How to Spend One Day in Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria, Virginia is charming town about 25 minutes from Washington D.C. You can definitely see almost all of the town in one day, but in a similar fashion to D.C., Alexandria has a lot of interesting U.S. history landmarks. The town has historic sites that date back to pre-Revolutionary War and early U.S. President’s like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Alexandria’s Old Town is also nationally recognized historic district right along the Potomac River. We visited in the winter and had a great time, but this town seems like it thrives in the summer months since it is along the waterfront. Keep on reading for our tips on what you absolutely cannot miss in Alexandria!

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Best Things to Do in Alexandria

Walk around the Old Town
Take a tour of the Carlyle House (and don’t forgot to stroll through the backyard!)
Pop into the local shops on King Street
Visit The Spite House (one of the narrowest houses in the United States, said to be built out of Spite)
Go inside the historic Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
Walk through Market Square (and if you are there on a Saturday they have the oldest farmer’s market in the United States — George Washington even used to go!)
Check out the Alexandria Black History Museum
Go to the infamous Apothecary Museum
Check out some local art at Torpedo Factory Art Center
Visit the George Washington Masonic National Memorial

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Where to Eat & Drink in Alexandria

Misha’s Coffee
PLNT Burger
Port City Brewing Company
Chop Shop Taco

To see everything we did in Alexandria first hand, make sure you check out our YouTube video where we give you more details about our trip!