Alexandria, Virginia / Washington, D.C.

Starting at $63.99 per night

There's nothing better than Christmas at the capitol! The whole place is lit up with decorations galore in true winter wonderland fashion. Washington and Alexandria are bustling throughout the holidays with magnificent classic scenery and tons of things to do. Plus, with all the history in these timeless cities, you'll really score a traditional trip this season!

Where to stay

Hotels in Alexandria and Washington. D.C. area

Travelodge Alexandria - In the heart of Alexandria, this Travelodge will provide comfort and ease this holiday season. It's just minutes away from all of the fabulous attractions that Alexandria has to offer, and is the perfect spot for a simple stay this winter season.

Days Inn Alexandria South - The Days Inn Alexandria South prides itself on service. With so many hotels from which to choose, just providing dollar value is not enough. This hotel is located just minutes from the capital of the US, Washington, DC., and is also a convenient 1 1/2 mile walk from the closest Metro, DCs subway system--the cleanest and safest in the world.

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Alexandria - Enjoy the comforts of home for guests who are away from home in this luxury all suites hotel. Located in picturesque Alexandria, VA near the Pentagon, Arlington and Washington DC, the Hawthorn Suites Alexandria Hotel puts you in the heart of the Beltway with all the amenities of home - and it's even pet friendly.

Days Inn Washington DC Connecticut Ave - You'll have access to Incredible historic landmarks, world-famous sightseeing, premier shopping and dining destinations abound near our Washington, D.C. hotel - The Days Inn Connecticut Avenue offers spacious accommodations, generous amenities and first-class service all just three miles from the heart of downtown D.C. The courteous and knowledgeable Days Inn staff will be at your service 24/7 throughout your holiday trip!

Super 8 Camp Springs - The Super 8 in Camp Springs is a great location for traveling on business or pleasure. After a great night sleep in one of these comfortable rooms, you'll be invited to a free Superstart breakfast and you can access Free High Speed Internet from anywhere within the property.

Howard Johnson Inn, Cheverly - This Howard Johnson Hotel is a centrally located and gold medal award winning property that's perfect for multiple day stay-business or pleasure. The Howard Johnson Hotel of Cheverly is a multiple winner of the Gold Medal Award for Quality Assurance standards. The hotel features 5 stories of clean, comfortable, spacious, inside-corridor rooms that are beautifully appointed. The hotel also offers a full service restaurant and is the ideal location for the leisure or business traveler to Washington, D.C. The friendly and courteous hotel staff is dedicated to complete guest satisfaction, ensuring that you have a great stay. Each member is professionally trained to provide you the very best in guest service.

Ramada Limited College Park - This College Park / Washington DC area Hotel is adjacent to The University of Maryland and conveniently situated between BWI and Washington National Airports. This College Park Hotel offers easy access to Washington DC monuments, parks and attractions. Plus, sports fans can enjoy events at the Washington Wizards MCI Center, the Washington Redskins FedEx Field and RFK Stadium all less than 10 miles from the Ramada Limited College Park. This is the Best Location for Washington Redskins Football Games and all University of Maryland Terrapins sports events!

Vacation Rentals in Alexandria and Washington. D.C. area

Wyndham Vacation Resort Old Town Alexandria - Enjoy the classic and traditional atmosphere in this timeless resort. Conveniently located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, Wyndham's beautiful resort is set in a charming neighborhood known for its cafés and boutiques. This picturesque area buffers you from the city crowds and traffic but puts you close to everything else. It features excellent places to eat and shop - and it's just a two-minute walk to the metro system, which takes you directly to many of Washington's most popular attractions.

What to do in
Alexandria

Mt. Vernon Estate and Gardens - For a change of scenery, tour these verdant gardens in the wintertime--they're all decked out for the holidays. Plus there are lots of opportunities for kids to explore and learn about D.C.'s history through all of the many educational programs offered.

National Zoo, Zoolights Displays - Trade in your winter whites this year for something green! The National Zoo's Zoolights celebrations are a sparkling group of displays, created with all environmentally-friendly lights and other energy-saving tools. And, besides the thousands of sparkling animated Christmas lights, winter-themed crafts, ice sculpting demonstrations, choral groups, and storytellers, there are tons of animal exhibits still open throughout the night where little ones can learn and explore. Buy tickets online.

