By Bob Tagert
We have been writing Road Trip articles for at least 32 of the almost 38 years we’ve been in publication. They began as a story about a destination near Alexandria. Then we got into Day Tripping when I had my 1974 Fiat Spider which was perfect for a day’s excursion. As our publication grew, we expanded our focus and ventured farther out. Most of these involved an overnight stay near the destination and in fact, sometimes the destination was the place we stayed.
A number of years ago we decided to write about our beautiful Old Town Alexandria in December as this is a time to stay home with family and friends…Welcome Home. It is also a good time for those who reside between the Bay and the Blue Ridge to plan a Road Trip to Old Town Alexandria.
I will start with a brief history of what it was like when I arrived in 1977. Old Town was approximately six blocks long. It was King Street from the Potomac River to Washington Street. There were a few restaurants on the other side of Washington Street but only a few…the concentration was near the water in the old seaport town which was founded in 1749. Old Town, as we know it today, was in its infancy. The town’s daring merchants transformed a neglected area and gave it a heartbeat. When I arrived, there was live music in almost every restaurant, mostly local folks playing their own music while covering favorite songs for their dedicated customers. Parking was plentiful and pedestrian traffic was minimal…but what a good time!
Over time and like the Old Town Crier, things have changed. The town is now one of the most vibrant waterfront cities on the east coast. Some of the places that provided music are now gone replaced by more multi-owned stores whether that be National or local. The pace is faster and pedestrian traffic has grown exponentially with the implementation of the “pedestrian” mall in the 100 & 200 blocks of King Street. Still, the history and natural beauty of this town has not changed other than the fact that the waterfront along the Potomac River has had a nice facelift that includes a pedestrian walkway and boardwalk that runs pretty much its entire length.
Old Town has received many accolades over the years including being named the “Perfect Town for a Hallmark Christmas Movie” by Southern Living and “One of the Most Charming Places to Visit During the Holidays” by Travel + Leisure. In full disclosure, I’m not sure I can get on board with the Hallmark movie designation but it is definitely a charming place to visit during the holidays.
Named one of the area’s top shopping destinations by the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, it is hard for me to imagine that the little historic district I moved into in 1977 is now home to over 200 independent restaurants and a blend of independent galleries, stylish boutiques, vintage shops and national retailers on top of several historic museums. A good resource of great shopping and dining are the advertisers in this publication, after all, they are the reason we can go to press each month.
Today Old Town is noted for its culinary talent. The bulk of them are privately owned restaurants with a few local groups owning multiple locations – all with local ties to the community. Choices range from an intimate, fine dining vibe to a casual cold beer and great bar fare experience. There are a multitude of cuisines ranging from steak and seafood to curry and sushi with everything in between – including enough pizza joints to keep us all supplied for ions – along King Street from the top at the Metro to the bottom at the waterfront.
There are many shops and eateries that dot the side streets and the waterfront on either side of King and all are worth checking out. I find that the pedestrian congestion on lower King takes its toll ever so often and it is good to know I can find everything I need just off the beaten path by a block or two.
While this column is primarily dedicated to the heart of Old Town, let’s not forget about the other vibrant areas of our city the likes of Old Town North, where new restaurants and businesses are opening on a regular basis and the Del Ray section just a few miles from King Street that is home to a vibrant restaurant and retail community with many holiday activities.
Old Town celebrates its’ Scottish heritage with the 54th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk and the Boat Parade of Lights on the Potomac River on December 6th. See our calendar in this issue for specifics. The entire weekend is dedicated to all things Scottish and the influence this heritage has had on our fair city.
We hope that you have an enjoyable time while visiting Old Town. There is so much to do, that it makes sense to spend a night at one of our beautiful hotels scattered throughout town. And you don’t want to miss Santa and all of his minions waterskiing down the Potomac on Christmas Eve and the fireworks on the 31st celebrating First Night! Enjoy the holiday hospitality of Alexandria and make plans to come back in the new year!