Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Have you exhausted all the free activities in Washington D.C.? Just a few miles away, you can find free things to do in Alexandria VA These include outdoor activities and other fun things.
Free Things to Do in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia a small town right outside metropolitan Washington, DC. It is ideal for a getaway with small kids where the big city can overwhelm. You can still take a day trip into DC to see all it has to offer, then stay at a less expensive hotel.
But Alexandria should not just serve as a gateway to Washington, DC. The historic town has so many free things to do that Alexandria should be the destination.
1. Explore Old Town Alexandria
The nationally designated historic district of Old Town is filled with free things to do. It also has several parks where kids can burn off energy. Be sure to stop by Carlyle House Historic Park. The only way to see the inside of the 18th century is to pay for a guided tour, but you can see the Georgian architecture from the park. On your walking tour, look for the Hollensbury Spite House. The 7 foot wide Spite House is the narrowest house in the US.
2. Old Town Farmers’ Market
The Saturday Old Town Farmers’ Market is the oldest farmers’ market in the country held continuously at the same site. The bustling year round market is for early birds, running from 7 a.m. to noon every week. There are musicians and other entertainers, plus lots of samples (except during the pandemic).
3. Stroll King Street
Historic King Street, about a mile long, is filed with local boutiques, restaurants and historic buildings. There are cobblestone streets (leave the heels at home) and brick sidewalks.
4. Torpedo Factory Art Center
The Torpedo Factory Art Center, once an actual munitions factory, now houses 82 working artist studios and eight art galleries. Different artists open their studios and offer free demos on weekends. A real torpedo is on display and it can be touched.
5. Free Ride
Hop on the free King Street trolley, which runs daily from Alexandria City Hall/Market Square to the King St – Old Town Metro rail station. You can get on or off at any stop, and board another trolley later. Trolleys come every 15 minutes. My kids always loved to ride different modes of transportation.
6. Alexandria African American Heritage Park
The park, open daily from dawn to dusk, has a sculpture of bronze trees called “Truths That Rise From the Roots Remembered.” It honors the contributions of African Americans to the growth of Alexandria. The grounds includes a one-acre 19th century African American cemetery. There is also a wetland area where you can look for ducks, painted turtles, beavers and crayfish in their natural habitat.
7. The Alexandria Archaeology Museum
Explore the city of Alexandria’s maritime heritage from excavation to preservation at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. You can see the layers of history found along the Potomac River.
8. Old Town’s Waterfront
Along the Potomac River, Waterfront Park has temporary public art installations every year. You can also take a walking tour of the African American Heritage Trail.
9. Art & Architecture
The Athenaeum has a free art gallery with contemporary art exhibits. The historic Greek revival neo-classical building, built in 1852, has 24 foot ceilings ad gorgeous woodwork. The Athenaeum is open Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m.
Free Things to Do in Alexandria, VA Outside Old Town
10. Mount Vernon Trail
The 18 mile Mount Vernon Trail goes from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate to Washington D.C. along the Potomac River. You can access it from Alexandria, and walk or bike along the paved trail. There are many birds and other wildlife along the trail. Look for barred owls, bald eagles, muskrats and foxes.
11. National Inventors Hall of Fame
The interactive National Inventors Hall of Fame has an exhibit on 50 years of automotive design and technology. You can sit in a true hybrid Ford Mustang: half a 1965 model and half from 2015. There are games where you try to match an inventor to her invention.
Join our Private FB Group for more travel inspiration and tips! JOIN HERE
The museum is currently closed due to Covid-19.
12. Jones Point Park and Lighthouse
Just south of Old Town, Jones Point Park and Lighthouse is on the Mount Vernon Trail. The 1855 lighthouse is the last remaining river side lighthouse in Virginia. National park rangers offer a Lighthouse Life program for children. The park also has two playgrounds.
13. Del Ray First Thursdays
The Del Ray neighborhood Thursday evenings from April to October. The family friendly events feature live music and themed activities. Any day of the week, take a walking tour of the colorful murals around the neighborhood.
14. Ivy Hill Cemetery
The 22-acre Ivy Hill Cemetery dates from the 1800s. The cemetery, in the residential Rosemont neighborhood, has hills, woods and a natural stream. It is open daily, sunrise to sunset.
15. Contrabands and Freedmen’s Cemetery Memorial
This memorial recognizes the 1,800 African Americans who escaped from slavery and fled to Union-occupied Alexandria.
Summertime Free Things to Do in Alexandria, VA
16. Potomac Yard Park Interactive Fountain
Cool off at the Potomac Yard Park Interactive Fountain, open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. There are 36 water jets and colorful lights at night. Water shoes and swim suits are required. There are two playgrounds in the park, so you can tire your kids out year round.
17. Our Special Harbor
Our Special Harbor, a fully accessible sprayground, has large dumping buckets, spray fountains, giant water guns and water play features. It is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Traveling Mom Tip: Anyone under 15 must wear closed-back water shoes to play. Adults can wear flip flops.
Free Events in Alexandria
18. Del Ray Holiday Kick-Off
In early December, the Del Ray neighborhood has a community Christmas tree and Menorah lighting with caroling. Throughout the month, you can see the storefront windows along Mount Vernon Avenue, hand painted by local artists in holiday themes
19. Olde Year’s Day
The Torpedo Factory Art Center has a family friendly afternoon of hands-on activities and artist meet and greets on New Year’s Eve, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Experience Nature: More Free Things to Do in Alexandria VA
20. River Farm
River Farm, the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society, was one of George Washington’s five farms. There is a large children’s garden, along with tables for picnicking, native grasses and wildflowers and a Wildlife Garden with a pond. The gigantic historic trees provide plenty of shade on hot summer days.
River farm hosts special events on weekend and a night, so it is only open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m – 4 p.m.
21. Huntley Meadows
Explore nature at Huntley Meadows. The trails go through wetlands, forest and meadows. Some of them are dog friendly. The boardwalk is a good place to go if you are pushing a stroller.
Note: there is a fee for tours of Historic Huntley, but the grounds are always free, and open from dawn to dusk.
Bonus: When the kids get older, take a self guided tour of the breweries around Old Town. It’s historic: beer was a staple of 18th century life in the US.
Note: The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is no longer free. And the Alexandria Black History Museum is closed for renovations.
What to Drive to Alexandria, VA
On our recent trip to Washington, DC, with a day in Alexandria, we drove a 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE. The mid size sedan got 46 miles per gallon, which meant we used less than a tank of gas driving from Brooklyn to DC and taking a day trip.
The car has a pre-collision system pedestrian detection, which is very useful in a walker-friendly city like Alexandria. When someone walked in front of or behind the car, the Toyota alerted us with a beep.
The voice activated navigation system quickly sent accurate directions to the nine-inch touchscreen and the heated seats were very useful on a frigid weekend. For warmer driving, seats are also cooled and a moonroof lets in fresh air.
Check below to see some of the accommodations available to book near these attractions in Alexandria, Virginia:
Booking.com
(function(d, sc, u) {
var s = d.createElement(sc), p = d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0];
s.type = ‘text/javascript’;
s.async = true;
s.src = u + ‘?v=’ + (+new Date());
p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p);
})(document, ‘script’, ‘//aff.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js’);
Leave a Reply