Alexandria, VA Road Trips

First surveyed in 1749, Alexandria claims some of the richest history in the D.C. metropolitan area. At various points in her past, Alexandria has been part of the District of Columbia, a regional slave trading market, an occupied city, a washed-up post-industrial hamlet, and a hometown to famous American heroes and rebels. Today, the town serves as an interesting day-trip alternative for weary tourists looking to escape the capital, a treasure trove of early American architecture, a romantic getaway for metro-area residents, and a bedroom community for the white-collar workers that fuel the Federal labor mills to the north. Old Town's cobblestone streets have nearly 4,000 buildings dating as far back as the 1600s, and is filled with shops and good restaurants. Neighborhoods of interest include: Old Town was laid out in 1749, making it the oldest section of the city, and is a historic district. Old Town is chiefly known for its historic town houses, art galleries, antique shops, restaurants, and its unique cobblestone streets and red brick sidewalks. Del Ray is to the northwest of Old Town, much of which was once in the separate town of Potomac. It has a vibrant commercial corridor.

Alexandria Visitor's Center, 221 King St. in the old Ramsay House. (updated Aug 2023) 1 Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St (a mile north of Old Town, metro: Braddock), ☏ +1 703 838-4356. Th-F 11AM-4PM, Sa 11AM-5PM, Su 1-5PM. Formerly a "separate but equal" library for African Americans is now a museum to foster tolerance and understanding among all cultures and to stimulate appreciation of the diversity of the African American experience. $3. (updated Aug 2023) 2 Lee-Fendall House, 614 Oronoco Street (A few blocks north of King St), ☏ +1 703 548-1789. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 1PM-4PM. Three houses east of the Lee-Fendall House on Oronoco Street is a state historical marker in front of the boyhood home of American Civil War General Robert E. Lee. (updated Dec 2025) 3 The Spite House, 523 Queen St (2 blocks north of King St). Dating from around 1830, this private dwelling is only 7 feet wide and about 33 feet deep. It was built in an alley to prevent people using the alley without permission. Because of its diminutive size, this house has been featured on HGTV, and other similar shows and publications. Please respect the fact that the home is a private residence. There are several other spite houses in Old Town, but they're more difficult to spot than this bright blue house. 4 Tall Ship Providence. A 1976 replica of a Revolutionary-era naval ship that was built for the Bicentennial and appeared in some of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Available for tours and cruises.

1 Great Waves Waterpark, 4001 Eisenhower Ave, ☏ +1 703-960-0767. (updated Apr 2025) Alexandria Colonial Tours, ☏ +1 703 519-1749. Historic Ghost Tour of Old Town Alexandria. Doggie Happy Hour (Hotel Monaco). Apr-Oct: Tu Th 5PM-8PM. Known as a very dog-friendly community, Hotel Monaco continues the tradition of doggie happy hour. The event draws an interesting mix of locals and tourists who bring their dogs to socialize and have a few cocktails. The season culminates with the doggie hallowe'en contest in late October. 2 Cameron Run Regional Park, 4001 Eisenhower Avenue, ☏ +1 703 960-0767. Local park offering fishing, miniature golf, batting cages, and the Great Waves water slides. Farmers Market, Market Square, 301 King St. Sa 07:00-12:00, year round. A favorite of local residents, Alexandria's Farmers' Market has been meeting continuously at the same site for more than 240 years—longer than any other market in the country. Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights, Alexandria Marina, Behind the Torpedo Factory. Annual festival held in the first week of December at the Alexandria Marina featuring dozens of decorated boats cruising the Potomac River from Old Town Alexandria to DC's Southwest waterfront. Holiday music, Santa Claus and other holiday related festivities will also be present. Free. (updated Nov 2015)

As a rule of thumb, restaurant prices in Old Town get more expensive as you approach the waterfront. A typical meal for one might run $10-15 near the King Street Metro and $20-30 near the Potomac. 1 The Creamery, 110 King Street, ☏ +1 703-549-4527. 11AM-11PM. This Mom & Pop ice cream shop has been satisfying the sweet tooth of Alexandria residents and tourists for the past 25 years. They have about 40 flavors of homemade ice cream including all the classics, and a few others like jack daniels, pistachio, and cheesecake. This is the best ice cream shop in the DC area, and a must for after dinner dessert. Diya Indian Cuisine - 218 N Lee St 2nd Floor. A wonderful, little Indian restaurant located a couple of blocks north of King street. 2 Gadsby's Tavern, 138 N Royal St, ☏ +1 703 548-1288. M-Sa 11:30AM-3PM, 5:30PM-10PM; Su 11AM-3PM, 5:30PM-10PM. A 200+ year-old dining spot, and a favorite of the first five U.S. Presidents! Thomas Jefferson celebrated his 1800 election victory and George Washington celebrated several birthdays in the upstairs ballroom. The museum, +1 703 838-4242, is in the old 1785 portion of the tavern and has access to the historic ballroom. Tour times vary but usually end at 4 PM or 5 PM depending on the day. The restaurant occupies the bottom floor of the relatively new 1792 section and provides an impressively historic setting with food styles influenced by the original tavern. The food is just okay, but is not really why you come here. $26-50 (dinner). (updated Jun 2024) Hard Times Cafe, 112 S West St, ☏ +1 703 451-7555.

