Looking for a peaceful place to travel to get out of the house? All along the George Washington Parkway stretches a path that goes all the way to Washington DC. This distance is frequented by people going at their own pace - from the high speed bicyclist commuter to the power walking local. On the way there are places to picnic / barbeque, waters to fish, and open fields for recreation.
An often overlooked detour is available just before Old Town Alexandria. By taking a pedestrian path onto the Woodrow Wilson Bridge there is a path that hugs the road until arriving at the National Harbor. It starts with a view of a graveyard. Then the panorama delivers a waterfront city skyline juxtapositioned with vehicles driving across the bridge.
Finally after passing the bridge there is a place to sit and enjoy the view, or continue to the National Harbor. Round trip its worth the effort.
Are you fond of the afterlife?Ghost tour guide
Have you always been curious about the time after this life and what really happens? Do you crave interesting anecdotes and stories about ghosts? If any of these was answered with a positive, I have an activity that I think may be interesting for you. In Old Town Alexandria, Virginia you can, on a nightly basis, schedule a fun evening outing on Alexandria's Original Ghost and Graveyard Tour.
I had the opportunity to experience the tour about a month ago. It was especially interesting for me, because I was so very new to the area and anything I could learn would help me. I didn't know Old Town at all and to see it close up and in the dark was fun. One aspect that simply is impossible to enjoy about old towns like this one during the day, is simply the lighting, or lack there of. The streets and sidewalks have a different feel to them with the sun long since over the horizon. With the authentic gas lamps adorning the streets, flames dancing continuously, lighting the walkways, our tour was a visual cornucopia of days gone by.
When I decided to go on the tour, I had no idea what to expect. I only knew that the idea of ghosts and the afterlife makes me smile and immediately gets me interested. We, my cousin's son Aubrey and I, arrived on the street at the starting point of the tour just as two tour groups were gathering. The streets were pretty packed anyway, but the addition of the tours told me that this place was 'alive' and I liked it.
We all split up into groups of about twenty and headed off, following our guide, who was decked out in authentic colonial garments. What I learned right away is that this was going to be a casual stroll around the streets taking in stories about the area and its past. We listened as we carefully walked the sidewalks of cobblestone to the tour guide and he regaled us with stories of past commoners, the elite and lovers' misfortunes in their last moments alive. He also gave interesting facts about the area and some of the buildings that were currently unoccupied, giving some detail as to why this may be the case.
Old Town Alexandria, VA
We didn't go in any of the buildings or businesses that he spoke of on the tour, but did end in a graveyard with yet another surprising story that the tour guide experienced. This story drove home to us, not only how much he believed in what he was doing, but also that the tour itself was worth the time. Want to hear his story? Call and set up your own ghost tour. You won't be disappointed:
703-519-1749, or email [email protected]
