There’s nothing more relaxing and just plain fun than hanging out with your best girlfriends. Why not take a few days off before summer’s end and explore some shopping, dining and other doings in Alexandria together?
We’ve put together a great staycation itinerary for you and your besties to whoop it up for a few days around town.
Looking for one-of-a-kind finds in Old Town Alexandria’s quaint Mom ‘n Pop boutiques is half the fun of an afternoon shopping trip. Alexandria boasts more than 40 boutiques in its Old Town Boutique District with everything from clothing and accessories to spas and antiques. Most are in Old Town Alexandria. Learn more at oldtownboutiquedistrict.com.
Fibre Space
If DIY is more your thing, you have plenty of options! Head over to Fibre Space, 1319 Prince St., fibrespace.com, where you can sign up ahead of time for group knitting, crocheting or weaving classes.
Other creative outlets around town include the paint-your-own-ceramics Paint This!, 1013 King St., paintthis.com, as well as AR Workshop, which is moving this summer to a bigger space at 1212 King St., arworkshop.com/alexandria.
Also take a look at Sip and Sew at 300 N. Patrick St., sipandsewoldtown.com, or Stitch Sew Shop at 1219 King St., stitchsewshop.com, for more crafts and classes.
You can also get some steps in with a “salon crawl” with a stop at Meraki at 1101 Queen St. and 320 King St., merakioldtown.com, or at Queen’s Nails & Spa, 1010 King St. for mani/pedis or a hair makeover by style genius Sammy Amarti. Learn more at queennails-spa.com and salonamarti.com.
Another option is Sugar House Day Spa, housed in a restored early 19th-century home and once part of a sugar refinery, at 111 N. Alfred St., sugarhousedayspa.com. They offer a signature hair/scalp treatment that takes about 20 minutes and includes a scalp elixir as well as hair oil that is massaged and tented with a hot towel, shampooed out, followed by a blow-dry. No time for a hair treatment? Head to the state-of-the-art Drybar at 1006 King St. Learn more at thedrybar.com/locations/old-town-alexandria-va.
A girl’s gotta eat, and there are plenty of choices around Old Town Alexandria. A great place to begin or end your evening out — Uber on over to Captain Gregory’s, a secret spot hidden inside the Sugar Shack donut shop, at 804 N. Henry St. Tip: You pull on a flag to enter; they’re closed Mondays and Tuesdays and reservations are always highly encouraged. Craft cocktails are on the pricey side but live a little! Small plates are just that, small, but Yelpers have great things to say about the ever-changing menu.
Another great spot for hanging out with friends: Sonoma Cellar, 207 King St., sonomacellar.com, offers a relaxing back patio where you can chill with your buddies. Dining options include $4 tacos on Taco Tuesdays; on Thirsty Thursdays enjoy a burger and select wine for $23. Wine Down Wednesdays features 30% off selected bottles all day.
Chris Militzer/Miliman12 Photography
Just a stroll down the street, you’ll find Virtue Feed & Grain, 106 S. Union St., an eatery housed in a former 1800s feed house where you can sit outside along Wales Alley and watch the world go by while grabbing a late-night dessert. Try the root beer float or the peanut butter and chocolate icebox pie.
Where to stay? You’ll enjoy some top-notch pamper-ing at the Kimpton Lorien Hotel & Spa, 1600 King St., lorienhotelandspa.com, which earned the 2018 Stella Award for Best Renovation in the Northeast by Northstar Meetings Group, after a top-to-bottom $2.5 million renovation. Looking to save? Groups of three or more enjoy a 20 percent discount off regularly priced spa treatments on weekdays, excluding major holidays. Kimpton Lorien offers three suites with private outdoor terraces.
Another great hotel choice for a girlfriends’ getaway is Hotel Indigo, 220 S. Union St., hotelindigooldtownalexandria.com, where you can soak in views of the waterfront and grab brunch before saying goodbye at the bright and airy Hummingbird restaurant. Put us down for the fresh-squeezed orange juice, bacon and French toast with strawberries and Vermont maple syrup.