Straight-up bars or nightclubs are not in the area because Virginia requires liquor be served with food. Therefore, restaurant-and-bar combination places are the norm. Daniel O'Connell's Restaurant and Pub, 112 King Street, ☏ +1 703 739-1124. Murphy's Grand Irish Pub, 713 King St, ☏ +1 703 548-1717. Su-Th 11AM-1AM, F Sa 11AM-2AM. One of the happiest Irish pubs around, with 14 amazing beers on tap, a big fireplace, surprisingly good Irish food for the very low prices, and high-quality live Irish music every night of the week, which the crowd gets very into. Murphy's boasts an impressively tasty menu, including gourmet lunch and dinner specials. Enjoy their Champagne Brunch from 10AM-3PM every Sunday. Union Street Public House, 121 S Union Dr, ☏ +1 703 548-1785. M-Th 11:30AM-10:30PM, F Sa 11:30AM-11:30PM, Su 11AM-10:30PM. The Union St Pub is an Old Town institution, in no small part due to its location and for the roomy (several rooms), comfy interior where you'll be able to sit even on a crowded Old Town weekend night, and where you'll find a good selection of local Virginia craft beers. The building itself is historic, dating back to when George Washington used it as a warehouse. Seafood fans should head to the left and the back towards the oyster bar. Buzz Bakery & Coffee, 901 Slaters Ln, ☏ +1 703 600-2899. 6AM-midnight daily. The best reason to come may be the long hours when you can sip and surf the free WiFi.

Hilton Alexandria, 1767 King St, ☏ +1 703 837-0440. Hiltons are always nice, if big and impersonal, and this one has a fine location just west of Old Town, and next to the Metro stop for a very easy commute into the city. $170-420. 1 The Alexandrian, 480 King St. (updated Aug 2017) Archer Hotel Old Town Alexandria (Formerly named Lorien Hotel & Spa), 1600 King Street, ☏ +1 703 894-3434. Hotel and spa in Old Town Alexandria. Has pet-friendly options. (updated Aug 2024) Morrison House, 116 S Alfred St, ☏ +1 703 838-8000. It's hard to compete with this B&B. Staying right off King St in the heart of Old Town, in a beautiful, stately, chandelier filled mansion in the colonial style. Has tuxedo-clad butlers, a classy piano bar, and a restaurant competitive with the best in the area. $150-420. Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria, 801 North Saint Asaph Street, ☏ +1 703 836-4700. A hotel within walking distance of the Braddock street Metro station. While it's not in Old Town, the hotel is a short walk from historic sights and several high-quality restaurants. The entire property is non-smoking. The hotel has an on-site restaurant and an on-site fitness center with a lap pool. The hotel sometimes offers discounted rates for suites. In addition to the above, there is a large cluster of reasonably priced motels/hotels on Hwy 1 just outside city limits in the South Alexandria section of Fairfax County, within walking distance of the Huntington Metro. Prices in the area will likely run about half what more posh accommodations on King Street in Old Town would.

Alexandria is accessible from the three Washington, D.C., area airports. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA IATA) is located just north of Alexandria in Arlington. From Reagan National, downtown Alexandria (King Street Station) is only two Metro stops away: take the Yellow metro line in the direction of Huntington or the Blue line towards Franconia/Springfield. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD IATA) is 30 miles northwest of Alexandria. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI IATA) is 40 miles northeast of Alexandria. For information on traveling to Alexandria from DC area airports, see the "Get in" section of Washington DC. 1 Alexandria Union station, 110 Callahan Dr (Adjacent to King Street Station, served by the yellow and blue metro lines.). A hub for commuters. (updated Mar 2021) Train operators: Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States. (updated Mar 2018) All Amtrak trains in the area stop at nearby Washington Union Station and a few lines also stop here, very close to the King Street stop on the Blue/Yellow Metro lines. Routes stopping at Washington Union Station: Cardinal operating three trips weekly between Chicago and New York City with stops in Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette, Crawfordsville, Indianapolis, Connersville, Cincinnati, Ashland, Huntington, Charleston, Hinton, White Sulphur Springs, Staunton, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Alexandria, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.

The historic center of Alexandria is known as "Old Town", which is where the most notable restaurant, shopping, architectural, and tourist destinations are located. Stroll down King Street and visit the side streets of Old Town. The main Old Town section begins about a half-mile east of the King Street-Old Towne Metrorail Station and provides a combination of restaurants, art and antique shops, souvenir traps, and public buildings. With its French-style open-air cafes, gas lamp-styled lights, red brick sidewalks, and historical, old-style architecture, King Street provides one of the most romantic settings in the DC metro area. More than just a tourist destination or open-air museum, Old Town is a vibrant community of residents who take great pride in their city. The streets north and south of King Street near the river boast nearly 4000 18th- and 19th-century buildings still used as private residences. Unlike many of the planned communities promoted by new urbanism, the streets of Old Town simply ooze a sense of character and authenticity that is not normally seen outside the best cities in Europe. King Street Trolley operates a free transportation service from the King Street metro station to the waterfront. These black and red rubber tire trolleys are free and will stop at any one of the signs for the trolley stops along King street. DASH, the city's fare-free bus system, operates throughout the entire city. The DASH bus routes 30 and 31 overlap the King Street Trolley route through Old Town and go between Braddock Road and King Street metro stations.

Alexandria, particularly Old Town, is a safe city with considerably less crime than its neighbor, Washington, DC. While you are unlikely to be the victim of a crime here, you should take normal precautions that you would in any urban area.