A Cozy Old Town Christmas Around Beautiful Washington DC.

For my family and I, Christmas is a special time and we are always interested in exploring new ways to celebrate this most glorious season. Living in Europe made me love the old world Christmas feel so, we were excited to celebrate an old town Christmas around Washington DC. 

Our chosen itinerary included Alexandria, Virginia: Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia:  George Washington’s Mt. Vernon.

And it was GREAT!

ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA

 

WOW, Alexandria is the ultimate old town holiday destination and was the perfect place to call our home base. Located just South of Washington DC and along the historic Potomac, not to mention home to George Washington, old Alexandria oozes Christmas charm and warmth.

It is the best combination of old town historic decorations coupled with new age glittering Christmas lights.  Historic buildings, cozy colonial taverns decked with period decorations of fruits and vegetables and area shops greeting guests with Christmas music and smells of cider wafting from their interiors put us in a major festive mood.  

King Street is the main road through old Alexandria and is lined with shops, restaurants and the coolest historic buildings. We spent a lot of time along this street enjoying the Christmas cheer.

Shopping in charming stores filled with antiques and crafts while providing the perfect Christmas smells and decor was a highlight.  Be sure you check out The Old Town Shop for novelty gifts and A Galerie for antiques but, there are many quaint shops to meander through and window gaze.

After a day of strolling and shopping it is luxurious to finally slip into the dining booth of an invitingly warm  18th-19th century building that has been transformed into a cozy delish restaurant.  

There are many places to eat but, we were only there for a couple of days and these were the ones we patronized. And they were good ones.

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The first night, we ate beneath the Civil War burnt beams of a 200 year old structure transformed into a delish dining experience of  THE WHARF RESTAURANT. The entire interior is rustic cozy but, at Christmas, try for a window table so you can dine on excellent food while watching the hustle and bustle of Christmas shoppers and the twinkling lights lining the street.

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There is an absolute must when in Alexandria and it’s called Gadsby’s Tavern, a late 1700’s tavern that hosted George Washington on numerous occasions, Thomas Jefferson and many of our founding fathers. We entered the doors and stepped back in time. GADSBY’S TAVERN

 

We were seated next to the fireplace whose mantle overflowed with oranges and pears.  The interior coziness was enhanced by candles flickering lazily on tables, Christmas lights gleaming outside through the wavy windows and a flirtatious and riveting Mr. Ben Franklin himself entertaining us with colonial language and tales. (He came here frequently, he said, for he only lived a days’ horse ride away which was not very far at all)

 

A magical dining experience for sure any time of year but, I would say, that this went down as being one of my most fondest Christmas family experiences.

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Afterwards, throw on the puffy coat (it is cold) and stroll the wharf along the Potomac River and spend time on Captain’s Row which is along Prince Street. Named Captain’s Row because of the 18th and 19th century homes lining the street that once belonged to sea faring captain’s and Revolutionary patriots, this cobble-stoned street laid by Hessians emits a simple colonial Christmas charm that I personally was captivated by.

Christmas evenings are a charm in Alexandria. I don’t think I could ever grow tired of walking and shopping the Old Town, especially during Christmas. And it wasn’t just the colonial sights and Christmas vibe but also, the people were jovial, friendly and true celebrators of the Holidays.

With Alexandria as our “home”, we were able to take day trips that were less then a couple hours drive away:

HARPER’S FERRY WEST VIRGINIA

Ok so I have ALWAYS wanted to see the historic town of Harper’s Ferry and what better time to check this town out then at Christmas. Dating back to the mid 1700’s and famous for having visitors such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson plus John Brown’s raid, the picturesque hillside-dotting town of Harper’s Ferry was perfectly lovely.

Very quiet, romantic with Christmas charm and relatively tourist free on Christmas Eve, we were able to freely walk the town and explore unhindered by crowds. Wear good shoes for the town roads are steep and overlook breathtaking views of a roaring Potomac.

Various shops, coffee shops and small Mom and Pop eats line the narrow streets along with B&B’s that sit next to waterfalls. Coffee and hot chocolate smells fill the cold air and wreaths adorn ancient doors.

