Things to do in Old Town Alexandria

Old Town Alexandria is a separate historic city on the Potomac in Northern Virginia, about 15-30 minutes from downtown Washington by Metro (Blue or Yellow line to King Street, then a 15-20 minute walk or a short trolley ride) or, seasonally, by water taxi.

Its brick-paved 18th-century streets, King Street shops and waterfront are free to walk at any hour, with no ticket needed for the historic district itself. Budget half a day for the core streets and river, longer if you add shopping and a sit-down meal.

This is not a detour on the way to Mount Vernon, 8 miles south, where the paid, ticketed estate charges for entry — Old Town itself costs nothing to explore.