Top Attractions in Alexandria

Alexandria Essentials

Alexandria serves as a well-preserved window into colonial and federal-era America. This list highlights the city's historic core, from the 1753 Georgian architecture of Carlyle House to the 18th-century Gadsby’s Tavern, a frequent stop for the nation’s founders. The waterfront features the repurposed Torpedo Factory Art Center and the 1855 Jones Point Lighthouse. Further inland, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial dominates the skyline, while the Freedom House Museum provides a somber look into the city’s role in the domestic slave trade.