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Visit Alexandria, a Top 3 Small City with Big Cosmopolitan Vibes

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On the Potomac River within eyesight of Washington, D.C., Alexandria, VA is nationally recognized for its rich history and beautifully preserved 18th- and 19th-century architecture. Voted one of Travel + Leisure’s Best Cities in the U.S 2024 and a Condé Nast Traveler Top 3 Best Small City in the U.S. 2024, Alexandria is a welcoming weekend escape next to our nation’s capital.

Founded in 1749 and boasting the nation’s third oldest historic district, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel. Stroll Old Town Alexandria’s King Street mile to find more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques plus intimate historic museums and new happenings at the waterfront. Alexandria is the perfect home base for your D.C. vacation and an unforgettable getaway of its own.

Summer in Alexandria

Vola-s-Dockside

Top 18 Things to Do in Old Town Alexandria

A person walks past three colorful row houses—white, blue, and red—on a tree-lined street with a sidewalk and utility pole in the foreground.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025

A close-up of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy, featuring a circular design with engraved text, set against a blurred background of lights at night.

Alexandria Tours

A group of five people walk through a brick gate with a tour guide in a white shirt at the entrance of Carlyle House, surrounded by trees and historical signage.

Shopping

Three women walk on a brick sidewalk, carrying shopping bags and smiling, in front of brick buildings and shop windows on a sunny day. A man can be seen walking in the background.

“Love, Alexandria” Hotel Package

People sit and converse in a stylish hotel lobby with elegant furniture, gold accents, and a large chandelier. A woman sits on a curved sofa in the foreground, while others relax and talk around the room.

Alexandria is 5 miles south of Washington, D.C., a water taxi ride away from National Harbor and a bike ride from Mount Vernon.

Transportation Options

Alexandria’s Accolades

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From Travel + Leisure and Money to Southern Living and Condé Nast Traveler, everybody is buzzing about Alexandria, Virginia.

Vote for Alexandria!

Help us make Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best Small Cities in the U.S.” list for the 8th year in a row and cinch the top ranking—plus, enter to win a European excursion with Viking Cruises. Voting closes June 30, 2025.

Vote Now

Discover seasonal events, where to shop, sip and savor and more insider intel in “The Best Of” series.

Colorful fireworks burst in the night sky over a calm waterfront—one of the best things to do this summer—reflecting on the water, with silhouetted piers and distant city lights glowing along the shore.
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A brunch table set with pancakes topped with strawberries and syrup, eggs Benedict with salad, grilled grapefruit, a cappuccino, a glass of orange juice, and a red checkered napkin.
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Three women smile as they walk out of a store, shopping bags in hand. The storefront window reads Virginia and Made. Sunlight and shadows dance across the brick sidewalk in front of the shop.
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A collage shows people walking past shops, friends clinking drinks at an outdoor restaurant by the water, and groups enjoying vibrant outdoor dining at colorful tables on a brick sidewalk in a lively town.
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Featured

Events & Festivals

A group of people, including scouts, stand in front of a large illuminated wall displaying many engraved names at night, observing and discussing the memorial.
June 12 - June 15, 2025
George Washington Masonic National Memorial
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A group of people stand outside a historic, peach-colored building with large columns and a sign reading ATHENAEUM above the entrance, surrounded by trees and a brick sidewalk.
June 19, 2025
The Athenaeum
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A group of people stands outdoors around a large bronze statue, listening to a man speaking. The scene is set on a brick path with greenery and buildings in the background.
June 21, 2025
Old Town Alexandria
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A large pink and yellow firework explodes in the night sky above a gray building with lit windows and a small illuminated clock.
June 27 - July 4, 2025
George Washington's Mount Vernon
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Events Calendar

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