Alexandria is one of the most historic cities in the nation. Located just outside of D.C., there’s a rich culture here that everyone should experience.
Whether you’re just visiting, looking to rent, or planning on buying a home, Alexandria is the city for you.
Here are 11 fun ways to experience Alexandria, VA.
- Be a Historian for the Day
- Visit Your Old Friend George
- Pretend You’re Not a Muggle
- Buy Vegetables Like It’s 1753
- Eat and Drink to Your Heart’s Content
- Indulge Your Inner Tolkienite
- Find the Speakeasy…But Don’t Tell the Authorities
- Grab a Beer…Or Two, Or Three
- Live Music Just for You (and Everybody Else)
- Get Haunted
- Torpedos and Art? A Winning Combination
1. Be a Historian for the Day
As one of the oldest cities in the United States, there’s history here dating back to the American Revolution and beyond. To truly experience Alexandria, in our opinion, you absolutely have to check out some of the historical locations.
2. Visit Your Old Friend George
You probably know that George Washington to this day is still the only president to have never lived in the White House. Instead, he called Mount Vernon home.
You can visit George’s estate and take in the mansion, gardens, and distillery. You can even pay your respects at the New Tomb where George and Martha Washington were laid to rest.
If you’re a history buff, we can’t recommend swinging by Mount Vernon enough. Situated on a lush hill overlooking the Potomac, it can make one feel as if they have been taken back in time to another moment in history. Go see for yourself, already!
3. Pretend You’re Not a Muggle
It must’ve been crushing when you didn’t get a letter from Hogwarts on your eleventh birthday. It’s a disappointment you’ve probably lived with your entire life.
Well, we can’t make you a wizard, but you can pretend to be one for the day at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. On select dates, you can learn about potion making, with some familiar-sounding ingredients like mandrake roots, wolfsbane, and dragon’s blood.
Oh, and you can also learn about some medical practices of the 1700s.
4. Buy Vegetables Like It’s 1753
When you visit the Old Town Farmers Market, you’ll be visiting the longest-running farmers market in the country. It’s been in business since 1753.
It’s so old that George Washington used to send his produce to be sold at the Old Town Farmers Market. Don’t worry, though. The fruit and vegetables you’ll get from there are all from this century.
5. Eat and Drink to Your Heart’s Content
Every great city has a great food scene, and Alexandria is no exception.
6. Indulge Your Inner Tolkienite
Are you a fan of the Lord of the Rings? If so, you have to visit the Bilbo Baggins Restaurant.
They received approval from the Tolkien foundation and promised to uphold the ideals of hobbit hospitality. What more do you need?
7. Find the Speakeasy…But Don’t Tell the Authorities
Sugar Shack has a secret, and it’s not how good the donuts are. (Because that secret got out a long time ago.)
If you can find the door, you’ll walk straight into Captain Gregory’s, a speakeasy hidden inside this donut shop.
Okay, fine, so it’s not the best-kept secret. You’ll probably need a reservation to get in.
8. Grab a Beer…Or Two, Or Three
Port City Brewing is the oldest of its kind in the area. Check out their events list, and you’ll find food truck Sundays, trivia nights, and BeerYoga on Tuesdays.
Look out for the pineapple on top of their sign – that means they’re open for business.
Are You Not Entertained?
Check out the local entertainment. You’ll always have something to do.
9. Live Music Just for You (and Everybody Else)
The Birchmere is the place to go for live music. It’s a nationally recognized music hall that’s helped launch a lot of careers over the last fifty years.
Some acts that have performed here are Shawn Colvin, Dave Matthews, and Johnny Gill from New Edition. Be sure to get your tickets before they all sell out.
10. Get Haunted
Okay, hopefully, you won’t walk away from these ghost tours haunted, but we’re just saying it’s a possibility. With the rich history of Alexandria, there are probably some spirits still hanging around.
Learn about the history of Alexandria and some of the most famous ghost stories in the area. If all goes well, you’ll leave with a chill down your spine instead of a new ghost best friend. (Though that sounds cool, too.)
11. Torpedos and Art? A Winning Combination
The Torpedo Factory Art Center was actually a torpedo factory back in the World War II era. There’s even a lime green torpedo in the main hall that was built there.
Today, it acts as a reminder of the building’s history and perhaps as inspiration for the incredibly talented artists working there.
Now that you know how great Alexandria is, you may be considering buying or renting here.
We, at Nomadic Real Estate, will make sure you find the perfect place to set down roots. Ready to move? Give us a call, and we’ll get started.