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Visitors walk down King Street in Old Town Alexandria, VA during the winter holiday season.

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. 2025, Alexandria is a welcoming 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. Explore vibrant neighborhoods beyond Old Town, trace George Washington and the Founding Fathers’ footsteps and follow the stories of Black Americans who shaped the history of Alexandria and the United States.

Explore Alexandria

Holidays in Alexandria, VA

A festive street scene shows O’Connell’s Restaurant decorated with garlands, wreaths, bows, and lights. Outdoor tables with red umbrellas line the sidewalk, and holiday decorations adorn the neighboring buildings.

Restaurants

Four friends sit inside a clear dome decorated with string lights, bundled in coats and hats, smiling and clinking glasses over a table with snacks on a cozy outdoor patio.

Shopping

Two women with shopping bags walk past a storefront decorated with festive holiday wreaths, red bows, and greenery on a brick sidewalk in a charming downtown area.

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.

America’s 250th Birthday in Alexandria, VA

A split image showing fireworks over water at night, a couple walking toward a historic mansion, and a docked tall ship with an American flag near a waterfront park during the day.

Events in Alexandria

New Year's Eve Fireworks displayed over Old Town Alexandria.

Alexandria’s Neighborhoods

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SVG map showing neighborhoods, transportation, and landmarks in Alexandria with callouts and river features.
People enjoy outdoor dining under red umbrellas on a lively street lined with restaurants, including an ice cream shop, on a sunny day. Trees and flower planters decorate the scene as pedestrians walk by.

Old Town

America’s third-oldest historic district along the Potomac River waterfront.

  • 18th and 19th-century architecture
  • Historic museums and attractions
  • 200+ local boutiques and restaurants
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Four people socialize at outdoor tables beneath a red canopy, in front of a colorful mural on a brick wall that says “Greetings from Peoria.” One person is walking by while three are seated and conversing.

Del Ray

Alexandria’s modern-day Main Street that marches to the beat of its own drum.

  • Wellness District
  • Outdoor dining and beer gardens
  • Arts community and festivals
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Carlyle & Eisenhower

Carlyle & Eisenhower

An economic engine that celebrates the spirit of innovation and local culture.

  • National Inventors Hall of Fame
  • Black history sites
  • The region’s first urban cidery
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West End

West End

Expansive stretch of the city featuring green spaces and global dining.

  • Award-winning craft breweries
  • Parks, paths and nature preserves
  • Top Ethiopian restaurants
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Arlandria-Chirilagua

Arlandria-Chirilagua

A bustling community representing Central American culture.

  • The Birchmere: America’s Legendary Music Hall
  • Salvadoran, Peruvian and Nepalese dining
  • Meaningful murals
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A man and woman sit at the marble bar insider the Founding Farmers Alexandria restaurant, smiling and toasting drinks.

Potomac Yard

Alexandria’s emerging vibrant, diverse and sustainable mixed-use community.

  • Potomac Yard Metro
  • Virginia Tech campus
  • Founding Farmers
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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.

A trio of images depicting things to do during the 2025 holiday season in Alexandria, VA: a woman looking through a shop window, a Scottish Christmas parade and a family strolling through Old Town.
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Three scenes: a parade with bagpipers in tartan kilts, a family taking a selfie in front of a lit Christmas tree, and a boat decorated with festive lights on the water at night.
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Two women walk on a brick sidewalk with shopping bags near a storefront decorated with Christmas garlands, wreaths, and red bows, on a city street lined with trees and old-style buildings.
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A crowd gathers on a festive city street at night during the holidays, watching colorful fireworks burst in the sky above brick buildings decorated with lights.
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Featured

Events & Festivals

November 15 - December 30, 2025
Cameron Run Regional Park
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December 6, 2025
Old Town Alexandria
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Boats decorated with colorful holiday lights and ornaments float on calm water at night, reflecting vibrant colors on the surface during a festive boat parade.
December 6, 2025
Old Town Alexandria Waterfront
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December 7, 2025
Pat Miller Square
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Events Calendar

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