Best Things To Do In Alexandria VA
Overall vibe of Alexandria:
Nestled along the picturesque Potomac River, Alexandria, Virginia, is the perfect blend of historical charm and modern adventure. Just a short distance from Washington, D.C., Alexandria offers a unique, magical vibe with its well-preserved 18th-century architecture, cobblestone streets, and historical landmarks like George Washington's Mount Vernon. The city's Old Town district is a lively blend of boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants, perfect for flowing and wandering. Whether you're savoring the waterfront views or exploring King Street, Alexandria is a destination that captures the beauty of nature and historical charm.
Old Town Alexandria
Quick Guide to Alexandria:
Overall vibe: waterfront, historical, charming
How long to stay: 2-3 nights
Where to stay: Old Town
Getting around: very walkable (but I’d rent a car if you want to explore DC too!)
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Where to stay in Alexandria VA
Hotel Heron (@hotelheronalexandria): trendy hotel in very close walking distance to King Street and the waterfront (with an amazing rooftop bar).
The Heron Rooftop Bar
Hotel AKA (@hotelaka.alexandria): another trendy hotel in Old Town Alexandria within walking distance to King Street (just not as close as Hotel Heron although the rooms are a little bigger/nicer at AKA)
Alexandria VA Best Restaurants
The Majestic (Instagram: @themajesticva): Romantic, dimly lit restaurant with the BEST burger and great drinks!! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu but the burger is a must try.
The Majestic
Oak Steakhouse (Instagram: @oakalexandria): Classy, modern steakhouse with amazing steaks and burgers. The sides are also 10/10!
Oak Steakhouse
Helena’s (Instagram: @helenasmexicanrestaurant): Casual, lively Mexican restaurant with amazing food and margaritas.
Helena’s
Josephine (Instagram: @josephineoldtown): Classy, boujee feeling French restaurant. The vibes are immaculate and the burger is really good.
Josephine
Ada’s (Instagram: @adasontheriver): Modern American and seafood restaurant along the water. The food is good (and drinks are great) but the views are what make it.
Ada’s On The River
Momo Sushi (Instagram: @momosushicafe): I haven’t found any super amazing sushi spots in the area but this place is pretty good.
Momo Sushi
Wooboi (Instagram: @wooboichicken): casual, order at the counter fried chicken place. I’ve never understood the fried chicken hype but I LOVEEEE this place. The chicken is so juicy and cooked to perfection and their comeback sauce is SO yummy.
Wooboi
Hank’s Oyster Bar (Instagram: @hanksoysterbar): Seafood restaurant with pretty good rooftop. I prefer to go here for drinks but the food is good too.
Hank’s Oyster Bar
Sister’s Thai (Instagram: @sistersalexandria): Great thai restaurant! We love the yellow curry and drunken noodles!
Sister’s Thai
Cedar Knoll (Instagram: @cedarknollva): Classic, fine-dining restaurant a little bit south of Old Town (Fort Hunt area) with nice views of the river.
Cedar Knoll
Mamma’s Kitchen: Our favorite place to order pizza for takeout (it’s about a 10 minute drive from Old Town).
Matt & Tony’s (Instagram: @matt.and.tonys): American restaurant in Del Ray with good brunch food (about 5 minutes from Old Town).
Matt & Tony’s
Places I want to try: Bastille, Vermillon, Thompson Italian, La’baik, Bollywood Masala
Best lunch spots
Slater’s Market (Instagram: @slaters_market): casual, order at the counter deli with great sandwiches and wine.
Capo Deli (Instagram: @capoitaliandeli): another casual, order at the counter deli with great sandwiches. I’d go to Capo over Slater’s, especially since it’s right in the heart of Old Town. The Italian Sub and Turkey Wrap are my favs!!
Capo Deli
Tatte (Instagram: @tattebakery): Super cute coffee shop and cafe for breakfast and lunch. The short rib cous cous bowl is a must!
Tatte
Mae’s Market (Instagram: @maesmarketandcafe): Another cute coffee shop and cafe. The coffee is decent and the turkey sandwich is great!
Best breakfast spots
South Block (Instagram: @southblock): the best smoothie spot! I love the green majoon (add avocado).
South Block
Chewish Deli (Instagram: @chewishdeli): Amazing bagel sandwiches! It gets busy so plan to wait in line on the weekend.
Chewish Deli
Call Your Mother (Instagram: @callyourmotherdeli): Another deli with bagel sandwiches. We like Chewish better but this is also a great spot on King Street.
Places I want to try: Jula’s On The Potomac, Café du Soleil, Mae’s Market (I’ve only had their lunch)
Best bars & cocktail bars
People’s Drug (Instagram: @thepeoplesdrug): Awesome cocktail bar with good bar food (I love the burger!).
