Self-Guided Tours of Historic Alexandria

• Alexandria Heritage Trail
• Ask Alex Cell Tours
• Bike Tours
• Civil War iPhone App
• Podcast Walking Tours
• Alexandria Historical Scavenger Hunt
• African American Historic Sites
• Walking with Washington

Alexandria Heritage Trail

The Alexandria Heritage Trail is a unique 23-mile urban trail, exploring Alexandria’s archaeology and history. Check the Heritage Trail Locations and look for Trail signs at some of these locations. The Guidebook, Walk and Bike the Alexandria Heritage Trail, will enhance your experience.

Ask Alex Cell Tours

Experience History from the comforts of your cell phone! 

Alexandria is known for its centuries of history. Information about many of its historic sites can be found by following these easy steps.

• Print the Ask Alex Cell Tours brochure before your visit to Alexandria
• Dial 703.229.8632 into your cellular phone and follow the prompts as necessary.
• Key in the number of the location that you want to learn more about. The location numbers are listed on the brochure.
• After pressing the number of the location you are interested in, press #.
• For a new location, key in the new location number and press #.

There is no additional charge to use this service, but regular minute usage may be charged by your cell phone provider.

Ask Alex Cell Tours currently includes the following historic sites:

1. Alexandria Visitor Center at Ramsay House, 221 King Street
2. The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
3. Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street
4. George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive
5. US Patent and Trademark Office Museum, 600 Dulany Street
6. Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
7. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
8. Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax Street
9. Lee-Fendall House and Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
10. Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
11. Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred Street
12. Fort Ward Museum Historic Site, 4301 W. Braddock Road
13. Contrabands’ and Freedmen’s Cemetery, S. Washington and Church Streets
14. Northern Virginia Urban League Freedom House Museum, 1315 Duke Street
15. Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N. Union Street, suite 327
16. Christ Church, 118 N. Washington Street
17. Old Presbyterian Meeting House, 321 S. Fairfax Street
18. The Athenaeum, 201 Prince Street
19. Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street
20. Market Square, 301 King Street in front of Alexandria City Hall
21. Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
22. African American Heritage Park, Duke Street and Holland Lane

Bike Tours

Alexandria Civil War Defenses of Washington Bike Trail: A map, cue sheet and information on Civil War sites are provided for self-guided bike rides. The Civil War Defenses of Washington Bike Trail is one way in which Alexandria, surrounding jourisdictions and the National Park Service are marking the Civil War Sesquicentennial.

The Alexandria Bikeways map of trails and on-road bike routes is now available online. To obtain a printed copy, stop by your local bike shop, the Old Town Transit Shop, City Hall, or any of our recreation centers. The map is free!

Check the calendar for guided historic bike tours. organized by the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. These are usually held twice a year, in June and October.

Civil War iPhone App

Want to explore historic Alexandria's Civil War heritage? Download this free iPhone app and take it along as you tour Alexandria! Or find out more about Alexandria history through this comprehensive and convenient app that takes you to Civil War forts, hospitals, cemeteries, museums and other interesting places.

The Civil War Alexandria iPhone app was developed by Tour Buddy and is available through the iTunes store.

Podcast Walking Tours

The City of Alexandria has many interesting and enjoyable sites that are easy to access on foot. Get the most out of your stroll! Visit Tours of Alexandria on the City's podcasts page to download the following audio tours:

• Walking Tour of Historic Old Town Alexandria
• Women’s History Walk

Alexandria Historical Scavenger Hunt

Welcome to the scavenger hunt of Old Town Alexandria! This two-to-three hour, twenty-block walk, meanders through Old Town with stops at some of the city’s oldest and most historic addresses. Some stops require entrance to museums, so try to begin your scavenger hunt after 10:00, when they open. None of the clues require entering a museum that charges an admission fee. A numbers of stops are private residences; clues to these sites are found on exterior plaques and please be careful not to disturb the residents.

African American Historic Sites: Self-Guided Tour

This brochure will lead you to significant locations in Alexandria's African American history, including churches, schools and the site of the first Sit-down Strike.

Walking with Washington

Walking with Washington is a self-guided walking tour of 21 Alexandria sites associated with George Washington. Print the brochure for a map and information on the sites.

This short walking tour, produced by Robert Madison for the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, is extracted from his larger work, Walking with Washington: Walking Tours of Alexandria, Virginia, Featuring Over 100 Sites Associated with George Washington, for sale at the Museum.