Be sure you pay a visit to TRUE TREATS HISTORIC CANDY! Located on High Street, True Treats is a cozy shop, (we stayed for awhile), that has the candies of the centuries lined up in chronological order from the first candies to the mid 1900’s. It was actually a delicious history lesson you and your kids will enjoy! Super interesting.

Lunch at the Rabbit Hole Gastropub was a welcomed break from the chilled Christmas air and hopping fun as well as yummy. Burgers and beer are great accompanied by a cozy all-wood pub vibe with views and a fireplace.

For a lunch dessert, you’ve got several options for mouthwatering bakeries. The one we cleaned out was Battle Grounds Bakery & Coffee on High Street.. Excellent!! The coffee and hot chocolate were simply brilliant and a Christmas present to myself.

Only an hour and a half drive from Alexandria, Harper’s Ferry was a treasuring experience. They are open Christmas Eve but closed Christmas Day.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOUNT VERNON

It was Christmas Day, our scheduled day to head for home.  But, we were enjoying Virginia so much, we decided to stay and do one more thing before leaving. 

We didn’t have Mount Vernon on our list to do but, it was a cold and beautiful day so we figured what better way to spend Christmas Day then with the first founding father himself, George Washington.

CRUISE THE WORLD

Sometimes, most times, those spontaneous trips turn out to be brilliant and this one was. Mount Vernon proved an incredible destination in every way and I am so happy we visited.

Located roughly 15 minutes drive from Alexandria via George Washington Memorial Pkwy, Mount Vernon is open every day of the year. Tickets can be purchased online, I recommend this, and there is shopping and a restaurant on the estate so you can dine there or order to go (admission is not necessary to dine). MOUNT VERNON

First off, please get there early on Christmas Day. Without knowing it, we lucked out arriving right at opening. Totally unintentional. We had great parking, hardly anyone was there. That did not last long. Before we knew it, it was packed.

Mount Vernon is an innovative gorgeous estate. George Washington and Martha were cutting edge, scientifically skilled individuals who designed a home to fit them perfectly.

I recommend taking the inhouse tour. I personally loved the decor of the house and there is a great deal of information to be gained from the tour. Just to give you a few interesting facts we learned:

**At first glance, you believe the outside of the house is made of cut stone but this is not the case. It is made of wood beams covered with a plaster that George designed and is not as expensive as using stone.

**The estate was basically a functioning town, farm and greenhouse. Everything needed was produced right on the estate, they did not need to purchase or seek supplies off property.

**George and Martha enjoyed lemons and oranges in the winter thanks to a greenhouse made warm by tunnels running underneath and heated by fires and they had ice in their drinks during the summer thanks to ice gathered from the river during winter months and stored in the ice house.

Once the inhouse tour ends, you are free to walk the grounds unguided. Informative plaques are placed everywhere and there are very nice informed employees and volunteers available for any questions you may have.

It was freezing in December although still breathtakingly beautiful.  Dress extremely warm during this time of year, especially if you are not used to the cold. (You can see from the picture below we are seriously cold)  You are going to want to see this entire estate so be advised to go prepared and bundle in winter and cool clothes in the summer.

The grounds are massive and beautiful with many outbuildings to explore and breathtaking scenery to enjoy. You can view the very tree that George Washington himself planted which is now tremendous and impressive.

Make sure you visit the Museum and Education Center for exhibits on the life and the people of Mount Vernon. There is a wealth of information to be learned here for everyone…this is a great experience for kids and their education.

The Museum and Education Center are decked out for Christmas. It was beautiful, festive and WARM.

There is so much to enjoy at Mount Vernon, you will need to plan for most of the day to take it all in. Be sure to take time to sit in a rocking chair on the verandah and look out over the massive Potomac just as George and Martha once did.

Overall, it was the perfect Christmas trip and I really was not ready to leave.  The history is massive and awesome and the old towns around Washington DC exquisite. I am looking forward to the next trip around our capital.

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