Alexandria

An ideal weekend getaway.
By Beth D’Addono

If you visit Alexandria thinking it makes a good home base for excursions to Washington D.C., just across the Potomac, you’d be right. It only takes 20 minutes on the Metro to get to the hustle and bustle of the nation’s capitol. The problem is, once you get a dose of the scene on this side of the river, you just might not make the trip.

A place with deep Colonial America roots, like Philadelphia, Alexandria will seem familiar, with its cobblestone streets and federal architecture. The third historic district in the country, after Charleston and New Orleans, Alexandria was the place where George Washington really did sleep—and eat, drink and shop, when he wasn’t eight miles up the river in Mt. Vernon. An ideal weekend getaway, Alexandria offers 18th century charm along with 21st century chic.

What to Do
The best way to get a sense of place is to take a walking tour of the historic district. Download a self-guided walking tour on the town’s website (www.funside.com) or arrange to join a $15 guided tour that leaves from the Ramsay House Visitors Center (221 King St.) daily April through November.

You’ll be lucky to get Carolyn Cooper as a guide, a savvy local who will take you along brick-lined streets in the footsteps of George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Cooper paints a vivid picture of the city’s heritage, from its thriving century-plus as a seaport city trading tobacco with England to its Washington years—it was here that the General was first called President.

Despite the town’s love for the first president, it’s named for a Scotsman, John Alexander, who bought the land from an English ship captain for 6,000 pounds of tobacco back in 1669. Eighty year later, the town was established by Scottish and English merchants and named in his honor.

A few must-sees along the historic route include Captain’s Row, a block of Federal townhouses built by prosperous captains in the late 1700s. The Carlyle House, the city’s grandest home when it was completed in 1753, was the spot where the royal governors of five colonies—including Pennsylvania—met to discuss financing the French and Indian War, a discussion that ended like so many political pow-wows, with raised taxes.

At the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, walls are filled with all manner of tonics and potions. George and Martha Washington had their prescriptions filled here, and Martha’s order for castor oil is one of the fascinating bits on display.

Don’t miss a visit to Christ Church, where Washington worshipped when he was in town, sitting in pew number five for services (you can sit in the same pew today, now renumbered as 60). This striking church is also the spot where Robert E. Lee was confirmed. General Lee must have been less than pleased when Union troops occupied the town for four years during the Civil War.

History and Washington buffs will want to visit the George Washington Masonic Memorial, the repository for all kinds of personal memorabilia, donated by friends and family after his death. Here, you can see the Free Mason’s bedchamber clock stopped at the time of his death—10:20 pm. and gaze up at a 17 foot bronze statue of the first president. A free one-hour guided tour offers a vast view from the observation deck of the 333-foot memorial, from which on a clear day you can see the capital and the Washington Monument across the Potomac.

The Fun Side of History
All that walking is guaranteed to make you hungry and thirsty. Stick with the Washington theme and visit Gadsby’s tavern and museum (www.gadsbystavern.org), the founding father’s favorite place to throw back a cold one, dance and talk politics more than 200 years ago. The bar is still open and American fare is served at lunch and dinner.

For something a bit more, ok, a lot more, hip, head to PX, a second story “speakeasy” recognizable by its blue light on Columbus Street just south of King. Climb the steps and enter a world of handcrafted elixirs like the Big O—made with Hendricks gin, Cointreau, orange bitters, homemade orange syrup and lime juice. There’s even a libation called the Smoker’s Delight, a shake of bourbon, honey syrup and tobacco. Local star chef Cathal Armstrong of the upscale Restaurant Eve is behind PX and also co-owns the Majestic, the funky art deco diner that showcases the considerable talents of Shannon Overmiller. A few stellar options include her gnocchi carbonara, home-style meatloaf and toothsome fried green tomatoes.

Dozens of boutiques, most owner-operated, line the main drag of Kind Street and its cross streets. From shoes at the Shoe Hive to cupcakes at Lavender Moon Cupcakery and fresh produce and crafts at the Saturday morning farmer’s market, Alexandria is a fun place for browsing, strolling and noshing. Head to the river for a walk through the Torpedo Factory Art Center, a former munitions factory turned into a warehouse of artists’ studios and galleries.

Before you know it, the weekend has vanished and you still haven’t seen all there is to see in Alexandria, a city that actually lives up to its marketing slogan, “the fun side of the Potomac.”

Info: Stay at the Holiday Inn Select Old Town (703-548-6300 www.ichotelsgroup.com) convenient to everything on King Street and across the street from the trolley stop. For more info on town tourism, call 703.746.3301 or 388.9119 or visit www.funside.com.

Bucks & Montgomery Living’s Travel Editor Beth D’Addono lives in Belmont Hills.