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Major city · United States

Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VA

Base here 1–2 nights for Old Town on foot; use it as a cheaper, quieter bed for Washington, D.C. two Metro stops away.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity)
Airports
DCA · IAD · BWI
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Alexandria sits on the Potomac just south of Washington, D.C., and its draw is Old Town: a 1749 grid of red-brick sidewalks, 18th- and 19th-century houses, and a walkable King Street that runs from the Metro down to the waterfront. It is small and low-key. Most travellers see it in a day, sleep one or two nights, and use it as a base for D.C. and Mount Vernon rather than a destination in itself.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Alexandria, Virginia, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, main$20–35
  • Street or quick mealCasual lunch or sandwich$12–20
  • BeerDraught beer$7–10
  • Metro or bus rideMetro ride$2–6 (check)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Gadsby's Tavern, Carlyle House)$5–10
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$200
  • High-end bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$320

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$110 · Mid US$190 · High US$340

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Old Town historic districtKing Street and the waterfrontTorpedo Factory Art CenterGadsby's Tavern and Carlyle HouseMount Vernon day trip
Airports
DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National (Two Metro stops from King Street-Old Town on the Blue or Yellow line; the closest airport.) · IAD Washington Dulles International (About 30 mi (48 km) northwest; allow 45–70 min by car or bus/Metro, longer in rush hour.) · BWI Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall (About 40 mi (64 km) northeast; train or car, allow 1–1.5 h.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Alexandria, Virginia: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

7°C

−2°C

10 rd

Feb

9°C

−1°C

9 rd

Mar

14°C

3°C

10 rd

Apr

20°C

8°C

10 rd

May

25°C

14°C

11 rd

Jun

30°C

19°C

10 rd

Jul

32°C

22°C

11 rd

Aug

31°C

21°C

9 rd

Sep

27°C

17°C

8 rd

Oct

21°C

10°C

8 rd

Nov

15°C

5°C

9 rd

Dec

9°C

0°C

10 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Old Town is a walking district: King Street runs about 1 mi (1.6 km) from the Metro station down to the river, and the free King Street Trolley covers that stretch. DASH buses are fare-free across the city. The Metro (Blue and Yellow lines) links Alexandria to Washington, D.C.; a car helps only for Mount Vernon and outlying areas.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Washington, D.C.go

Door to door: About 25–40 min to the National Mall area

Metro Blue or Yellow line from King Street-Old Town

The main reason to base here; Smithsonian museums are free.

Mount Vernon

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min by car

Car or the seasonal Mount Vernon Trail / bus options along the George Washington Memorial Parkway

George Washington's estate; allow half a day.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

go

Door to door: About 1–1.5 h

Amtrak or Virginia Railway Express (weekdays) from Alexandria Union Station

Historic downtown and Civil War battlefields; VRE runs weekdays only.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old Town (King Street corridor)

Walk to the sights, restaurants and waterfront; priciest and busiest, book early for weekends.

Old Town waterfront / north of King Street

Quieter streets, still a short walk to King Street; good for couples.

Del Ray

Northwest of Old Town along Mount Vernon Avenue; local restaurants and cafés, cheaper beds, 10–15 min by bus or car to Old Town.

Eisenhower Avenue / Carlyle

Hotel cluster near the Metro and the Beltway; cheaper and easy to park, but a walk or short ride to the historic core.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$150–250 excl. bed
High
$300+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$200US$400
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$190US$760
Metro day of rides (Blue/Yellow line)2 × US$8 · checkUS$16
King Street Trolley2 × US$0 · FreeUS$0
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$121
Trip total≈ US$332 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,327

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Prices are shown before sales tax. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–6
Casual lunch or sandwich$12–20
Sit-down dinner, main$20–35
Draught beer$7–10
Metro ride$2–6 (check)
Museum entry (Gadsby's Tavern, Carlyle House)$5–10
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Alexandria is a generally safe, well-lit city for visitors, and Old Town is busy into the evening. Use normal city sense after dark away from King Street, keep valuables out of sight in parked cars, and call 911 in an emergency.
  • Parking near King Street is limited and enforced: read signs, and use a garage for stays over two hours.
  • Old Town houses are private homes — keep to the sidewalk and don't treat doorways as sights.
  • Summer is hot and humid; plan walking for the morning.
  • Weekend evenings on King Street are crowded; book dinner ahead.
  • Metro fares and hours vary by day — check wmata.com before a late return.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VA

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Alexandria; most are in Washington, D.C. (check your country's listing).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Metro King Street-Old Town → Washington, D.C.: about $2–6 depending on distance and time (check)
  • King Street Trolley: free, King Street Metro to the waterfront
  • DASH bus: fare-free across the city

Say or show

  • Where is the Metro station? — Where is the Metro station?
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • The check, please — The check, please

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Alexandria, Virginia. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 3 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for DCA, IAD and BWI with last-Metro and taxi fallbacks.
  2. Walking clusters for Old Town: King Street, the waterfront, Cameron and Prince streets, and the Metro end.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and ticket prices (Torpedo Factory, Gadsby's Tavern, Carlyle House, Black History Museum).
  4. Eat pages for King Street and Del Ray with last orders and price bands.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources