Celebrate National Bike Month in May

Arlington takes May seriously as a cycling community, and for good reason — the county holds Gold Bicycle Friendly Community status from the League of American Bicyclists, one of the highest designations awarded to any jurisdiction in the country.

Bike Arlington — the county’s dedicated cycling resource — offers a Bicycle Comfort Level Map for finding new routes, self-guided tours, a free five-week beginner biking program, an e-bike buying guide, and a full calendar of events throughout the month, making it genuinely easy to participate at whatever level suits you. The signature moment of the month is Bike to Work Day, held the third Friday of May: more than 2,000 riders are expected at Arlington’s pit stop at Water Park in National Landing in 2026, with complimentary coffee, snacks, and gear giveaways for participating cyclists—one of the best-attended pit stops in the entire DMV-wide event.

The month’s athletic crown jewel is the Armed Forces Cycling Classic on Memorial Day weekend. Held in Arlington on the last weekend of May, the Classic features Pro/Am criterium races on closed city streets in Crystal City and Clarendon — including the storied Clarendon Cup, known as one of the most technically demanding criterium courses in the country — alongside a Challenge Ride open to amateur cyclists of all abilities and youth races for children as young as nine. The Clarendon Cup course in particular is worth watching even if you never touch a bike: high-speed racing through tight turns on city streets, with a genuinely competitive field, makes for spectacular free spectating from the sidewalk. For the full Bike Month calendar, beginner programs, and trail maps, visit bikearlington.com.