BG Peter D. Hidalgo (Retired) Internment at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia SERVICE Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 Time: 1100 Please arrive at Arlington National Cemetery by 10:30 and proceed to the Administration Building. The family is doing a graveside service and it will be outdoors on the grounds of the Cemetery. Do not park in the visitor s garage at Arlington. You should proceed to the Administration Building Parking. There are always people on the road to the entrance to the Cemetery that can answer your questions. There are two buildings, the Visitor s Center and the Administration Building. We will gather in the Administration Building where there is a room to receive family and friends. (Directions to Arlington Cemetery follow) Visitor s Center Administration Building Taken from Arlington National Cemetery s web site: Family and friends should arrive at the cemetery in their private vehicles. These vehicles will be needed to go to the gravesite for the services. Family and friends must provide their own transportation for funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery. Family and friends are required to drive from the administration building to the gravesite. Pat and her children will receive friends and family immediately following the service from 12:00 to 2:00 at the Ft. Myer Officers Club in the Chaffee Room. There will be a light lunch and beverages. The club is located on the grounds of Ft. Myer which is adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery. We will have a procession from the Cemetery to Ft. Myer. (Directions Follow)
FEBRUARY WEATHER IN WASHINGTON The average temperature high is 47 degrees and the low is about 30. Washington weather can vary greatly and there is always the possibility of a snow or ice storm. Dress warmly and with good shoes as there will be some walking. WASHINGTON TRAFFIC For those of you that are unfamiliar with Washington traffic you need to prepare yourself. The service is at 1100 and you need to be there at 1030 so give yourself ample driving time. Locations like Fairfax are actually only 30 minutes from Arlington with no traffic. Leaving by 9:30 should provide ample time. If you re staying near Dulles you should leave by 9 a.m. or a little earlier. Of course if the weather is bad Washington drivers stop everything so allow more time. Another option is the Washington Metro. There is a metro stop at Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line. You can find more information at www.wmata.com In Northern Virginia the Metro stops are along I-66 and in Springfield/Franconia/Crystal City/Alexandria. Metro stops are convenient throughout downtown DC. Metro is safe, clean and easy to use. Just make sure if you park in one of the lots you buy a Smart Trip card before you try to leave. You cannot exit the parking lots without a Smart Trip card. They are available where you buy your tickets for Metro. Parking requires about $5.00 on the card. You can also use these cards for your rides on Metro. Call Ken if you need more information on Metro. WASHINGTON AREA AIRPORTS There are 3 major airports service the Washington area: Baltimore Washington International (BWI), Dulles International (IAD) and Washington National Reagan (DCA). All three are served by all major airlines. The discount carriers fly mostly to Dulles and BWI. Of the three, Washington Reagan is closest to Washington D.C. and is served by Metro rail. Washington Dulles is in northern Virginia and is served by bus to Metro. All airports have cabs and rental cars. BWI is the furthest away and is least convenient. DIRECTIONS TO ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY The ZIP CODE for Arlington National Cemetery is 22211. Use internet search engines for obtaining maps to the area. From Richmond Drive north on Route 95. Near the Washington Beltway, Route 95 will merge with the Beltway-do not merge with the Beltway. Continue traveling north on Route 395 toward Washington, DC. Take Exit 8-B (Arlington National Cemetery exit). This exit is to Route 27. Stay in the left lane until reaching the circle (on the Virginia side of the Arlington Memorial Bridge). Proceed counter-clockwise around the circle to
Memorial Drive. On Memorial Drive there will be a traffic guide who will be directing all traffic into the pay parking facility. If you are here for a funeral, stay to the right on Memorial Drive and inform the traffic guide that you are here for a funeral (please provide the name of the decedent to the guide). You will then continue on Memorial Drive. At the end of the street, turn left into the cemetery (if you are going to a service at the Administration Building) or turn right into the cemetery and follow the white line (if you are going to the Old Post Chapel on Fort Myer for a chapel service). From Frederick, Maryland Travel south on Route 270. Near the Washington Beltway (Route 495) the lanes will split. Stay to the right and follow the signs to Virginia. You will merge with the Beltway and continue traveling south on the Beltway. Upon crossing the American Legion Bridge (leaving Maryland and entering Virginia), get