Whether it’s for the inauguration or the Women’s March on Washington, tens of thousands of people will be descending on the Washington, D.C. area this weekend. But instead of squeezing into an overpriced Airbnb with your friends or spending the whole day trying to find a place to park in the District, consider staying in Alexandria, Virginia—it’s just over a half hour away from the National Mall via Metro (and about 10 minutes from Reagan National Airport) but feels like it’s a million miles from the loud static of the capital. Plus, its beautifully preserved Old Town is packed with colonial history that will give you a chance to learn about America’s heritage without having to shove your way past a million tourists wielding selfie sticks. In other words? Alexandria is no suburb; It’s a vibrant destination in its own right.
What to do
For some of that history, start at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, which is a rarity in the United States—a perfectly preserved apothecary which was left almost exactly as is when the owners closed it, complete with tinctures, scales, and odd bottles with handwritten labels. (Exit through the gift shop to pick up “This Is Poison” shot glasses and ballpoint pens that look like syringes.) Music fans should see who’s playing at The Birchmere music hall, a legendary country and bluegrass venue where you can hang out at shared tables enjoying sandwiches, burgers, and pitchers of beer while rocking out in a surprisingly intimate setting—no moshing allowed. The popular PBS drama Mercy Street, which is set in a Civil War hospital, takes place in Alexandria, so sign up for a walking tour of locations that inspired the show ahead of its season-two premiere on January 22. If you’re an architecture buff, it’s worth driving or Ubering over to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House, a stellar example of his work that was designed for a middle-class couple to live in, and the nearby mid-century modern neighborhood of Hollin Hills, where many of the homes have a classic Palm Springs vibe (minus the palm trees, natch).
Where to eat and drink
Kick off the morning at Sugar Shack Donuts, which opened an outpost in Alexandria after becoming a hit in Richmond. Some of the best flavors are chocolate topped with chopped peanuts and vanilla glaze with chocolate chips, but don’t stop there—by night, Sugar Shack doubles as a pirate-themed speakeasy called Captain Gregory’s where the drink menu rotates nightly. (Pro tip: no password or secret knock required—you can just make a reservation on OpenTable.) For dinner, it’s all about Vermilion, the romantic Old Town restaurant where none other than Barack and Michelle Obama once came for Valentine’s Day—the tasting menu is the way to go, with opportunities to try savories like roasted potato gnocchi and lemon poppy-seed fritters. Beer nerds should head to Old Town’s Brabo Tasting Room, an airy, elegant Belgian-inspired restaurant in an 1800s building that has plenty of dubbels alongside farm-to-fork mains like mussels in chorizo and fennel broth and a duck-confit tart.
Where to shop
The Hour owner Victoria Vergason bills her shop as one of the only all-barware stores in America, and bar owners and mixologists come from all over the country to stock up on one-of-a-kind shakers, glasses, and other drinking accessories at this spot on main shopping thoroughfare King Street. (Fun fact: Many of Alexandria’s east-west streets are named for royal titles, like Princess and Duke, while many north-south streets are named for Confederates like Lee and Jackson.) Meanwhile, nearby at Acme Mid-Century + Modern, the lovingly curated selection of everything from Jetsons-esque lamps to retro air travel posters will give your apartment the Mad Men vibe you’ve always dreamed of. You may not be able to sleep where George Washington slept, but can you can shop where he shopped by visiting the Saturday farmer’s market, in the same spot where our first president sold produce sent from Mount Vernon.
Where to stay
Morrison House, which has been newly integrated into the Autograph Collection family of properties, is a small hotel in a former mansion that still boasts many quaint design elements, from patterned wallpaper to a large navy dresser converted into a reception desk. The rooms and their amenities are blessedly modern, though, and turndown service comes with a book to read as you fall asleep—opt for the “librarian’s choice” and wait for a surprise (a recent pick was I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings). If you opt to visit later in 2017, book in at the soon-to-unveil Hotel Indigo on the city’s Potomac waterfront, which will have the best Instagram angles in town.