Alexandria Virginia Offers LGBTQ Tourists History, Culture and Walkability

Alexandria, Virginia welcomes LGBTQ couples, families and friends and has been rated a Virginia “All-Star’ for LGBTQ rights by the Human Rights Campaign Municipality Equality Index and recommended as an LGBTQ travel destination by Instinct magazine in 2019 and OUT magazine in 2018.

Alexandria is a welcoming and inclusive destination and 80 Alexandria hospitality businesses have completed a Visit Alexandria LGBTQ workshop and have made a continued commitment to LGBTQ-friendly policies and practices as part of Visit Alexandria’s LGBTQ marketing program. Visit Alexandria is proud to be a part of Virginia Tourism Corporation’s statewide LGBTQ initiative to provide all visitors with a welcoming experience.

Located on the Potomac River, Alexandria is nationally recognized for its rich history and beautifully preserved 18th- and 19th-century architecture. Named a Top 3 Best Small City in the U.S. 2019 by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, the #1 Best Value U.S. Travel Destination 2018 by Money magazine, and one of the South’s Best Cities 2020 by Southern Living, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel and a walkable lifestyle.

Here are a few recommended LGBTQ-inclusive properties in Alexandria

Kimpton Lorien Hotel & Spa – Kimpton Lorien Hotel & Spa is a proud partner of the LGBTQ community and is located on King Street in the heart of Old Town, the property is known as Alexandria’s only hotel and spa which defines the hotel as a coveted urban retreat. In addition to a tantalizing menu of treatments at the spa, they offer two exceptional restaurants (Brabo and Brabo Tasting Room), charming alfresco spaces, and a West Coast feel that’s both elegant and laid-back. The proximity to Washington DC (a quick Metro ride away) means that guests can easily access that capital buzz. In addition, if guests book by December 30, 2020, $10 per night will be donated to The Trevor Project which works tirelessly to provide 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.

Hotel Indigo – Nestled on the shores of one of the busiest ports in America, Hotel Indigo Alexandria is a charming enclave of colonial treasures and historic waterfront architecture. Between Old Town's iconic cobblestones to the north and the Potomac's storied banks to the east, this boutique hotel showcases the neighborhood's dynamic allure. Traces of Alexandria's colonial past are evident throughout the hotel, but the story got subterranean when crews unearthed a 50-foot vessel during construction. According to archaeologists, the ship was abandoned in the late 18th century and served as a crucial part of the process responsible for extending the waterfront. Perfectly situated on the banks of the Potomac River, Hotel Indigo has been recognized as a Green Hotel and LGBTQ friendly.

Photo Credits: Eric Kieley and Fred Licht