We have compiled a suggested list of activities or itinerary that you might find helpful when you are visiting and sightseeing in Alexandria.
For other activity ideas, the Visit Alexandria webpage has a lot of useful information: https://visitalexandria.com
Alexandria has easy access to downtown DC via metro and busses, the National Harbor via bus and water taxi (city cruises), and Mount Vernon (George Washington’s mansion) via water taxi and tour.
More transportation information can be found: https://www.alexandriava.gov/GettingAround
In addition, Arlington National Cemetery is nearby and easily accessible via DC metro, Hop on Hop off bus, or public city busses.
The free King Street Trolley transports riders between the King Street Metrorail Station and City Hall/Market Square. The trolley runs daily, every 15 minutes with many stops for hopping on and off to explore the shops, restaurants and attractions found along Alexandria's historic main street.
Morning: Private Walking Tour of Alexandria – 9:00 AM (2.5 hours)
Depart from: 116 S. Alfred St., Alexandria VA 22314
$45-160/pp (depends on number of people in group, needs to be reserved in advance, but can be paid up to 2 days prior)
Enjoy a private walking tour of Alexandria, one of America’s most historic cities, with notable ties to many of America’s founders. Hear about the many founding fathers who are tied to the town, including Washington, Jefferson, and Frenchman Lafayette. However, not all of Alexandria is tied to its past. You’ll explore the Torpedo Factory Art Center, which was a working torpedo factory through World War II, and has since been repurposed as one of the country’s largest shared studio spaces, where you can shop and mingle with local artists. Your tour ends on King Street, where your guide will point you in the direction of great food and drinks or show you some of the great museums you can explore at your own leisure.
Read more about Visit Alexandria: Private Walking Tour - https://www.viator.com/tours/Virginia/Visit-Alexandria-Private-Walking-Tour/d22229-255730P210?mcid=56757
Lunch (on own)
Afternoon: Shopping in Old Town Alexandria (self-guided)
Named one of the area’s top shopping destinations by the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, Old Town Alexandria boasts a blend of independent galleries, stylish boutiques, vintage shops and national retailers. Locals know to hit King Street for hard-to-find international labels alongside well known big-name brands.
https://visitalexandria.com/the-best-of/king-street-alexandria-shopping/
Morning: Hop on Hop off DC bus tour, from 9:30 am
Starts from 9:30 am, meet in lobby or DC, $48.60/pp
More information on route and purchase tickets: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/washington-dc/washington-dc-bus-tours
Experience Washington DC's most famous landmarks and attractions with Big Bus Tours. You'll enjoy unique, top-deck views of the capital's best sights, including the White House, Capitol Hill, Jefferson Memorial, Smithsonian Castle, and many more.
Afternoon: Smithsonian Museums (free), self-guided
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. We are a community of learning and an opener of doors. Join us on a voyage of discovery. Explore our vast digital resources and learn online.
The museums line the National mall, and entrance is free
Tour George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Meet: 10:00 am, Lobby to make 11:00 am, DC; $81.17 pp
400 New Jersey Ave NW 400 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, D.C., DC 20001, USA Open in Google Maps Meet your tour guide at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (close to Union Station Metro). Address: 400 New Jersey Ave. NW Washington DC 20001
Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to tour start time.
Must be booked ahead of time, we can reserve and pay up to 2 days in advance
Explore some of the most famous landmark locations around Washington, DC on this half-day historical sightseeing tour. Travel to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s popular plantation in Virginia and one of the nation’s most beloved historic sites. Learn about his life and tour his home of more than 40 years. Then enjoy a bus trip around Old Town Alexandria. See the many historic 17th- and 18th-century homes, hear colorful stories about this founding father and discover little known facts about all the monuments, statues and buildings in the area. Admission to Mount Vernon, one of the most famous historical estates in America Explore the 23-room mansion and admire its views of the Potomac River See how the mansion has been restored to look as it did in 1799 when George Washington died Visit the tomb of George and Martha Washington Watch colonial-era actors at work in a blacksmith shop and on a colonial farm Take a scenic bus tour through historical Old Town Alexandria
Read more about Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria Day Trip from Washington DC – https://www.viator.com/tours/Washington-DC/Mt-Vernon-and-Old-Town-Alexandria-Day-Trip-from-Washington-DC/d657-5769MTVN?mcid=56757
Morning: Shopping, exploring in National Harbor (free)
Take a water taxi ($17 one way) or bus (~$2, need SmartTrip card) to National harbor from downtown Old Town Alexandria
https://www.nationalharbor.com
The vibrant Waterfront District at National Harbor features boutique shops, restaurants and entertainment options along the picturesque promenades. The iconic Capital Wheel—a 180-ft observation wheel—offers guests unprecedented views of DC, Maryland and Virginia. National Harbor is home to two of Maryland’s Four Diamond rated hotels. The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is the East Coast’s largest non-gaming hotel and convention center. It has almost 2,000 hotel rooms and 600,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The MGM National Harbor is an integrated luxury entertainment resort featuring renowned chef-driven restaurants, a 3,000-seat state-of-the art theater and one of the largest gaming floors outside of Las Vegas. Tanger Outlets offers guests the best deals with 85 premium brands. Topgolf National Harbor will join the mix in summer 2019. Interactive public art and a robust calendar of events round out this destination that welcomes more than 12 million visitors a year and is home to more than 2,000 residents.
Evening Ghost Tours: https://www.alexcolonialtours.com
Stable-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum: https://www.alexandriava.gov/Apothecary
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was a family business founded in 1792 and operated in this location from 1805 until 1933. It represents one of Alexandria's oldest continuously run businesses that combined retailing, wholesaling, and manufacturing. The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum boasts a vast collection of herbal botanicals, hand-blown glass, and medical equipment. It also has a spectacular collection of archival materials, including journals, prescription and formula books, ledgers, orders and invoices. The museum is a National Historic Landmark.
There are a number of historic sites and museums: https://visitalexandria.com/things-to-do/historic-attractions-and-museums/
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial: https://gwmemorial.org/pages/tours
The Top 18 things to do in Old Town: https://visitalexandria.com/the-best-of/top-18-things-to-do-in-old-town/
Arlington National Cemetery: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil