Alexandria travel guide
Alexandria Tourism | Alexandria Guide
You're Going to Love Alexandria
With a population of 139,966, Alexandria is a must-see destination in Virginia, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Alexandria deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Alexandria
Tours
Other activities
Where to Eat in Alexandria
Old Town is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Alexandria. These include popular favorites such as The Study (116 S. Alfred Street), Landini Brothers (115 King Street) and Mia's Italian Kitchen (100 King St.). If you’re looking for affordable options, Geranio (722 King Street) and La Tasca - Alexandria (607 King Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Josephine - Old Town (109 S St Asaph St) and Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza + Tap (401 E. Braddock Rd.) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Alexandria.
When to visit Alexandria
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Alexandria in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 28.4 °F, with an average temperature of 35.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 3.8″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Alexandria, with an average rainfall of 2.6″.
How to Get to Alexandria
Plane
When flying to Alexandria, you’ll arrive at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which is located 3 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Alexandria departs from Boston and takes around 1h 28m.
Train
Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Alexandria, followed by Acela. The train journey from Alexandria to Baltimore takes 0h 28m and costs around $6 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $11 for a 1h 55m trip. The train station in Alexandria is called Alexandria, and is located 1.0 mile from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Alexandria is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 7 miles from Alexandria. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in Washington, D.C..
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Alexandria, including Megabus, Bus and Greyhound. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Alexandria takes 175 miles and will cost you around $12. From New York, the ticket costs about $9 for a journey of 265 miles. Alexandria’s bus station is located 1.5 miles from the city center.
Airports near Alexandria
Airlines serving Alexandria
Where to stay in Alexandria
There are also lots of vacation rental options in Alexandria, with prices from $60 to $452 per night. Old Town is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Alexandria are about 68% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Old Town - In Alexandria’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria, Hilton Garden Inn Alexandria Old Town National Harbor and Hilton Alexandria Old Town.
Where to stay in popular areas of Alexandria
Most booked hotels in Alexandria
Renting a car in Alexandria
Renting a car in Alexandria costs $56 per day, on average, or $112 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Alexandria is the Hertz branch at 501 S Pickett Street, which is 5 miles from the city center.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Alexandria (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Alexandria is Compact (Class Compact SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) are, on average, 59% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Alexandria
Intermediate
5 Adults, 3 Bags
$31/day
Compact
4 Adults, 2 Bags
$47/day