Alexandria, Virginia

Although located in Northern Virginia, Alexandria is actually part of Washington DC; as such it is served by the city’s Metrorail system. This smart, upscale colonial town has many monuments, museums, historic houses and districts that merit a visit of several days' duration. Across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial is Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of hundreds of thousands of U.S. servicemen and women and President John F. Kennedy. The cemetery consists of 200 acres that once belonged to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. His residence, Arlington House, is now a museum. On the northern rim of the ...

Although located in Northern Virginia, Alexandria is actually part of Washington DC; as such it is served by the city’s Metrorail system. This smart, upscale colonial town has many monuments, museums, historic houses and districts that merit a visit of several days' duration. Across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial is Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of hundreds of thousands of U.S. servicemen and women and President John F. Kennedy. The cemetery consists of 200 acres that once belonged to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. His residence, Arlington House, is now a museum. On the northern rim of the cemetery stands the Marine Corps War Memorial. Better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, it memorializes the flag raising by U.S. Marines on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in 1945. You can’t visit Alexandria without going to George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. This is an essential stop for history buffs. Allow a day to tour the house and its magnificent grounds.

About the Expert

Frances Folsom is the author of CitySpot Palermo, a contributor to the Reiskits guides to Milan and Italy's Lakes Region, and Thomas Cook's Independent Traveller USA.