into the right lane and take the first exit (George Washington Parkway). Travel on the GW Parkway until you start going under bridges. Take the Arlington Cemetery-Memorial Bridge exit. Merge left with the traffic exiting from Route 110. At the stop sign make a left onto Memorial Drive. See the directions above for Memorial Drive. From Baltimore Drive south on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway or on Route 95 to the Washington Beltway. You can travel on Route 95 (eastern side of the Beltway) or travel on Route 495 (to the western side of the Beltway). If you follow Route 95, stay on the Beltway to Route 395 north (see directions from Richmond). If you follow Route 495 stay on the Beltway to the George Washington Parkway (see directions from Frederick). From Western Virginia Follow 66East to Exit 73 Lee Highway. Follow Lee Highway to Fort Myer Drive. Make a right on to Fort Myer Drive. Follow Fort Myer Drive, immediately after passing over a bridge make a left on route 50. Iwo Jima Memorial will be on your right side. Follow route 50 and stay in your right lane. Exit on to George Washington Parkway. Stay in your right lane. Follow Parkway until you see a sign for Arlington National Cemetery. Take exit to Arlington National Cemetery. Stay to your left. After stop sign make a left turn. Cemetery is straight ahead. DIRECTIONS TO FT. MYER (A PICTURE ID IS REQUIRED) From Hatfield Gate: After entering through the gate, continue on 2 nd Street to the first stop sign. Turn LEFT onto McNair Road. Continue on McNair Road for approximately 0.4 miles, past the Bowling Center (on left), and turn LEFT onto Gorgas Street. At the next stop sign, turn RIGHT onto Sheridan Avenue. At the end of Sheridan Ave, you will bear RIGHT onto Jackson Avenue. The Officers Club will be on your left.
Parking: From the front of the Club, continue on Jackson Avenue to the first stop sign. Turn LEFT onto Custer Road. Immediately turn right into parking lot. From Wright Gate: After entering through the gate, continue on Marshall Drive, which turns into Jackson Avenue shortly after the gate. Follow Jackson Avenue for approximately 0.6 miles. The Officers Club will be on your right. Parking: At the stop sign immediately before the Club, turn RIGHT onto Custer Road. Immediately turn RIGHT into the parking lot. OPTIONS FOR LODGING Military ID Card Holders Ft. Myer Community Lodging 318 Jackson Avenue, Bldg 50 Fort Myer, VA 22211 (703) 696-3576/7 Lodging in Downtown Washington D.C. Washington DC has many hotels to choose from at a wide range of prices. Room prices can range from $150 to $300 at most national brand hotels (Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Hilton, etc). Any prices quoted here were obtained from the hotel web sites. You are likely to find different rates. For example, there s a Hampton Inn on 6 th Street near Chinatown and the Convention Center with rates that start at $179/night. There s also an Embassy Suites Hotel with rates starting at $179/night near Dupont Circle in the heart of everything. Taxes add about another 20% to the room costs. The Westin Grand near Georgetown is a favorite that often has rooms around $210/night Parking a car usually costs about $30/night. All the hotels in Washington are convenient to Metro. You really need to get on-line or call around to find the best rates. Washington rates are high and there s not much getting around it. Be careful about really inexpensive hotels as they may not be in the best of areas or in very good condition. If you re unsure, call Valerie or Ken at 702 272 7374. Lodging in Northern Virginia There are many locations across northern Virginia that provide easy access to Arlington. Most convenient are hotels in Pentagon City and Arlington as they are the closest. Springfield is convenient to all major roads. Crystal City, VA is very convenient to Washington Reagan Airport and is only about 15 minutes from Arlington Cemetery. It s a high rise office community with lots of hotels and easy access to Metro.
Again it s best to shop around. Rosslyn, VA is another option that is adjacent to Ft. Myer and only 5-10 minutes from Arlington. It is also a high rise office community with many hotels with easy access to Metro. Again, most hotels will run $170/night and up. Alternatively, you may want to consider staying out I-66 in Fairfax, VA. There are many hotels in this area and the closer you get to Dulles Airport the less expensive the rooms. Rooms near Dulles airport can be found for about $100 but the drive to Arlington will take 1 to 2 hours the morning of the 17 th. Carpooling is ideal as there are HOV lanes that make the trip faster. In Fairfax consider the Hyatt Fair Lakes (from $140/night), or the Hampton Inn Fairfax City ($170). Both offer easy access to I-66. These are about 1 hour from Arlington Cemetery. But if you leave at 9:30 you will have no difficulty arriving by 10:30 at the Administration Building. We know this is a great deal of information but we wanted to be helpful. If you have any questions please don t hesitate to call Valerie or Ken Quaglio at Home 703 272 7374 Val s Mobile 703 989 3019 Ken s Mobile 703 627 9774