In short
The 2027 Marine Corps Marathon is on Sunday 31 October 2027, starting on Route 110 between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery and finishing uphill at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. Runners should stay by a Blue or Yellow Line Metro station, ideally Pentagon City or Crystal City, because the race sends runners to the start by Metro to Pentagon or Pentagon City. Supporters do well in Rosslyn, a short walk from the Finish Festival and family meeting area, or downtown in Penn Quarter, close to the National Mall. The 2027 entry dates and official hotel block are not out yet, so book a room with free cancellation now.
Course sheet In race order, not to scale
- Route 110, ArlingtonStart between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, runners only
- M Street, Georgetownmile 5 (km 8) · cheer spotOver Key Bridge and through Georgetown, around mile 5
- Lincoln Memorialmile 10 (km 16)Passed twice, at miles 10 and 16
- Hains Pointmile 12 (km 19)The wear blue mile of flags and photos of fallen service members
- National Mallmile 18 (km 29) · cheer spotPast the Smithsonian museums to the Capitol, miles 17 to 19
- 14th Street Bridgemile 20 (km 32)Beat the Bridge: reach 14th and D Streets by the cutoff (13:15 in 2026)
- Crystal Drive, Crystal Citymile 22.5 (km 36) · cheer spotOut and back on Crystal Drive, miles 22 to 23
- Route 110 by the Pentagonmile 25 (km 40)Back past Runners Village around mile 25
- Marine Corps War MemorialUphill finish at the Iwo Jima memorial
Race morning
In 2026 Metro opened two hours early, at 05:00: take the Blue or Yellow Line to Pentagon or Pentagon City, the two stations for Runners Village in the North Pentagon Parking Lot. In 2026 only runners could enter the start area and everyone was screened, so have your bib on and bring only the clear bag from packet pickup for the UPS baggage trucks. Race shuttles also ran from 23rd Street and Crystal Drive in Crystal City from 04:30 to 06:30, and drivers can drop runners at Kiss and Run (Army Navy Drive and Fern Street). In 2026 the runners started at 07:20, after the wheelchair and handcycle start at 07:05 and the duos at 07:07.
Where to stay
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Start Finish Acheer spot Course
Live map · Pentagon CityHotels and rentals at live prices, Fri 29 Oct to Mon 1 Nov
Open the live map for Pentagon City ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map if you are staying longer.
Watch the race
See your runner on M Street in Georgetown, ride Metro to the National Mall and on to Crystal City, then meet at the lettered towers in Rosslyn.
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mile 5 (km 8)
M Street, Georgetown
Stand on M Street near 33rd Street, by Key Bridge, and arrive early: the leaders pass before 08:00. Georgetown has no Metro station, so afterwards walk 20 to 25 minutes east to Foggy Bottom-GWU without crossing the course, and ride the Blue, Orange or Silver Line five stops to Smithsonian.
Stays near M Street, Georgetown ↗ -
mile 18 (km 29)
National Mall
Get off at Smithsonian and watch along the Mall, where the course passes the museums and the Capitol between miles 17 and 19. As soon as your runner passes, ride one stop to L'Enfant Plaza and take the Yellow Line three stops to Crystal City; weekend Metro waits can reach 15 minutes, so do not linger.
Stays near National Mall ↗ -
mile 22.5 (km 36)
Crystal Drive, Crystal City
Crystal Drive between 12th and 20th Streets is the local recommended viewing stretch, and runners turn at 2121 Crystal Drive, so you see them going out and coming back. Then ride the Blue Line four stops from Crystal City to Rosslyn; your runner still has more than 3 miles to go.
Stays near Crystal Drive, Crystal City ↗ -
Meet your runner
Spectators cannot reach the finish line at the Marine Corps War Memorial, so take Metro to Rosslyn and wait at the Family Link Up area in the Finish Festival (08:00 to 16:00 in 2026). Meet under the 13-foot yellow tower with the first letter of your runner's last name; in 2025 the area was at N. Lynn Street and Wilson Boulevard, and a big screen at the festival shows runners crossing the line.
The official hotels, explained
Jems Hospitality is the race's only authorized housing agent; its 2026 block had 27 hotels in Crystal City, Pentagon City, Court House, Ballston, downtown Washington and Old Town Alexandria, with the DoubleTree Crystal City (walkable to the start, two-night minimum) and the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill as headquarters hotels. The 2027 block is not open yet, and partner travel agencies also sell packages that include a guaranteed entry.
| Official hotel offer | Our maps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Jems Hospitality | Every hotel and rental near each area |
| Prices | Listed on the official site | Live prices from several booking sites |
| Minimum stay and cancellation | No package needed. Terms are set by each hotel: in 2026 some, including the DoubleTree Crystal City, asked for two nights, and most bookings closed on 8 October. | Filter for free cancellation |
| Need to buy a package? | No | No |
See the official hotel offer ↗ · We link to the official option and explain its terms, so you can compare before you book.
When to book
- NowBook a room with free cancellation near the start.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- Sun, 31 Oct 2027Race day.
Free guide
The Unofficial 2027 Marine Corps Marathon Where to Stay Guide
Every area, the race morning plan and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.
Questions
Where should I stay for the Marine Corps Marathon?
Near a Blue or Yellow Line Metro station. Pentagon City and Crystal City are one and two stops from Pentagon, where runners enter Runners Village, and Rosslyn is a short walk from the Finish Festival and family meeting area. In Washington, Penn Quarter is three Yellow Line stops from Pentagon and close to the National Mall.
Should I stay in Arlington or in Washington, DC?
The start and finish are both in Arlington, Virginia, so Pentagon City, Crystal City and Rosslyn are the easiest for runners. Washington works well too if you stay near the Yellow Line, which crosses the river straight to Pentagon, and it puts supporters close to the National Mall.
How do I get to the start of the Marine Corps Marathon?
By Metro to Pentagon or Pentagon City, the two stations for Runners Village in the North Pentagon Parking Lot. In 2026 Metro opened at 05:00, two hours earlier than a normal Sunday, and race shuttles ran from 23rd Street and Crystal Drive from 04:30 to 06:30. Only runners can enter the start area.
Can spectators watch the start or the finish?
Not in 2025 or 2026: only runners were allowed at the start and finish lines. Supporters watch along the course and meet runners at the Family Link Up area in the Rosslyn Finish Festival, where a big screen shows the finish line.
Where can supporters watch the Marine Corps Marathon?
M Street in Georgetown (around mile 5), the Lincoln Memorial (miles 10 and 16), the National Mall (miles 17 to 19, Smithsonian station) and Crystal Drive in Crystal City (miles 22 to 23, Crystal City station). With so many roads closed, Metro is the way to move between them.
When is the 2027 Marine Corps Marathon, and when should I book?
Sunday 31 October 2027. Entry dates are not out yet (general registration opened on 6 April in 2026), but finishing the Marine Corps 17.75K on 27 March 2027 earns guaranteed entry (you still register through a link sent after the race). Book a free-cancellation room now, and plan to arrive before race day: there is no bib pickup on race morning.
Official race site ↗ · Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19