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‘We’re back,’ Mayor declares as Alexandria tourism rebounds

By James Cullum
Mayor Justin Wilson speaks (staff photo by James Cullum)

With Alexandria’s consumption tax revenues hitting an all-time high in fiscal year 2023, Mayor Justin Wilson says that the city has emerged from the economic spiral created by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

The city’s consumption tax revenues (sales, meals and transient lodging) peaked at $81 million in fiscal year 2023, a 7% increase over the $76 million collected in FY 2022 and 23% more than the $66 million in FY 2019, according to figures presented at Visit Alexandria‘s annual meeting on Tuesday night.

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Alexandria moves up in Best Small City rankings

By Vernon Miles
The Old Town Alexandria waterfront (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

It’s no surprise that, for the sixth straight year, Alexandria’s in the top five best small cities list in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards: but this year, Alexandria beat out Aspen and reclaimed its third place ranking.

Alexandria is third place behind Santa Fe, New Mexico and Charleston, South Carolina, which has become a tradition of the annual rankings.

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Upcoming tour highlights the ‘Lost Buildings’ of Alexandria’s past

By Vernon Miles
Alexandria sometime between 1861-1865 (image via Library of Congress)

Most historic tours around Alexandria take visitors to historic buildings, but a unique set of tours next month offers insight into the buildings that aren’t there.

The Lost Buildings of Alexandria tour examines the historic buildings that, for one reason or another, have been lost to time.

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Specialty ‘Hamilton’ tour of Gadsby’s Tavern could get an encore after selling out this summer

By Jo DeVoe

Curtains will be closing this Friday on a temporary tour of Gadsby’s Tavern Museum inspired by the musical “Hamilton” but an encore may already be in the works.

Tickets for the specialty tour, dubbed “Hamilton’s BFFs and Frenemies,” have already sold out for the summer run, which is ending this week, a city spokeswoman said. The city’s Office of Historic Alexandria is making plans to offer the same tour this fall at the museum, located at 134 N. Royal Street, though dates have not yet been set, she said.

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Calling all amateur historians: Alexandria apothecary museum needs tour guides

By Vernon Miles
A few products on display at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Old Town’s Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (105-107 S. Fairfax Street) is a fascinating place, and the Office of Historic Alexandria is looking for volunteers to help show it to visitors.

The museum contains a collection of medicinal herbs, shop furnishings, apothecary pottles and more that are largely original to the 141-year-old family business. The museum tells the story of medicine and business as they evolved in Alexandria. The museum has a collection of journals, letters, diaries and more — including a note from Martha Washington.

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Alexandria ranked as a top ten American city by travel magazine, but pushed down by a Tennessee city

By Vernon Miles
The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Travel + Leisure readers ranked Alexandria as one of the top ten cities in America for the second year in a row — though Nashville, Tennessee bumped Alexandria down from the eighth spot to the ninth spot.

The cities are ranked on a variety of factors, from shopping and food to culture and landmarks. As with last year, Charleston, South Carolina came in at number one.

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Harry Potter tour returning next week to Apothecary Museum in Old Town

By James Cullum
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum still has many of the original products that it sold throughout the 19th century (staff photo by James Cullum)

A magical apothecary tour will materialize in Old Town next week, just in time for the holidays.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (105-107 S. Fairfax Street) is hosting the annual event on Friday, Dec. 16, and fans of J.K. Rowling’s books can learn about her inspirations in the muggle field of botanical science. Visitors will learn about fumigating pastiles, sweet marjoram and cuttle fish bone, among others.

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Visit Alexandria reports record tourism rebound

By James Cullum
Alexandria Town Crier Benjamin Fiore-Walker and his assistants ringing in the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Feb. 17, 2020. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Pandemic? Alexandria just broke the all-time record for consumption-based tax revenue with $76 million for fiscal year 2022, according to the city’s tourism bureau.

At its annual meeting this week, Visit Alexandria reported that its expanded marketing efforts — with support from the Alexandria’s American Rescue Plan funding — allowed the city to capitalize on pent-up travel demand.

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