Montebello was built on a promontory overlooking the Potomac River. This knob, called Mount Eagle, has such a commanding view that it was used as a fort during the US Civil War.

The ridge upon which Montebello sits is part of an important geological feature that is tied to the "Fall Line". This ridge starts at Great Falls VA and runs along the Potomac all the way to Mt. Vernon. Much of the area's most valuable real estate is sits on this ridge. From the hieghts of Rosslyn to the Iwo Jima Memorial, to Robert E. Lee's Arlington House, to Arlington's Ridge Road to Belle Haven, this Ridge overlooks the Potomac.

The knob at Montebello is often called Mt. Eagle and is shared by Mount Eagle Park and the Huntington Metro.

As a result of Montebello's perch, many units have sweeping views of the surrounding area. Depending upon the unit's position in the complex, you'll see the Potomac River, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, Old Town Alexandria, the USPTO, the Monuments and Capitol or Alexandria's West End and the Blue Ridge Mountains.