When in town visiting older relatives we made a visit to these beautiful gardens. Even though we took the “safer” route by visiting a seemingly simple garden, everyone in our party (including young people) really enjoyed themselves. George Washington inherited this property in the 1700s and since then the American Horticultural Society has taken it property. I’d recommend coming here in the spring for optimal blooming! Plus the breeze off the nearby Potomac is especially nice at this time.
Things to do
I lived in Alexandria almost half my life and I only recently visited this historic landmark. The temple was built in dedication to the most famous Mason and the first president of the United States, George Washington. We took a free tour and it was solid stuff. You view a lot of artifacts that were owned by George Washington and were especially important to Masons. Overall you get a pretty good education on the Masons and realize how influential and present they are in our society – creepy.
This is one of the most memorable art museums I’ve ever been to – and I’ve been to a lot! The museum is shaped in a spiral shape that forces you to see everything. Everyone recommends starting at the top and just winding your way down through the five floors. In my opinion this is the best collection of contemporary artwork in the entire D.C. area. A lot of the exhibits are really interactive and just beg you to enter them, but double-check to make sure.
I saw Kinky Friedman at this venue back in November and it was great. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a sit-down venue but afterwards I understood why Birchmere gets such good hype – it’s the fabulous acoustics! We were lucky to get a spot close to the stage but I could see it being a problem if we were behind a pole (there are a lot of them so come early!). They also sell food and booze here that’s good but a bit pricey. I’m really excited to come back here for another show.
