeing less of the grounds on foot.

• A private tour for up to six: The $875 rate covers your group, not each person.
• A morning start works well: An 8:00 or 8:30 pickup is recommended.
• A personal route: You can request a notable grave, a loved one’s grave, or a particular historical focus.
• Ceremony and quiet: The tour includes the changing of the guard, and may pass a military funeral if one is taking place.
• Pickup included: The guide can collect and return you within downtown Washington, National Harbor, Arlington County, or Alexandria.
• Plan for the weather: Most of the visit is outdoors, so dress for the season.

A private guide makes Arlington easier to read

Arlington National Cemetery is both a place of national remembrance and a working cemetery. Its grounds are extensive, and the meaning of a visit can shift from one family or grave to the next. A guide helps you find your way through that scale without turning the visit into a checklist.

This tour is private, so it is only your group with the guide. That changes the pace in useful ways. You can pause at a grave, ask about a ceremony, or adjust the route around a family member’s interests instead of keeping step with a larger group.

Tom Schultz is the guide named by people who have taken the tour. He is described as a veteran guide with military experience, and the tour’s emphasis is on explaining military history as well as the cemetery’s less familiar stories. If you have a specific interest, such as the Civil War, it is worth raising it before or at the start. Tom has built custom routes around those interests.

The personal side matters here. Some people come to Arlington to honor a relative or friend. The guide can help locate a grave and allow time for private reflection. That is a different kind of visit from a general sightseeing stop, and a private format is especially useful when you need both information and quiet.

Pickup saves time before the cemetery visit

The tour begins with pickup at your lodging or another agreed meeting point. Free pickup and drop-off are offered in downtown Washington, National Harbor, Arlington County, and Alexandria. The broader meeting-location options include places such as hotels, airports, rail or bus stations, cruise ports, and requested monuments or buildings, but confirm the exact pickup arrangement when booking.

Transport is in a private, air-conditioned 2017 Buick Enclave. Bottled water and onboard Wi-Fi are included. The drive to the cemetery is estimated at about 20 minutes in the sample morning schedule, though actual travel time can vary.

An 8:00 or 8:30 start is recommended. That puts you at the cemetery early and leaves more of the morning for the grounds. The sample schedule allows roughly three hours at Arlington, with about 20 minutes for the trip in and 30 minutes for the return. The full outing lasts about four hours.

An early start is not a promise of empty paths, especially around well-known sites, but it can help you settle into the visit before the day gets away from you. Your end point can also be agreed in advance within the listed service areas.

The cemetery visit balances major sights and quieter paths

At Arlington, expect a mix of explanation, walking, and time to look around. Your guide introduces how the cemetery began and shares lesser-known history as you move among its sections. The experience is not limited to famous names. You can ask to visit a particular notable person’s grave, or the grave of someone close to you.

One especially useful feature is the chance to spend time away from the busiest areas. Tom has taken groups along less-traveled parts of the cemetery, where the mood can be quieter and the visit feels less like moving through a series of photo stops. That may appeal if you want space to think, or if you have already seen the main sights on an earlier visit.

The route can also be shaped around family research or a specific subject. One group focused on the Civil War after preparing their own research, and the guide used it to build a more personal morning. Another visit included the area where members of the Supreme Court are buried. These examples show the value of bringing a question or a name with you, rather than expecting every tour to follow the same script.

The route is not fixed in every detail, and that flexibility is an asset. It also means you should be clear about your priorities. If there is one grave or ceremony you especially want to see, tell the guide early so the plan can account for it.

The Tomb of the Unknowns and its changing guard

The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns is one of the tour’s central sights. The ceremony gives a vivid sense of Arlington’s formal rituals and the care given to honoring service members whose remains were not identified. Your guide can help you understand what you are watching and position the group at a suitable viewing spot.

The site is popular, so the private guide’s local judgment can be useful. Tom has helped groups find a good place to watch while avoiding some of the crowd pressure. Still, the ceremony is a public event within a busy cemetery, and conditions on the day can affect exactly where you stand or how long you wait.

