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. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Alexandria has to offer.
Old Town is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Alexandria. These include popular favorites such as The Study (116 S. Alfred Street), Mia's Italian Kitchen (100 King St.) and Ada's on the River (3 Pioneer Mill Way). 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.
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″.
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 Atlanta and takes around 1h 48m.
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Alexandria. The train station in Alexandria is called Alexandria, and is located 1.0 mile from the city center.
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 Hertz, among others, in Washington, D.C..
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Alexandria, including Megabus, Bus and Washington Deluxe. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Alexandria takes 170 miles and will cost you around $10. From New York, the ticket costs about $9 for a journey of 250 miles. Alexandria’s bus station is located 1.5 miles from the city center.
There are also lots of vacation rental options in Alexandria, with prices from $61 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 50% 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.
Eisenhower East - Courtyard by Marriott Alexandria Old Town/Southwest, Holiday Inn Alexandria - Carlyle and Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town South At Carlyle have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Eisenhower East will cost you about $160 per night.
Renting a car in Alexandria costs $44 per day, on average, or $178 if you want to rent if for 4 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.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Alexandria.
Expect to pay $3.67 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 $44.06 and $58.75. The most frequently booked car type in Alexandria is Supplier choice (Class Special Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini rental cars (Smart Fortwo or similar) are, on average, 66% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.