Alexandria Spotlight

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Escape to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia

Just a few miles from Washington, DC on the Potomac River waterfront, Old Town Alexandria's storied setting belies a surprisingly cosmopolitan feel and nationally recognized culinary scene. Alexandria is home to several restaurants by the award-winning chef Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve, who is one of Food & Wine magazine's 50 Hall of Fame Best New Chefs. The Obamas have made Alexandria their place for date night, celebrating their anniversary at Restaurant Eve and Valentine's Day at Vermilion. Old Town's Virtue Feed & Grain was named a Top 50 Best New Restaurant by Bon Appetit in 2012.

The city's chic, independent boutique scene gets rave reviews as well. The Wall Street Journal says, "The King Street area has some of the best stores and galleries in the [DC] region." Find one-of-a-kind shops like The Hour, offering the glamour of the Mad Men era with vintage glassware and barware, or find fine boutiques tucked into rowhouses like the exclusive Lawrence Miller or shoes from Bishop Boutique.

Named one of America's Top ArtPlaces 2013, Alexandria is nationally recognized as a community with a "backbone of creative culture . . . exceptionally successful at combining art, artists and venues for creativity and expression with independent businesses, retail shops and restaurants, and a walkable lifestyle to make vibrant neighborhoods." The Torpedo Factory Art Center is the main visual arts hub with others gaining recognition like The Athenaeum, a fine arts gallery that hosts live music.

For those enchanted by the past, in 2013 the Office of Historic Alexandria's intimate collection of historic sites were awarded the highest national recognition achievable by an American museum with an accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums - now only one of eight municipal organizations in the country to achieve this! The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is part of this set, and additional sites like the Carlyle House are beautiful examples of the city's dedication to historic preservation.

Old Town's very walkable, compact setting offers the opportunity to discover hidden gems on every block, and the free King Street Trolley offers easy transport between DC's Metro system and the Potomac River waterfront.

 

Historic Sites

Activities and Attractions

Dining and Culinary

Shopping and Boutiques

Contact Media Team

Contact Media Team

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Check out what other travelers say about Alexandria tourism on TripAdvisor.

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