Spending the day at Arlington National Cemetery without stopping at the Tombs of the Unknown or John F. Kennedy’s eternal flame seems like heresy given those are the two stops tourists always make.

That’s exactly why I ventured off the grid. Saw parts of the 660-acre cemetery I’d never ventured or not seen in many years. Watched workers take great effort and pride in what they do, checked out seldom-seen monuments and lost myself in the serenity.

Throw in a beautiful fall day and it was five wonderful hours aside my aching knee. Oh well, no pain, no gain.

As tour guides, we get caught up in the loop of the Tomb and JFK, Maybe we talk about a couple other sites along the way. I use the equestrian statue of Sir John Dill to let the group catch its breath and allow stragglers to catch up so I needed to study up on the British World War II liason. There’s a quick walk through the amphitheater behind the Tombs and maybe walk over to the astronaut memorials and mention the mast of the Maine. Then it’s over to the eternal flame to see the Kennedys and back to the bus. I’ve recently included Arlington House more often now that it’s not so hot and people can better handle the walking.

But that’s such a narrow view of Arlington. It’s really a beautiful place where you can see the Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials plus the neighboring Pentagon and Air Force Memorial.

And, venture over to Sections 60 and 61 and you’ll see the heartbreak of the 25 or so funerals every day. Family members saying goodbye. I never take groups through this area because the last thing mourners need is a group gawking at them. But, I was quite surprised at the number of those walking through that area. I suppose they recently lost someone.

The Columbarium has 40,000 cremated remains. It’s pretty sobering to see. A fountain inside provides serenity.

I walked over to see the Pentagon Memorial in the shadow of the military headquarters attacked on Sept. 11, 2001.

Then it was the slow walk uphill to the back sections of Sections 13 to 18. This is the quietest area in Arlington. My great uncle is buried in Section 17 so I always stop by to see him. Fallas Broches was buried in 1946 and I don’t believe anyone visits him anymore. Next time I’m bringing a rock that I see on so many markers.

The Confederate Memorial is also in Section 17, surrounded by graves of Southern soldiers with pointed markers that legend says were created to keep Yankee soldiers from sitting on them. Who knows if that’s true. Probably not.

Maybe 50 yards away is a children’s section with the only German soldier of World War II buried in the middle.

Starting down, I was looking at the two memorials for the Spanish-American War and its nurses when I started hearing a booming. I figured it was soldiers drilling at Henderson Hall. Soon. I saw a band coming by with a funeral procession behind. I always saw you see amazing things at Arlington, but sometimes it’s overwhelming. The flag held high, the band playing strong was just a show stopper. I wish I was a little closer for better photos.

I decided to see the Pan American 103 Memorial (who knew that would be topical) and the War of 1812 unknowns marker. They’re just behind the Arlington House amphitheater where I never walk. I also spent time in the amphitheater and took a short lunch break at Arlington House. I try not to sit when touring or my legs stiffen, but five hours meant taking a break.

Finally, I wanted to see my distant cousin William Howard Taft’s grave. We can’t be too distantly related given I have the same build as the fattest president ever. I burned a few calories hiking over to Taft, who’s to the right of the Women’s Memorial. Saw Omar Bradley’s marker nearby.

I didn’t quite make everything on the memorials list. Gotta leave some for another hike, but the more I visit Arlington the more it has become my favorite place in Washington.

Indeed, I’ve enjoyed my boyhood dream career of being a newspaperman for 33 years, but in the final chapters of my life my dream job would be ANC’s blogger for their website. They need one. It would be my honor.

So next time you visit Arlington National Cemetery, remember there’s far more to it than the two stops. Spend a little extra time, especially in coming weeks when the leaves turn bright colors.