Alexandria: A guide to short-term rentals
A bustling suburb of Washington DC, Alexandria is a gem along the Potomac, with a historic downtown and excellent food. A short-term rental is the best way to explore all that the city has to offer.
Kasa's short-term rentals in Alexandria
With short-term rentals in the city’s most exciting neighborhoods, Kasa offers comfortable and convenient accommodations no matter what brings you to Alexandria or where you need to go.
Kasa's short-term rentals in Alexandria
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Kasa Alexandria Washington
- Fitness center
- Business center
- BBQ
Enjoy views from the remarkable rooftop lounge at your Kasa in Alexandria. Mere minutes from everything you need, including; Arlington, Crystal City,...
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Discover Alexandria
After booking your short-term rental in Alexandria, here's everything you need to know for your trip.
Alexandria is a city of over 150,000 located along the Potomac River about seven miles south of the center of Washington DC. Part of the DC metro area, the city is largely populated by federal workers from the civil service, branches of the military, and government contractors, particularly in defense. Alexandria is known for its Old Town neighborhood, the city’s historic center, which has a cluster of restaurants, antique stores, and boutiques, as well as entertainment, that draw locals and visitors alike.
The area that now includes Alexandria was inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. In 1608, the English explorer John Smith visited the area and encountered multiple tribes and settlements. In 1791, Alexandria was part of the area set aside for the creation of a new U.S. capital, but it was later returned to Virginia after ongoing conflict with the rest of DC and Alexandria’s geographic separation from DC’s city center. During the War of 1812, the British captured Alexandria without resistance and raided the city’s stores of goods as part of their larger attack on the U.S. capital.
In the 1820s and 1830s, Alexandria was the site of one of the country’s largest markets for the selling of enslaved people, and when the area was occupied by the Union during the Civil War the site became a jail. The Civil War’s first casualities for both the North and South were in Alexandria, and after slavery was abolished formerly enslaved people surged into Alexandria in large numbers.
In the twentieth century, Alexandria became an industrial hub and a protest center during the Civil Rights movement. In the mid-twentieth century, Alexandria was the home of Vice President Gerald Ford, since there was not yet an official Vice Presidential residence. After Nixon resigned, Ford remained in his Alexandria home for a week and a half, so the city was home to the sitting president. Today, Alexandria is a bustling suburb with its own identity and attractions, and there are great short-term rental options near it all.
The DC metro area, including Alexandria, is served by three airports: Reagan National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI). DCA is just north of Alexandria, making it the most convenient. IAD is located 35 miles west of Alexandria. BWI is farther north, about 50 minutes away.
The DC metro area is exceptionally walkable, with museums, monuments, parks, restaurants, and residential areas clustered together around the Potomac River and the National Mall. Biking is another great option for taking in the full sweep of DC and Alexandria at your own pace.
Renting bikes from bike shops or bikeshare stations is easy. Capital Bikeshare has over 350 stations across the metro area. Sign up online, then access bikes 24 hours per day. The first 30 minutes of each ride is free.
The DC metro area’s public transportation options are the Metrorail, the city’s subway system, and bus routes. The Metrorail is a fast way to get between neighborhoods, and buses cover every other route you’d need. If you buy a SmarTrip® card, rather than individual paper tickets for your rides, you can save some time and money. This card will allow you to pay for most transit with a single method (even parking at Metro garages), and it will reduce your fares slightly.
You can’t miss Alexandria’s King Street. It’s a great place to eat and shop (or ride the free King Street Trolley). King Street’s throwback architecture, brick streets, and stone alleys will bring you back to an earlier era.
Alexandria is on the Potomac River, and it’s a great place to get on a sightseeing cruise or a water taxi and see the DC metro area’s sights from the water.
Because of its age and location, Alexandria is steeped in history, and there are lots of historic sites to stop by, like Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, a one-time social gathering spot where the first five U.S. presidents stayed. George Washington’s Mount Vernon sits eight miles south of Alexandria’s Old Town, and visitors can take a tour of the mansion and the grounds.
But the biggest attraction near Alexandria is DC itself, with its unlimited opportunities to visit museums and the power centers of the country’s present day.
The DC metro area’s restaurant scene is one of the most celebrated in the nation, as diverse and exciting as the country itself. In DC proper, you can find incredible regional American food and authentic international food within blocks, whether you’re interested in something casual or something more lavish.
For the full DC experience, have a meal (or a drink) near Capitol Hill, and keep an eye out for politicians discussing party priorities and maneuverings. For a trendier vibe, head to the Shaw or Logan Circle neighborhoods. Alexandria has great food too. Just make your way to historic Old Town by the river.
Mount Vernon Trail is a gorgeous, 18-mile, multi-use path that connects Theodore Roosevelt Island in the north to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate to the south, passing through Alexandria along the way. Depending on where you join the trail, you’ll see extraordinary views of the city and pass a series of historic sites.
For more time by the Potomac, check out Alexandria’s eight different waterfront parks. Founders Park and Jones Point Park are great places to start.
Alexandria’s segregated school system was integrated in 1965, and in 1971 the city merged all of its high school students into a single school called T.C. Williams High School. That was the same year that football coach Herman Boone signed on to coach the team. Boone, a Black man, led the team to a perfect 13-0 season, a state championship, and nearly a national championship. This season was the inspiration for the 2000 film “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington as Boone.