Washington DC Self-guided Driving Tour - Bridges of Arlington County
Places: 21 POIs
Distance: 8.69 mi
Duration: 47m
GPS-guided narration through
Your Smartphone
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
Tour #1932
About this English self-guided 47m driving tour in Arlington
Welcome to our Bridges of Arlington County and Washington DC self-guided GPS led audio driving tour.
If you were looking for a DC driving tour map or a guided driving tour of DC, then you're really going to enjoy this tour.
The UCPlaces app will take care of the navigation and tell you interesting stories along the route according to your location. All you need is your phone (with GPS / location services activated)!
This tour starts at the Francis Scott Key Bridge and ends on Theodore Roosevelt Island, with PLENTY of interesting stops in between. Grab a sack lunch to take with you to enjoy on the island and let's get started!
- 1For the best experience, begin at the tour's recommended starting point and follow the stops in order.
- 2Want to start somewhere else? Simply use Start At on the tour screen, before tapping Start Tour, to begin from any stop.
- 3Need to detour or skip a stop along the way? Tap Tour Assistant (
![UCPlaces AI Bot Icon]()
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
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Places (POIs) visited during this tour
Place #1
![Map Pin]()
Recommended Starting Point
Distance: 0.43mi
, Attraction : Exit to Francis Scott Key Bridge
2209 N Oak Ct, Arlington, VA 22209, USA
Let's Get Started!
Awesome! You found our starting point! That bridge in front of you with the arches is the Francis Scott Key Bridge and that's where we are headed. Please take the Key Bridge exit and stay in the far right lane when you get on the bridge because we will be turning right on 29 North near the end of the bridge. Washington DC has seven bridges that cross over the Potomac River and we are going to check out four of them, starting with the oldest bridge first.
Place #2
![Map Pin]()
Distance: 0.29mi
, Attraction : Bridge
2001 N Lynn St, Arlington, VA 22209, USA
Francis Scott Key Bridge
Coming up is the Francis Scott Key Bridge. He was the guy who wrote the Star Spangled Banner. Hey did you know that the melody for that song was actually borrowed from an old British drinking song? It's true.Anyway, the Key bridge was built in 1923 and is about a third of a mile long. It was designed by a guy named Nathan Wyeth, who also happened to design the very first "oval office" for the President Taftback in 1909. This bridge is made of concrete and steel and has 5 really cool arches of varying widths that you can see from underneath. The views as you drive over the Potomac here are amazing. I especially love that big grey creepy looking building with the spires ahead on the left. That's Georgetown University Campus. Did you know that the horror movie "The Exorcist" was filmed there? Yup. And UCPlaces actually offers a few tours through the Georgetown area. You really should check them out.Maybe we should talk about the Potomac River for a little bit since we will be driving over it four times in this tour. It is known as "The Nation's River" and it runs through West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington DC. It is about 383 miles long and you are NOT allowed to swim in it. But people don't listen and there are around 10 drownings in that water every year.
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Tour itinerary stops | Additional places you'll see on this self-guided tour
Place 1
Let's Get Started!
Place 2
Francis Scott Key Bridge
Place 3
Turn right on 29 North
Place 4
Washington Harbor
Place 5
Watergate complex
Place 6
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Place 7
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
Place 8
Exit Right on 50 West, then follow it to the left
Place 9
Marine Corps War Memorial
Place 10
Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima)
Place 11
Exit Toward Cemetery/Freedman's Village
Place 12
Directions
Place 13
Arlington Memorial Bridge
Place 14
Arts of War and Peace Statues
Place 15
Marin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Place 16
Tidal Basin
Place 17
395 S/Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Place 18
14th Street Bridges
Place 19
Exit 10C
Place 20
Pentagon/Air Force Memorial
Place 21
Potomac River
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Have any questions about this tour? Or a general travel / self-guided tours question? That's completely natural
+ How long does this tour take?
Most travelers complete this tour in approximately 0.5 to 1 hours, depending on pace, time spent at each stop, and optional detours. Having said that, please remember that self-guided tours are extremly flexible (you can start, pause, continue anytime) and everyone has their own pace.
+ What does this tour include?
This self-guided driving tour includes 21 stops, covering top attractions such as Let's Get Started!, Francis Scott Key Bridge, Turn right on 29 North, Washington Harbor, Watergate complex.
+ Where does the tour start?
The tour starts at Let's Get Started! (Address: 2209 N Oak Ct, Arlington, VA 22209, USA). You can begin the tour there or join from any stop along the route.
+ What type of tour is this?
This is a self-guided driving tour designed to be completed by car, covering scenic routes, city highlights and optional key stops.
+ Can I do this tour at my own pace?
Yes, this is a self-guided driving tour, so you can start anytime and explore at your own pace. You can pause, skip stops, or spend more time at places that interest you. You can even split it into multiple days. Explore however feels right for you. The only vaiables that might affect your pace are speed limits and traffic congestion.
+ Do I need a car for this tour?
Yes, this is a driving tour, designed to be completed by car, with stops spread across different locations connected by a driving route.
+ Do I need anything in order to take the tour?
There are two things that you need - 1. A mobile phone (with the UCPlaces app installed and active location services, and a cellular data plan with a decent signal for downloading the tour). 2. A car. Here are some recommendations for a great experience: 1. Make sure your phone is fully charged and bring a charging cable for your car. 2. Connect your phone to the car speaker system via bluetooth or use our CarPlay/Android Auto option for the best experience.
+ How will I navigate from point to point during the tour?
The tour uses GPS-based navigation through the UCPlaces app, with automatic audio playback and step-by-step directions between stops. This works great either directly from your phone, or while connected to your car's multimedia system and using our CarPlay or Android Auto options. Just follow the route and listen to the audio guide. Use the resume feature to continue from where you recently stopped (or closed the app). Easily skip or go back to stops.
+ Is this tour suitable for families or groups?
Yes, self-guided tours are ideal for families and small groups, allowing everyone to explore comfortably without being tied to a fixed schedule.
+ What makes a self-guided tour better than a guided tour?
Self-guided tours are more flexible, affordable, and personalized. You can avoid crowds, choose your pace, and focus on the stops that interest you most.
+ I installed the app and it's now asking for GPS and media access permissions, why?
The app is your tour-guide, it needs to know where you are located on the map to be able to trigger the points of interest. It also needs access to audio and media files to provide you with this experience.
+ What happens if there are unexpected roadblocks or navigation issues?
We have been working hard to deliver a great experience. Though you may run into unexpected obstacles (the world is constantly changing), our app has multiple features and mechanisms in place to help you overcome them, including: AI assistance, force play an audio if you can't reach the stop, skip or return to stops, automatic rerouting and more.
+ Can I take the tour in my language?
Though all of our tours are primarily in English, many tours are muyltilingual (including: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hebrew, French, Arabic and more...). The tour language options depend on the specific tour - You can easily check which languages are available in the tour screen!