If you’re looking for a place to live, tell your real estate agent in Kingstowne, VA to look for one in Old Town Alexandria. It’s not just a great historical town, but a beautiful place to live. You can find something for everyone, including your kids and your spouse, here.
King Street Mile
King Street Mile is called one of the most important streets in America, and for a good reason. It’s a street that is lined with buildings that are centuries old. You’ll also find some great boutiques and restaurants here if you’re strolling down it one day.
Upper King Street has more recently expanded to include several drinking destinations. Hence, if you’re out for a night of celebration, you may want to head straight here. However, if you’re into a more sober night with a few glasses of wine, then you can go to the Study at Morrison House. It’s a literary themed lounge with a library. They also serve some pretty great cocktails like the Jerk-Spiced Kingston Negroni and other regionally sourced small plates.
Other great drinking places include The Peoples Drug. It has drinkable works of art for sale. You can glam up your Instagram or simply end a very tiresome workday here.
Of course, with October coming up, you’ll need a good drinking place for Oktoberfest. The Village Brauhaus offers some beer cocktails and German drafts. There are also some selections of German-Austrian Cuisine if you’re feeling a bit puckish.
If you have Irish blood flowing through your veins, both literally or metaphorically, you should check out Murphy’s Irish Pub. There’s also Vermilions’ crimson bar or Brabo Brasserie’s. All these places have an authentic Irish feel to them, down to the exposed brick bar.
If a drink isn’t your style, but sweets are, then you’re in luck. King Street has some great treats for dessert lovers. You can start at Fleurir Chocolates and bring home half a block from King Street on S. Payne Street. You can get artisan truffles, caramels, toffees, and even the town’s famous Alexandria bars.
You can also go to the Nicecream Ice cream parlor for some incredible treats and a show. They pour liquid nitrogen in front of your eyes to catalyze both interest and taste.
You can also head to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on Saint Patrick’s Street. They’ll provide you with a show called a flight of 3 scoops.
Finally, if you’re looking for something extra, you can go to the Ice Cream Cone Capital. It has the best reputation among all the ice cream places in the town. Their cult favorite flavors like Brambleberry Crisp and Gooey Butter Cake will definitely give your taste buds the high they want.
All this can be found on King Street!
Whether you’re strolling through it in the day and watching the trolleys whooshing past, or at night, you’ll have a great time. It’s a street that truly embodies what it was like to live in 18th century America.
Pope-Leighey House
If you’re looking for a legacy that was made for the working class, this is it. In fact, this is a precursor to real estate in Kingstowne, VA. The Pope-Leighey House was commissioned by journalist Loren Pope and his wife Charlotte in 1939. It was one of the first Usonian houses which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Completed in 1941, it was the first of many built for the middle class.
It holds the distinction of being relocated twice. It represents the continuous commitment of the National Trust to make Usonian design accessible to the public. Though it’s only 1200 square feet large, it exhibits several distinct features. Its cantilevered roofs and windows, which open to the outside, create an interaction between the internals and externals.
While it is a house built relatively recently, it’s meant to represent the vision for the middle class living in Old Town. It deserves at least one visit. You can perhaps look at it as the model for what you’re going to build when you move to Old Town yourself.
Check Out the Murals Dotting King Street
Other than the great drinks and treats you can get at King Street, you can also take in the art present there. Head over to Bloomers at 924 King Street and experience the Butterfly Effect Mural. Community Members finished this baby in June 2019 and incorporated several different cultures. For example, it includes Spanish, English, Arabic translations of Gandhi’s iconic message.
You can also check out Galaxy Gal, which is painted outside the Fibre Space at 1319 Prince Street. These are the new Instagrammable spots in the town and will remain for quite some time. There are even some murals at Lower King Street by artist Meg Biram. You can also catch the Beaded Curtain Mural by Erin Curtis at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
In the 18th century, Alexandria had a 5-star hotel; well, the equivalent of one anyway. Today, that hotel is a museum called Gadsby’s Tavern. It was constructed by John Wise, but it was made famous by John Gadsby, the tavern keeper.
The tavern was famously frequented by several founding fathers of the country. These included James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Marquis de Lafayette, and John Adams. Of course, top of that list is our first President, George Washington. He even attended 2 Birthnight Balls which were held in his honor at the tavern.
The museum has tours, programs, and special events. You can go there to just look at the pieces, or to take part in the events. Another special thing about the museum is George Washington’s Birthnight Ball in 1798 and 1799.
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Are you a Harry Potter fan? Well, someone in your family is bound to be. If they are, they’ll love the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. Though it dates back to 1792, long before the book series was published, its popularity grew because of it. You’ll find this a great spot to go for a great night out when you’re buying a home in Alexandria.
Edward Stabler opened it as a pharmacy. He was from a Quaker family that ran the apothecary for generations. At first, he rented the place, and a few years later, he bought the place. The medicine he sold at the place was brewed there. The apothecary, of course, didn’t just sell medicine; it sold garden equipment and surgical instruments and dental equipment, etc. It even sold cigars, mineral water, window glass, paint, and varnish.
When Stabler passed away in 1852, his brother in law, John Leadbeater, took over the business. There is even a legend that Robert E. Lee was in the store shopping around when he received orders to put down the John Brown raid in 1859. While this is unlikely, there is a plaque there that commemorates this event. It was installed by the Sons of the Confederacy.
That’s the way it was run until 1933. Even today, it is known for different plants and herbs. However, because of the success of the book series, it’s now associated with potions in Harry Potter. You’ll find mandrake root, lavender, castor oil, and perhaps even dragons’ blood here.
You can even learn about the real life uses of these medicines when you take the tour. It takes about $5 to enter and is a good way to pass the time if you’re on a date or just taking your kids for a stroll.
The history of the museum is quite a tale. It was operated as an apothecary until 1933, when it was made into a museum. The reason for that, of course, was the fallout from the Great Depression. In 1939 however, it first opened as a museum. Today, most of the artifacts in it are authentic and date to the first time it closed. From then until now, it has been home to over 15000 objects, from medical devices, too, of course, herbs.
In 2006, the Landmarks Society donated the museum and all of its important contents to Old Town Alexandria. In 2021, the building was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
The Farmer’s Market
One of the oldest farmer’s markets in America, this is where George Washington sent his produce from Mt. Vernon to be sold. That doesn’t mean the farmers market only lives in that nostalgia. No, this is one of the best farmer’s markets in the country.
You can find over 70 vendors who are selling cheese, bread, meat, pastries, vegetables, plants, pasta, jewelry, and flowers here. You can find so much more here when you just take a stroll.
You can get a lot of things at this market whether it has to be food or souvenirs. You can at least enjoy the free parking at Market Square Parking Garage nearby.
The market has been around for more than 260 years selling everything from food to jewelry to flowers. It’s something that’s as much a landmark of Old Town Alexandria as any of the other attractions listed here. This is a major attraction if you’re thinking of buying a home in Alexandria.
Get a Home in Alexandria, Virginia
There’s so much more to love in Old Town Alexandria. From the food to the people to the sheer beauty of it all. If you’re as enchanted as we are and want to live here permanently, give us a call at Michael Gailliot Homes. We’ll get you your dream home in this dreamscape.