Washington Ballet's Nutcracker - What's Christmas in D.C. without an American-themed performance of The Nutcracker? A definite must-see on this year's holiday list, Septime Webre's The Nutcracker returns to the Warner Theatre to offer an American twist on this family favorite. You'll get to see George Washington as the Nutcracker and all sorts of other nutty interpretations of this holiday classic. Score discounts when you buy tickets early online.

Alexandria Black History Museum - Make this holiday educational when you visit the Alexandria Black History Museum. Comprised of a museum, reading room, and African-American Heritage park, this is the perfect stop for some cultural learning.

Alexandria Archaeology - Do you really dig the holidays? This year--actually dig! At Alexandria Archaeology you will be able to learn all about historic Alexandria through a museum, digs, and family adventure lessons. Dig up some treasures this season, and you might just score some really cool gifts for the family.

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra - There's really nothing better than holiday tunes. Keep it classic this year with a visit to the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra. Check out their website for info on holiday concerts, kid's concerts, and free events. You'll be singing these tunes through the new year!

Travel Tips for
Alexandria

Never explored the Nation's capital? Don't miss out any longer! The District of Columbia is filled with so much history, fun things to do, and great places to see. Best of all, I'll let you in on how to travel on a low budget. My boyfriend and I recently spent a 3-day weekend in Washington D.C. Both recent grads, we didn't have the Benjamin's to go away any further. We ended up having an awesome time. I did my homework, and found some hidden gems.

1. See the National Mall with DC by Foot, a company that gives free walking tours! The guides are great and share tons of fun facts and trivia.
2. Go to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see money made. It's free, but go early because you can reserve a ticket for a time later in the day, and there are always long lines.
3. Visit the National Cathedral. It's located in a very cute neighborhood. The church is breathtaking and there are gardens that surround it. If you're lucky you'll see a wedding while you're there!
4. Must-sees: the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and the WWII Memorial.
5. The Washington Monument: make an online reservation and take an elevator up the 555 feet to see the absolute best panoramic view of the city. It's first come first serve with tickets because it's free, so make them ahead of time!
6. Good Eats:
   1. The Cereal Bowl - every combination of cereal, cereal ice cream, and cereal fro-yo; sounds like college, but the whole family will love it! Located on 3420 Connecticut Ave.
   2. Georgetown Cupcake - also featured on the TLC T.V. show, DC Cupcake. Located on 3301 M Street and 33rd street. DELISH!
   3. Jetties - best place to grab a sandwich. Named after the beaches in Nantucket, these sandwiches are filled with good meat and great toppings. It's definitely a crowd-pleaser. Located in Georgetown.
   4. Good Stuff Eatery - everyone will love this burger joint run by Top Chef Season 4's Spike Mendelsohn. My boyfriend and I had the Obama Burger, it was awesome. If you go, definitely get a side of their seasoned french fries! Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
7. Bringing Lassie on vacation? Check out the first legal dog park in D.C... Shaw Dog Park. Located in the Shaw Neighborhood. We saw the cutest pups there!
8. International Spy Museum - think inspector gadget, it's super cool. There is an admission fee but I would vote that it's worth it. If two 22-year olds can go and love it I think it's safe to assume it's great for the whole family! Located in Penn Quarter.

Visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Located downtown between Constitution Ave and 10th Street, you could literally spend all day exploring. There's something for everyone and admission is free!

Ally P.
Wyndham Rewards

I didn't go there during the holidays but I did go there in winter. Washington D.C is so full of history and makes you think of the movie National Treasure, the Smithsonian Museum was so interesting and full of everything from civilization to botany to history. Just writing about D.C. makes me feel like I'm there! I want to go visit again someday soon.

Alyssa T.
Wyndham Vacation Resorts

My family and I visited this area during spring break, 2009. The best tip I can give, is to learn, and use, the metro! It stops at almost every tourist highlight, and is cheap, quick, and easy. It saves tons of walking!

