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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 a Travel + Leisure Top 5 Best City in the U.S 2025 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.

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.

Alexandria & USA Birthday Celebration

Colorful fireworks burst over a calm waterfront at night, reflecting on the water. Silhouetted posts and distant city lights are visible under a clear, deep blue sky.

“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 to Southern Living to Condé Nast Traveler, everybody is buzzing about Alexandria, Virginia.

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

Colorful fireworks burst over a calm waterfront at night, reflecting on the water. Silhouetted posts and distant city lights are visible under a clear, deep blue sky.
July 12, 2025
Oronoco Bay Park
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Event flyer with a beer splash, text promoting “Beats, Bites and Brews” on July 26, 2025, 11am-6pm at John Carlyle Square, Alexandria. Includes photos of food, drinks, music, and people enjoying the outdoor event.
July 26, 2025
300 John Carlyle Street
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An older woman shops at an outdoor sidewalk sale, holding a shopping bag and looking at clothes on a rack marked “SALE $10.” Shoes and accessories are displayed nearby, with balloons and stores visible in the background.
August 9, 2025
Throughout Old Town and Alexandria
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A tray of barbecue food with ribs, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, sliced brisket, cucumber salad, a side of barbecue sauce, and a glass of beer on a wooden table.
August 22 - August 31, 2025
Throughout Alexandria
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Events Calendar

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