Old Town Holiday Lights

Let's take an evening walk through Old Town to enjoy the holiday lights, capped off with a visit to the Alexandria Holiday Market!

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The route: From the bike rack across Diagonal Road from King Street Station parking lot, we’ll walk northeast along Diagonal Road, turn right and walk along King Street all the way to Royal Street, where we'll turn left for a big clockwise circle around City Hall, Founder's Park, the Torpedo Factory and the Christmas Attic, ending up at the Alexandria Christmas Tree on the square in front of City Hall. From there we'll walk back up King Street to Commerce Street, where we'll walk southwest along it and Daingerfield Street to Ballenger Avenue. A short walk west along Ballenger and a circuit around Dulaney Street Circle will take us to Duke Street, where the twin Carlyle Lions are decked out with Christmas wreaths. From there we'll walk east to John Carlyle Street. The Holiday Market is located one block south along John Carlyle Street, and the end of the hike is one block north through the covered Embassy Suites walkway.

The walk is 4 miles of smiles and should take less than 2 hours. The surface is paved throughout and fairly level. Sunset is at 4:50 pm, so it will be dark during most of the hike.

Google map here: http://tinyurl.com/q6a6q9j

How to get there:

• Metro: King Street Station is on the Blue and Yellow Lines.

• Driving: From I-395, take VA-7 / King Street east about 2.8 miles. Take the first right after passing under the railroad (Daingerfield Street), and an immediate right onto Diagonal Road. From US-1 / Richmond Highway, follow King Street west 0.5 miles, take a sharp left onto Daingerfield, and the first right onto Diagonal Road. On Sunday there is free parallel parking in the area, especially along streets a block north of King Street and beyond.

What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired. The layered look is fashionable for changing temperatures. The route is well-lit by streetlights, so flashlights should be unnecessary.

Weather: The forecast is sunny and clear with a high of 42 degrees. Updates here: http://tinyurl.com/njo3ngq

Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is permitted.

Administrative stuff: There are restrooms and drinking fountains at the Torpedo Factory and the Ramsay House (Alexandria Visitor Center) along our way. There are also facilities at several Starbucks coffee shops along our way that are marked on the map.

Notes:

• Alexandria Holiday Market, 300 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA: http://www.alexandriaholidaymarket.com/