After living in Northern Virginia for 13 years, I want to share my favorite things to do in Alexandria VA. Being that Alexandria VA is so close to Washington, D.C., visitors can get a two for one deal if they do a bit of research. Old Town Alexandria sits on the Potomac River waterfront and is designated historic, dating back to 1749. The Old Town part of Alexandria is closest to Washington, D.C. and offers its visitors a plethora of things to do.

I hope this list inspires you to visit this beautiful city I call home, and if you live here, I hope there’s something new in this list of things to do in Alexandria.

Old Town Alexandria

30 Things To Do In Alexandria VA:

1. Visit the Spite House because it was literally built out of spite to keep horses and carriages out of the alley way. Coming in at a whopping 325 sq. feet over two stories and seven feet wide. This cute blue house is popular to photograph because of its size.
2. Stop by Kilwin’s for a caramel apple so you can see what the hype is about.
   

   Things to do in Alexandria VA: Eat a caramel apple!

3. Take a ride on Mount Vernon Trail. The trail itself is 18 miles, stretching from George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate to Theodore Roosevelt Island. From this trail you have excellent views of the Washington, D.C. skyline.
4. Do a bar crawl in Old Town with over 20 to chose from and all walking distance.
5. Enjoy the FREE King Street Trolley in Old Town: make sure to check days and times so you know where to pick it up.
6. Take a dinner cruise and see the Washington, D.C. monuments by moonlight.
   1. Alternatively take a boat to Georgetown or National Harbor.
7. Visit Mount Vernon: home to the first President, George Washington. Visit this sprawling estate and tour the home that he and Martha lived in.
   1. If you are visiting Alexandria during the holiday season, you do the Mount Vernon by Candlelight Tour.
      

      Mount Vernon by Candlelight

8. On Saturday’s hit the Old Town Farmer’s Market. Located in the center of Old Town, come early in the morning because you get the best picks of fresh produce, artisan products, and art from local sellers.
9. Take a walk through Alexandria History with Colonial Tours.
10. Visit the Carlyle House
11. Sunday brunch at Chadwick’s: eating brunch here is unforgettable. The fried green tomatoes and pancakes should not be missed because they are a fan favorite.
12. Visit the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
13. Take a cooking class at Sur La Table and enjoy your creation afterwards because you deserve it.
    

    Cooking Class Sur La Table – Retrieved from Sur La Table

14. Enjoy a friendly night of drinks and Karaoke at Rocket It Grill.
15. Fort Ward Museum: while the museum and historic site is small, a lot of locals use the walking path that is .6 miles around and walk 5 laps for 3 miles. Fort Ward is exceptionally beautiful in the fall when the leaves change.
16. Shop the boutique stores that line King Street.
17. Cameron Run Regional Park: best on a hot day for jumping into the wave pool.
18. Port City Brewing: Alexandria has its own brewery and its a city favorite. Try the Optimal Wit because not only is it the best, but a local favorite. Of all the things to do in Alexandria VA, this is one of my favorites.
19. Take in a show at the Birchmere.
20. Try your luck at our very own Escape Room.
21. Foodies unite! Take a food tour that walks through the beautiful tree lined streets and marvel at the architecture between stops.
22. Visit the Alexandria Black History Museum.
23. Go paddle boarding or sailing on the Potomac so you can see Alexandria from the water.
24. Look at some of the constantly revolving art at the Torpedo Factory.
25. Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. Built in 1792 and operated here until 1933. One of Alexandria’s oldest ran businesses.
26. Take a stroll down King Street because you never know what you might find. It’s an easy 1 mile walk with occasional cobblestone.
    

    Homes of Alexandria

27. Get sugar high on a free donut from Sugar Shack. Side note, you have to do something silly for it and it is different each day because they like to keep things interesting.
28. Take a free exercise class at Lululemon on Sunday’s at 10am because free exercises classes are the best exercise classes.
29. Enjoy an evening of live music at Murphy’s Irish Pub.
30. Watch a sunset from Market Square because you can really feel the colonial vibes of the city here.
    

    Things To Do In Alexandria Va – Watch a Sunset in Market Square

So this completes my list of 30 things to do in Alexandria VA! I hope you find yourself visiting Alexandria and enjoying this space of the world that I call home. Whether you stop in for a delicious brunch (because we have the best) or take in a weekend, these are the best things to do in Alexandria, VA during your visit!

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