Home to one of the oldest historic districts in America, Alexandria boasts a heavy dose of colonial charm. But it's still a living, breathing, functioning city creating new chapters stacked atop its storied past.
Bisecting Old Town from west to east is King Street, a thoroughfare bustling with restaurants and cafes, bars and bistros, stands and shops.
- Getting To Alexandria
- Things to See in Alexandria
- Where to Eat in Alexandria
- Self Guided Old Town Alexandria Walking Tour
The easiest way to explore Alexandria is with our local tour guide or on our self guided audio tour.
You have a full menu of transportation options for getting to Old Town, and driving should be at the bottom of that list. The traffic is often as gridlocked as congressional politics and parking is at a premium, especially when the weather is nice.
Besides, the journey is half the fun. A good way to find parking if that is how you want to travel is to reserve spot using SpotHero.
BIKE
You can bike along the Mount Vernon Trail.
It's just about ten miles from the National Mall to the Alexandria waterfront, it's a ride that takes about an hour at a leisurely pace.
If you don't have a bike, no worries! Grab some wheels from a Capital Bikeshare(CaBi) dock on the Mall and pedal along the Potomac. There are CaBi docks along King Street. It'll be a good chance to burn off all the calories that you're about to consume.
And if you're too full at the end of the day you can just take Metro back.
WATER TAXI
Or you can take a water taxi! It's the most expensive option, but hey...you're on a boat.
During the warm months the water taxi will take you right back to the National Mall.
METRO
You can also take Metro to the King Street station via the yellow and blue lines, and from there, you can meander the ten blocks down King Street to the waterfront.
Or if you're in a hurry you can take the free shuttle that runs back and forth along King Street.
DRIVE
If you must drive to Alexandria, there’s an easy, efficient way to find a spot to leave your car for a few hours.
SpotHero is a popular service in DC that enables drivers to search for and book guaranteed parking spots in lots and garages.
Book a space that works for you and they’ll email you a parking pass. It’s nice to know exactly where you’re going to be parking, how much you’ll pay, and that a spot will be saved for you!
Things to See in Alexandria
The Old Town section of King Street is anchored on the east by the waterfront along the Potomac River. A number of restaurants and shops are clustered against the riverbank along a boardwalk.
1. Waterfront
If the weather is nice it's a great place to grab a meal and watch the Potomac lumber go by. You'll have great views of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, which connects Virginia and Maryland.
And if you're standing in the right spot you can see the dome of the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument a little further upstream.
You can take our Self Guided Old Town Alexandria tour for a sense of the city's history.
Of course, history is the name of the game in Old Town, and history nerd or not, there are some spots you have to check out.
2. Christ Church
About a block north of King Street along Washington Street is Christ Church where George was known to worship, as was Robert E. Lee. In fact, the church has a few interesting ties to the Civil War.
The church is a U.S. National Historic Landmark; but, it's still an active church with a large congregation.
3. Gadsby's Tavern
After praying like George, maybe it's a good time to eat like George. Gadsby's Tavern offers up lunch and dinner seatings, and Sunday brunch with a side of time machine.
As you walk through the doors candlelight, decor and period costumes will send you two centuries back in time. And, it wasn't just George who stopped by, other visitors include John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
If it's good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for you. But, if you're not hungry you can just check out the museum and do a tour.
4. Stabler-Leadbetter Apothecary Museum
After eating like George, now it's time to do drugs like George. A stop by the Stabler-Leadbetter Apothecary Museum is a gentle reminder that medicine has, thankfully, come a long way since the colonial era.
The museum is preserved as though encased in formaldehyde for a century and a half....you'll find serums and tonics and drugs.
There are a few medical instruments on display, and reams of documentation in the form of logs and journals. Martha Washington spent a few dollars here, as did George's doctor as he tried to save his life.
5. George Washington Masonic National Memorial
The last stop on the being-George-Washington fantasy tour is the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
You can't miss it, it's that tall tower at the west end of King Street. It's clearly super-secret. They offer four one-hour tours Friday-Sunday (9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.).
Children under 12 are free, and adults cost $18 (although Freemasons get a $1 discount, I'm not sure if you'll need your robe, though). The tour includes a trip to the observation tower.
6. Lyceum
Steer a bit off King Street to the Lyceum. It's a museum dedicated to the history of Alexandria, and its location actually marks a natural pit stop. It's on Washington Street about halfway down King Street in either direction.
You'll have explored enough of Alexandria to have the context to give the history meaning, but have enough to explore to let the museum stoke your passion for discovery. The building dates to 1839, constructed as a library and cultural center.
It would serve as a hospital during the Civil War, and in the middle of the street in front of the museum you'll find a statue commemorating soldiers of the Confederacy.
7. Torpedo Factory Art Center
Along the waterfront at the end of King Street is another piece of Alexandria history wrapped in the creativity of contemporary artists. The Torpedo Factory Art Center produced torpedoes before and during WWII. Then, like many of the buildings expanded during the booming war years, it was relegated to storage.
It was basically the federal government's garage until the city of Alexandria rescued and resuscitated this waterfront real estate in the mid-70's. Now that factory of deadly accuracy is a display of the beauty of life and art.
