Old Town Alexandria in an Afternoon

Looking for a fun afternoon outside Washington DC? Well look no further than Old Town Alexandria! Filled with history, shopping, and great food, Old Town has something for everyone to enjoy. Alexandria is easy to get to thanks to the DC metro, and the many airports in the DC area. The closest airport would be Ronald Reagan National Airport which is even located on the same line of the metro as Old Town is! Once on the metro, take the King Street-Old Town metro stop on the yellow and blue line, and from there it is a nice walk to get to the main shopping and historic cobble stone streets of Old Town. There is additionally a free trolley that runs from the metro to the water, if you want to skip the walking. For more information on how to get to the Washington DC area check out our DC in a Day blog post.

As you walk through King Street you will be quick to notice the fun and quirky stores along the way. There is some sort of shop that will please everyone from high end clothing and home goods such as Anthropologie, to fun consignment stores! It is sure to fit everyone's budget. If shopping isn't your favorite hobby, there are many other sources for entertainment as well. Try Escape Room Live for a fun family activity! There are multiple rooms to pick from, and they offer them for up to 12 people! Be sure to make reservations if this is something you and your group are interested in though.

If you want a free activity, be sure to keep walking down till you basically hit the Potomac River! Walk along the docks and see the different boats, see National Harbor from a distance, and take in a nice day. There are many signs explaining the history of Old Town on the boardwalk area, so you can learn about all that has occurred there. Old Town has lots of special events that take place too. When we went they had a replica Spanish sail boat there! There was a fee to get on the boat, so we just looked at it from the park. Be sure to look up what is going on while you visit!

Another free activity in Old Town is the Torpedo Factory Art Center. At one point it use to be a naval factory, but it is now a large art gallery. Walk around and see artist working on paintings, sculptures, and other pieces. There is a small area for food inside, and a couple gift shops.

Old Town has plenty of restaurants that offer amazing meals, and can fit any diet. While there, we went to the Virtue Feed and Grain. Since it was a weekend they were still serving brunch. This place was packed, so be sure to call ahead if there is a restaurant you really want to eat at if it is during prime meal hours! The buttermilk biscuits were fresh and delicious, and the hash browns were cooked very well! If you want more of a lighter meal, or just a sweet snack, check out Alexandria Cupcakes! With unique flavors, and everyone's favorite, there is a cupcake for any taste. Try the Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Icing, or if you like mint try the mint cupcake!

A trip to Old Town is not complete without walking around and admiring the water and the old homes of the area. There are multiple tours that you can take to give you more history into the area, or you can just explore it yourself. The cobble stone streets are great for pictures, and lots of the townhouses there decorate for all seasons. If it is a nice day be sure to admire the views.

What did we miss in Old Town that you would have seen? What is your favorite restaurant or place to eat at there? Let us know in the comments! The map below points out the attractions mentioned in the article, as well as some fun shops that we walked into.

We are still searching for more trips to take, and using Skyscanner to get us low prices for flights! Where should we head to next? We are currently looking up flights for Nashville, Denver, and other cities in Utah! Be on the lookout for more posts soon! If you want more travel tips, and to see additional pictures from our travels check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

Blue skies,

K&L