April 28 – Alexandria, VA

Old Dominion Boat Club

“To travel is to breathe in the air of unimaginable places, taking in all the beauty the world has to offer.” —Kiana Azizian

We’re in Alexandria for a few days to explore, relax and catch up with friends. We haven’t been up the Potomac River since we spent a week in Washington, DC in 2011. We spent that week running, taking in everything we could…this time we are going to explore a more leisurely pace. Today we just wandered around Old Town taking in the architecture and having a great lunch at The Wharf. 

She Crab Soup and a Scallop Po boy 

Alexandria History: Alexandria sits on the Potomac River within eyesight of Washington, DC; it’s nationally recognized for its rich history and beautifully preserved 18th- and 19th-century architecture. Alexandria's timeline of history is filled with events that helped shape the United States into the country it is today. It was a vital seaport during colonial times, George Washington's hometown and part of the original Washington, DC.  

Alexandria served as one of the largest slave trading ports prior to the Civil War, but once occupied by Union forces from the onset of the Civil War, the city was both vital in the defense of the nation's capital and essential in the war effort as a transportation and hospital center for the Union. Even before the war, Alexandrians were making history toward achieving equality.  

Alexandria's Old Town district was established in 1946 and became the third historic district designated in the United States. Its remarkable concentration of historic buildings with a detailed past create a rich backdrop for today's vibrant contemporary lifestyle.

King Street - The heart of Old Town Alexandria

City Hall on Market Square also known as the Alexandria Market House was built in 1871 

Captains Row - This block draws its name from the sea captains who docked their ships at the Alexandria wharves and built their Federal-period row homes on this block of Prince Street. The cobblestones are said to be imported ballast, laid by Hessians taken prisoner during the American Revolution.