More than 80 artists have studios giving the half-million annual visitors a chance to interact with the artists as they create. The center also has public restrooms.
8. Spite House
A favorite stop on the Old Town Alexandria tour - check out the Spite House. The smallest house in the DMV at 7 feet wide!
Where to eat and drink in Alexandria
Coffee
Time travel is exhausting, so do yourself a favor as you meander around Old Town and grab some coffee. There are some excellent independent coffee shops littered about Alexandria:
Misha's Cafe: 102 S. Patrick Street
They have tables adjacent to a massive roaster surrounded by canvas bags of beans...it's a caffeinated cocoon.
http://www.mishascoffee.com
Brews
Once it's time to reward your inner history nerd you can kick back and relax with a few libations in true Alexandrian fashion.
The Light Horse: 715 King Street (at N Washington St)
http://thelighthorserestaurant.com
Named with a nod to a Revolutionary War hero and one-time Alexandria resident Light Horse Harry Lee. You'll find a good tap list, and if you're not too tired from all the walking they have shuffleboard and skeeball.
Daniel O'Connells: 112 King Street
http://www.danieloconnells.com
It's a maze of a bar/restaurant with smaller sub-bars throughout the establishment. If the weather is nice try to score some space on the upstairs patio. If it's misty, murky and chilly pull up a stool next to one of the fireplaces.
Murphy's Irish Pub: 713 King Street
http://www.murphyspub.com
A cozy place to grab a beer in the middle of all your shopping. It feels like St. Patrick's Day exploded in this bar.
Dinner
Virtue Feed & Grain: 106 S. Union Street
http://virtuefeedgrain.com
In a fantastic, rugged space just off the waterfront you can grab everything from burgers to duck confit. They also have a healthy tap list featuring beers from Virginia, Maryland and the District.
Vermilion: 1120 King Street
vermilionrestaurant.com
If you're looking for something a little more upscale this spot offers some creative farm-to-table options. Go for brunch or dinner, their tasting menu is a solid choice. Making reservations is a good idea.
Self-Guided Walking Tour of Old Town Alexandria
Founded in 1749, Alexandria has a history well before Washington, D.C. This quaint colonial port town still has the charm of row houses and cobblestone streets.
You can use the Atlantis Audio Tours app for a GPS-enabled self-guided walking tour of Alexandria that covers the historic sites and museums.
- Book an Audio Tour on our Booking Page
- Receive a confirmation email with a .mp3, .pdf, and embeddable Google Map
- Enjoy the tour(s)!
Visiting Alexandria with Kids
Old Town Alexandria is a history nerd's paradise, but it's also a great place to escape with the family... and maybe instill the love of history at an early age.
Our Old Town Alexandria Guided Walking Tour is great for families and the guide can make sure you see all the coolest things!
1. Alexandria Colonial Tours
They offer up a great self-guided scavenger hunt that will turn the exploration of Old Town into a fun game!
You can pick up a map at the Christmas Attic (125 S. Union St.) and soak in a little holiday cheer while you're there.
2. Lee-Fendell House (614 Orinoco Street)
Another great way for the kids to relate to historical figures is to see how they grew up, and period costumes make it all the more fun.
The was home to 37 members of the Lee family, a name made famous by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and his father Harry Light-Horse Lee.
The only way to visit the house is to be part of one of the tours they offer.
The tours are scheduled at the top of the hour and it's a neat display of how families lived during the Victorian era.
And after the tour, you can saunter on past the boyhood home of Robert E. Lee just across the street.
3. Gadsby's Tavern
Gadsby's Tavern offers up some great programs for younger children. For example, on select days they offer up tours led by their Junior Docents.
What better way for your kids to relate than through the perspective of 4th-6th graders? (and by the way, if you're a local and the history force is strong with your child, they can be a junior docent at Gadsby's Tavern.
Here's how: https://www.alexandriava.gov/GadsbysTavern
Whether eating at Gadsby's or just touring the building it's fun to think about our founding fathers roaming the same space!
4. Take a Pirate Cruise
If you still want to get out on the water you'll find a host of options at the waterfront.
You can also split your day between Old Town and George Washington's house Mount Vernon with a cruise from the Alexandria waterfront.
The route passes underneath the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and stops at National Harbor before disembarking at Mount Vernon. Later in the day you get back on the boat and head back to Old Town Alexandria just in time for dinner.
You want to see Alexandria and Washington, D.C. from the Potomac.
Your kids want to be pirates. Grab a seat on the Pirate Cruise offered by the Potomac Boat Company for a 40-minute ride and satisfy all camps.
You'll hear some stories and history and jokes, all in the unmistakable dialect of pirates. Of course, the pirate life isn't for everyone.
5. Stop by the Torpedo Factory Art Center
The space is full of working artists, which gives you a chance to watch as art is created.
The torpedo on display in the main space is always a kid magnet...don't worry, it's inert.
On a more practical level, the building is air-conditioned for those sweltering summer months and there are public restrooms.
While you're along the river, walk the waterfront and take in the street performers.
Especially on the weekends, you'll find someone doing amazing things as crowds huddle around.
This is also a great chance to give your feet a rest, grab a seat on one of the benches, and watch all the action along the Potomac.