Arlington is also an active cemetery, not a staged attraction. A military funeral may be taking place during your visit. If your route passes one, you may observe a portion from a respectful distance. The tour cannot promise that a funeral will be happening, and any ceremony should be treated with the quiet and respect it deserves.

That mix of ceremony and everyday cemetery life is part of what makes the visit feel real. You are not just looking at monuments. You are entering a place where families come to mourn and military honors continue.

Walking is rewarding, but the hills matter

The walking route is about 2.75 miles, or 4.4 kilometers, and the ground is hilly. You should be comfortable with a moderate level of physical activity and prepared to spend most of the tour outdoors. Wear shoes suited to uneven or sloping paths, and dress for the season.

The walking option lets you see more than a quick drive-through would. It also gives the guide more room to stop at graves, explain details, and take you into quieter sections. The trade-off is straightforward: more ground on foot means more effort, and the route may be tiring for anyone with knee, balance, or endurance concerns.

A public trolley on the cemetery grounds is available as an option for people with limited mobility. It can make the visit more manageable, though the tour notes that you will see more by walking. A wheelchair user has been accommodated on this private tour, but the route and distances should be discussed ahead of time so the guide can plan around your group’s needs.

Rain does not necessarily end the visit. The guide has continued with requested stops in wet weather, but you should be prepared with suitable clothing. Since the outing is mostly outside, weather comfort is not a small detail.

What the $875 group price buys

The tour costs $875 for up to six people. At full capacity, that works out to about $146 per person. For a smaller group, the per-person cost rises, so the price makes the most sense when you value privacy, a custom route, direct pickup, and the chance to move at your own pace.

The price includes a private guide, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and Wi-Fi onboard. Admission to the cemetery is listed as free, and lunch and gratuity are not included. You are paying mainly for the guide’s time, transport, and the ability to tailor the visit, rather than for a packaged attraction ticket.

If you only want a quick look at the best-known sights, a private four-hour tour may be more than you need. If you have a family connection to Arlington, want help finding a grave, or care about military history, the added cost can buy something more personal than a standard group outing.

Who will get the most from this tour

I would consider this tour for families with different interests or mobility needs, history-focused visitors, and anyone with a personal reason to visit a particular grave. The guide can adjust the route, provide context, and leave time for a quieter moment. That flexibility is hard to get when you are navigating the grounds alone.

It also suits a group of up to six who would rather share a vehicle and guide than coordinate their own transport. Pickup is useful if you are staying in one of the covered areas, and an early start gives you a solid block of time at the cemetery.

It may be less suitable if you have difficulty walking hills and do not want to use the trolley, or if you prefer a short, self-guided visit. The walking distance is significant enough to plan for. There is no lunch included, so arrange a meal separately if you need one after the tour.

Booking is typically done well ahead, averaging about 42 days in advance. The tour is offered in English, and confirmation is received at booking. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time; changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted.

Should you book the Arlington private tour?

Book it if you want more than a quick pass by the Tomb of the Unknowns. The best reasons are the guide’s military perspective, the chance to shape the route around your own interests, and the quiet time a private group can take at a grave or in a less-traveled area.

Think twice if the price is a stretch, you are not comfortable with a hilly walk, or you only want to see one or two major sights. If you do book, share any names, family connections, or historical interests ahead of time, and ask about the walking plan for your group. Arlington deserves time and care, and this tour is at its strongest when it gives you both.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about four hours, including transport to and from Arlington Cemetery. The sample schedule allows roughly three hours at the cemetery.

How much does the tour cost?

It costs $875 per group for up to six people. The cost is for the group, not per person.

Where can the guide pick us up?

Free pickup and drop-off are offered within downtown Washington, National Harbor, Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria. Other meeting locations may be arranged, so confirm your requested address when booking.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates, with a maximum group size of six.

Is the changing of the guard included?

The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns is one of the tour highlights. Your guide can help you watch from a suitable location.

How much walking is involved?

The walking route is hilly and about 2.75 miles, or 4.4 kilometers. A public trolley is an option for guests with limited mobility, though walking allows you to see more.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes a private guide, private vehicle transport, bottled water, and onboard Wi-Fi. Lunch and gratuity are not included.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.