What You Could Get in Alexandria, VA for $10 - Strolling Around the Old Town

Whenever I hear ‘Alexandria', my mind always goes to the city in Egypt. But hey, did you know that there's also another city with the same name in the United States?

Located in the state of Virginia, I wasn't really aware of its existence until I got connected to Maria from Call It Adventure for this week's $10 series.

Yup, she'll be covering the city that is just south of Washington D.C. So, how could you spend your $10 in the city that is known as the Old Town? Check this one out for details! 🙂

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Alexandria, VA: Old Town Minutes from Washington D.C

Just a couple minutes to the south from busy capitol Washington there is an old and charming city of Alexandria. The town itself is a hidden gem in the Washington area for tourists. Many of whom spend their vacation exploring the capital. But if you choose to visit Alexandria, you’ll be amazed by how outstanding this little town is.

The Downtown of Alexandria

The downtown of Alexandria is known as the Old Town. The reason for that is that the area is filled with well-preserved 18th and 19th-century building that house galleries, shops, and cafes.

Old Town of Alexandria is the place where European heritage meets New World adaptation. Narrow streets and petite rowhouses create a getaway atmosphere that a lot of people find enchanting.

Strolling around King Street through the Waterfront

When you're in Alexandria, my advice is the following: walk down King Street, which is the main street of the Old Town, down to the waterfront.

Stop by and check antique shops that are like museums, visit galleries with art and enjoy the gorgeous architecture of brick houses and cobble-stone streets.

Try seafood and oysters from Potomac River, have a cup of coffee with artisan desserts or enjoy the evening in the waterfront park. I can assure you, every time you will find something entertaining and exciting.

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum

There is one particular place in the Old Town I'd recommend visiting. It is Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, located at the corner of King Street and Fairfax Street, right near the Market Square. It is a museum that used to be an actual apothecary.

Founded at the end of the 18th century by Edward Stabler, the business operated until the Great Depression in 1933 when it was sold as it was with all the items and inventory.

Today, the museum has more than 15,000 items as a part of its collection, some are very unusual and rare. For example, in the storage room, you can find dragon blood or unicorn root.

Spoiler alert! Dragon blood is a plant resin, and unicorn root is a root of a plant. But even knowing all these things, every time I'm in the Apothecary Museum, I always feel like I'm in some sort of magical tale of wizards and magicians, lost in an old building with secrets.

The ticket is only $5 USD and gives you access to the two floors of the museum and a guided tour.

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum Address: 105-107 South Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Contributor: Maria Potehina from Call It Adventure.