Alexandria
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Overview
The charming town of Alexandria is 5 miles and 250 years away from Washington. Once a salty port, Alexandria – known as ‘Old Town’ to locals – is today a posh collection of red-brick homes, cobblestone streets, gas lamps and a waterfront promenade near the Potomac River. It's often described as one of the best-preserved historical districts in the nation. Boutiques, outdoor cafes and bars pack the main thoroughfare, making the town a fine afternoon or evening jaunt. Two miles north of Old Town, the residential Del Ray neighborhood is a pleasant place to stroll, especially along the eatery-lined Mt Vernon Ave. Alexandria is also a jumping-off spot for excursions to Mount Vernon.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site
Alexandria
Washington, DC’s best-preserved Civil War fort is surprisingly hidden away in a residential Alexandria neighborhood. But there it is, a vivid foray into…
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Alexandria
This demure Federal-style row house holds a tragic story. At a time when Alexandria was the nation’s second-largest slave center (after New Orleans), a…
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Alexandria Black History Museum
Alexandria
Paintings, photographs, books and other memorabilia documenting the African American experience in Alexandria, one of the nation’s major slave ports, are…
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Lyceum: Alexandria's History Museum
Alexandria
For a quick primer on Alexandria’s history, stop by this small city museum in a beautiful Greek Revival building dating from 1839. A somewhat dusty array…
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Alexandria
If you have time for just one historic house tour in Alexandria, make it this one. The house dates from 1753 when merchant and city founder, John Carlyle,…
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Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Alexandria
In 1792 Edward Stabler opened up his apothecary (pharmacy) – a family business that would operate until 1933, when the Depression forced its doors to…
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George Washington Masonic National Memorial
Alexandria
Alexandria’s most prominent landmark features a fine view from the observation deck of its 333ft tower. Modeled after Egypt’s Lighthouse of Alexandria, it…
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Contrabands & Freedmen Cemetery
Alexandria
During the Civil War, the Union-controlled southern city of Alexandria, VA, became a safe haven for formerly enslaved African Americans. Though they had…
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Planning Tools
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Best Things to Do
Alexandria, Virginia, is one of the most charming and historic towns in the Mid-Atlantic. Here’s our guide to the top things to do.
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