Old Town Waterfront

The Old Town waterfront along the Potomac River is the most pleasant stretch of public space in Alexandria, running from the marina at the foot of King Street north past a series of piers and green spaces. The river views across to the Maryland shore and to the monuments of Washington are excellent on clear days.

King Street Pier is the departure point for the Potomac Riverboat Company's water taxis — a useful and enjoyable alternative to driving to DC. Boats run to the National Mall, Georgetown, and National Harbor, making the waterfront a practical transit hub as well as a scenic one. The stretch of waterfront has restaurants, ice cream shops, and weekend farmers' markets. A walk from the waterfront west along King Street to the center of Old Town covers much of what makes Alexandria worth the trip.

things to do waterfront walk
A story
The Potomac waterfront here was once one of the busiest wharves in the mid-Atlantic, receiving tobacco from Virginia plantations and exporting goods across the Atlantic — the same docks were later used as an embarkation point for Union troops during the Civil War.