People’s Drug
Good Fortune Rooftop Bar at Hotel Heron (Instagram: @hotelheronalexandria): Awesome rooftop bar in Old Town. The drinks are just okay but the vibe and views are worth it.
Hotel Heron Rooftop
Augie’s (Instagram: @augiesbeergarden): Great spot for a casual beer on the patio when the weather is nice!
Light Horse (Instagram: @lighthorse715): Casual, lively, locals bar on King Street.
Barca (Instagram: @barca_alx): Tapas restaurant and bar on the river. The views are everything here and the drinks/food are pretty good too. We like to go for an app and drinks usually!
Places I want to try: Captain Gregory’s, Casa Luna, Alice Comfort Cocktail
Best dessert
Midnightreats (Instagram: @midnightreatss): The BEST cookies ever!!! We are obsessed with the cinnamon roll and sugar cookies but they are all amazing.
Casa Rosada Gelato (Instagram: @crgelato): The best gelato in Old Town. The oreo flavor is my fav!
Casa Rosada Gelato
Best coffee shops
I haven’t found any coffee in Old Town I’d say is 10/10…but these are my favorites in the area.
Via Volcan (Instagram: @viavolcan): The only “legit” coffee shop (according to my coffee snob tastes LOL) in Old Town. It’s super tiny so don’t plan to sit down - it’s more of a grab and go spot.
Tatte (Instagram: @tattebakery): Super cute coffee shop and cafe.
Mae’s Market (Instagram: @maesmarketandcafe): Another cute coffee shop and cafe. The coffee is decent and the turkey sandwich is great!
Other popular coffee shops in the area are Misha’s and St. Elmos but to be honest, I really don’t love them so I’d say skip them if you value really good coffee.
Best things to do in Alexandria
Shop/walk King Street in Old Town: King Street is a super charming, historical street full of shops, restaurants and bars! Some of my favorite shops are: Mason & Greens, Lululemon, Anthropologie, Sephora, Shop Made In VA, Old Town Books and She’s Unique Jewelry.
Walk along the Old Town waterfront: My favorite thing to do in Alexandria!! You can start near King Street and walk in either direction along the water - both are absolutely beautiful walks!
Old Town Farmers Market: The oldest farmers market in the US. It’s every Saturday morning 7am-noon. I’d go early because it gets super busy!
Alexandria Farmer’s Market
Jones Point Park: One of my favorite places to park and walk. You can park at the Jones Point Park Parking lot then walk along the water towards Old Town.
Visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon: I am not a big history person but it was pretty cool seeing GW’s house and the grounds are beautiful so it makes for a nice walk too.
Bike The Mount Vernon Trail: This is the trail that runs along the Potomac in Alexandria. It’s a beautiful bike ride (or walking any part of it is nice too). We haven’t rented from here Pedego has electric bike rentals and it looks so fun!
Mount Vernon Trail
Dyke Marsh Wildlife Habitat Path: peaceful walking trail that runs into the river a little south of Old Town.
Torpedo Factory: If you like art, you’ll probably enjoy this art gallery in the heart of Old Town.
Day Trips From Alexandria VA
Annapolis: very similar waterfront, charming, historical town about 50 minutes from Alexandria.
You can find my full Annapolis guide here!
Boatyard Bar & Grill: great restaurant with a huge menu selection!
Bread & Butter Kitchen: great casual lunch spot!
Fox Den: amazing pizza!
Carrol’s Creek Cafe: good restaurant with an awesome patio on the water. The food is good not great but the views are awesome.
Ceremony Coffee: one of my fav coffee shops of ALL time. This is the coffee we drink at home daily :)
Details & Design: super cute interior design store.
Annapolis Maritime Museum: walk out on the dock for a serene lookout view of the water.
Quiet Waters Park: great place to sit and soak in the view of the water or go on a walk.
Walk around downtown
Leesburg: super cute, small town about 45 mintues from Alexandria.
Goosecup Coffee: really good coffee with a great patio!!
South Street Under: amazing sandwiches!
Walk around downtown
Frederick: cute Maryland town about 1 hour and 20 min from Alexandria.
White Rabbit Gastropub: the burger and pizza are SO good!
Walk around downtown
Fredericksburg: another super cute town about 1 hour from Alexandria.
Google Map of All Alexandria Recommendations
I saved all of my recommendations for you in the map below to make it super easy to get around! Here’s the full link so you can save it: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1bUPPdLeDO20zh-_7dCBb8ywGR1Uz-fU&usp=sharing.
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