20 Best Places for Engagement Photos in Old Town Alexandria | Alexandria, VA

Old Town Alexandria is a popular spot for engagement photos and it’s not hard to see why - there are so many beautiful locations everywhere you turn! Between the historic streets and alleyways, colorful murals, and waterfront views, you can’t go wrong. The only thing that gets a little tricky is narrowing down where exactly to go!

When deciding where to take your engagement photos in Alexandria, mapping your route is essential. Most engagement sessions last for about an hour, so it’s just not possible to fit all of these spots in a typical session! Pick your favorite Old Town locations, and figure out how long it will take to walk between each spot. And be sure to consult with your photographer too in order to find out how much time they need in each location to get the best photos for you! If you’re planning to change outfits halfway through your session, make sure your route also includes a stop with bathrooms in the middle. (Or a stop at the parking garage to change in your car.)

All of these locations are linked in a Google Map at the bottom if you need a reference map to plan your route!

And for more tips on engagement photos, getting the best pictures on your wedding day, and recommended vendors and venues, check out my Wedding Planning Advice page for other helpful blog posts.

Prince Street Cobblestones

Possibly Old Town Alexandria’s most famous street for photos - Prince Street! The iconic cobblestones are located in the 100 block between Union Street and Lee Street. The most important thing to remember when taking pictures here is that it is a roadway, so safety must always come first. It’s a one-way road and cars typically drive very slowly because the cobblestones are bumpy, but be prepared to snap a couple shots than quickly step out of the street to allow cars to pass.

2. Captain’s Row Houses

The block of Prince Street with the cobblestones is also known as Captain’s Row. So when you’re hopping out of the road between cars, the row houses that line the street are another classic background to use for your photos!

3. Fairfax and Lee Streets

Honestly, any street in Old Town Alexandria can make a great photo setting! But Fairfax and Lee Streets are a couple of my favorites, especially just south of King Street. Be on the lookout for lots of colorful houses and brick walls.

4. Old Town ALX Mural

The rainbow Old Town ALX Mural is the perfect bright pop of color for your engagement photos. It’s located on Ramsey Alley near the intersection with N Lee Street. It’s definitely a popular picture spot, so you may have to wait your turn if others are there grabbing photos too!

5. Alleys

There are lots of cute alleyways throughout Old Town, with a mix of cobblestones, brick, and ivy. My favorite is Wales Alley between S Lee Street and S Fairfax Street.

6. Wilkes Street Tunnel

The iconic Wilkes Street Tunnel is always a great stop for Alexandria engagement photos! This pedestrian and bike path is a former railroad tunnel and is located on Wilkes Street between Royal Street and Union Street. It’s popular with walkers and bikers, so be ready to take breaks in your photos to let people pass. I tend to use the Royal Street side of the tunnel for photos, but the entrance facing Union Street is nice too.

7. Windmill Hill Park

The Wilkes Street Tunnel opens right up to Windmill Hill Park along Union Street. The park has a playground and sand volleyball court, but also has some nice green space and flowers. Across the street, the park has a newly developed waterfront path along the shoreline, which connects the walking path from Ford’s Landing to Shipyard Park.

8. White Pier

One of my favorite waterfront spots in Old Town Alexandria Harbor is the pier lined with white railings. It’s located directly behind the Torpedo Factory in a very busy area of the waterfront, so just be prepared to have lots of onlookers while you’re here!

9. Other Piers

In addition to the white pier, there are a couple other piers closer to Founder’s Park. These tend to be a bit less crowded since they are farther from all the restaurants! Which is especially helpful if you don’t love having an audience while you pose for pictures.

10. Riverboat Dock

The area of the waterfront where the Cherry Blossom Riverboat docks has wide open views across the Potomac River. It’s a great spot to catch the sunrise over the water, and there are also plenty of benches available for some seated photos.

11. Chart House

I love the teal color of the Chart House restaurant, so including that as part of the backdrop when taking waterfront photos adds an extra pop of color!

12. Founders Park

Just north of the main waterfront area is Founders Park. There are walking paths with plenty of benches and trees, and it’s a slightly less crowded way to get those waterfront views!

13. Carlyle House

The Carlyle House is an 18th century mansion located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. The house itself is beautiful, and so are the manicured gardens out back. The Carlyle House is on N Fairfax Street, just a block north of King Street. This location does require a photography permit ($25) that can be purchased through the NOVA Parks website.

14. Market Square Fountain

Market Square is located on King Street, encompassing the block between N Fairfax Street and N Royal Street. And the focal point of this giant brick plaza is the fountain! Market Square is the location of Alexandria’s weekly farmers’ market, so avoid this spot on Saturday mornings (unless you’re looking for farmers’ market photos).

15. Market Square Pathways

While the fountain and main plaza of Market Square are obvious photo spots, I also love the outskirts of the square. There are short paths with tree cover and benches, and if you get the timing right there are also blooming hydrangeas!

16. Yellow Wall

Another great location choice for extra color is the yellow wall of the Big Wheel Bikes store. The building is located near the end of Prince Street at the intersection of Strand Street.

17. Torpedo Factory Loading Dock

Sadly, the loading dock door was damaged in a car crash in August 2021, and needs to be replaced! A new mural is expected to go up in spring 2022.

One of my other favorite colorful spots in Old Town is this rainbow mural on the garage door of the Torpedo Factory. This is a functioning door to the loading dock, so of course if someone needs to use it for its intended purpose and the door is open, it won’t be available for pictures! If you’re lucky and the door is closed, just make sure to move quickly for your photos - the space between the door and the street is narrow, so you and your photographer don’t want to block the sidewalk for very long.

18. Brick Pathways

Nestled in between brick buildings, I have a favorite brick pathway located on S Union Street, just north of Windmill Hill Park and the Wilkes Street Tunnel. It has lots of green trees and flowers as well as lampposts lining the walkway.

19. Shipyard Park

Looking for waterfront photos without all the crowds? Head a bit further south towards Shipyard Park. There is a walking path all along the waterfront, as well as plenty of green space.

20. Ford’s Landing Park

Even farther south is Ford’s Landing Park for more waterfront views. The Wilkes Street Tunnel and Windmill Hill Park are right in the middle of Shipyard Park and Ford’s Landing, so it’s nice photo route if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle around King Street and the main waterfront area.

Location Map

All of these spots are pinned below on Google Maps. Zoom in to see more details, click the pins to see photos, or click the arrow in the top left corner to view the legend with location names.

Where to Park

There is metered street parking in Old Town with 2-3 hour limits, as well as plenty of parking garages. Depending on where my session is taking place, I tend to use the Market Square Garage, Torpedo Factory Garage, or the Solo Garage. Check out the City of Alexandria’s parking webpage for more details on parking costs and a map.