Also - when planning your visit, you can register for a tour of the White House, but this needs to be done with as much advanced notice as possible.

Christine S.
Wyndham Hotel Group

My family and I visited my son and daughter-in-law who live in Fairfax, VA this past year. Staying in Virginia was a great idea because of its proximity to Washington, DC and it was a less congested place to drive to at night. Washington, DC is such a great place to visit for a long weekend or a few days because you can take in the many museums (which by the way are free) and also the Botanical Gardens.

We visited the Botanical Gardens and several museums. This is a very good trip for families as well as anyone else because there is such a rich amount of history and places to go to that are either of no cost or little cost. It is a very good idea to wear good walking shoes and layers of clothing because if the weather is good, you can walk from place to place as many sights are within walking distance of each other. Otherwise, when the weather is cooler, you should plan where you want to go and take a taxi from place to place.

This is a very manageable trip for a family and can be revisited several times as your children get older. Just looking at the architecture of the buildings and realizing that so much history took place here is amazing. We are planning another trip this coming spring so we can see the cherry trees in blossom.

Denise C.
Wyndham Worldwide

When visiting Alexandria, VA/DC during the holidays, here are some interesting things to do:

1. Participate in the Scottish Walk in Old Town: During the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend hundreds of Scottish clansmen parade with their bagpipes through Old Town Alexandria. The family-friendly holiday event is a traditional favorite of the Alexandria community, including a tour of historic homes, a children's tea party, a Celtic Concert and a Christmas Marketplace and Café.

The Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend is one of the largest fundraising activities for the Campagna Center, a non-profit organization that serves children and families in need in Alexandria, Virginia.

2. Reserve space in a Candlelight Tour of Mt. Vernon: Martha Washington hosts an 18th-century Christmas with candlelit walks, fireside caroling, and festive decor. Visitors learn about the Washingtons' Christmas traditions and tour the candlelit Mansion. Enjoy complimentary hot cider and cookies by fireside as you listen to colonial music.

3. Visit Union Station which is especially pretty this time of year.

4. Dine (or have a drink and an appetizer) at Restaurant Eve in Old Town which is rated one of the best in the area.

5. Visit the Capital Christmas Tree Lighting or the tree itself which some residents think is prettier than the National Tree (more realistic).

Mary A.
Wyndham Worldwide

There is the coolest little place in Washington DC called Brickskellar. They have over 1,000 bottles beer choices from all over the world to try. I went there twice in my 4 day trip. They were even in the Guinness World Book of Records. They have decent regular bar food, nothing special, but you go for the selection of beers. It is located in the DuPont Circle area of DC. I would definitely recommend it.

Michelle R.
Wyndham Vacation Ownership

This past summer my husband and I visited the DC area. We stayed at the WVO National Harbor resort and discovered some fun things to do in National Harbor and also in Alexandria, VA near our Alexandria WVO resort. We visited some of the usual DC museums and monuments. Looking back at our trip, my favorite time was renting bikes at a shop in Alexandria and riding the 10 mile path to Mt. Vernon, home of George Washington. It was a beautiful summer day and the elevation to the park continued to rise giving us an excellent workout! If you haven't been to Mt. Vernon, it's worth the trip. What a wonderful place on the river.

There are so many things to do in the area, we can't wait to go back!

Barb M.
Wyndham Vacation Ownership

If you're looking for the excitement of old town charm with historic architecture, Alexandria is the perfect destination. With plenty of ways to get around, like the free King Street Trolley that connects you to quaint antique shops and fashionable shopping with its many boutiques, where you can 'shop till you drop' ....and dine at winning restaurants representing every tasty palate and culture. The trolley also connects you to the Metro Subway Train system that whisks you in and around the Washington, D.C. area.

And if you are booked for a stay at Wyndham, consider yourself a lucky lot, as it is one of the most requested Wyndham destinations!

Rosie S.
Wyndham Vacation Resorts

I stayed at the WVO property which is a great location conveniently located next to the Metro Station which gives you access to the entire DC area just footsteps away. For those football fans or anyone looking for a fair priced meal, Joe Theismann's Restaurant is also right around the corner.

John B.
Wyndham Hotel Group