Virginia Beach to Alexandria train

While boasting a suburban atmosphere that will make anyone jealous of an East Coast life, Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia by population and one of the state's best destinations. Positioned at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, its primary focus has always been its oceanfront location.

In the record books as having the longest pleasure beach in the world, the soft golden sands of Virginia Beach stretch for miles. One of the best ways to enjoy it is to take a stroll or bike along the three-mile boardwalk lined with cafés.

A block back, Atlantic Avenue plays host to Virginia Beach's dining scene, which incorporates everything from well-known names to family-run restaurants specializing in the bay's seafood.

But for all the glitz and glamour of Atlantic Avenue, it's Virginia Beach's natural splendors that will have you coming back again and again. As it twists with the coastline to become Shore Drive, you'll reach First Landing State Park. It preserves the spot at which English colonists first arrived on U.S. soil in 1607 after a five-month voyage. Meanwhile, out to sea, there's a chance to spot humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins.

The city’s central location on the Atlantic coastline means there are many destinations you can visit from Virginia Beach for very cheap. The busiest terminus in Virginia Beach is on Northampton Boulevard. It sees buses reach New York City in around eight hours. Head to Norfolk, and you can also jump on Amtrak's Northeast Regional train service to Boston.

Alexandria is a charming, historic city in Virginia, located just a few miles south of Washington, D.C., on the Potomac River. Alexandria's Old Town entrances visitors with its preserved brick sidewalks and 18th-century homes and buildings; you'll feel transported to the era of the city's founding in 1749. This quarter, especially along King Street, features boutiques, restaurants, and antique shops in quaint, intimate settings.

Thanks to its vicinity to the capital, Alexandria boasts a unique food scene with many high-class restaurants for you to enjoy. The most popular local establishments include The Warehouse, Chart House, and Chadwicks. You can even dine in Gadsby's Tavern, a favorite of some of the nation's founders in the 1780s, and learn more about early American life in the adjacent Gadsby's Tavern Museum.

Washington, D.C. and all its travel connections are only a water taxi away, but the city is also well-served by transportation options directly out of Alexandria. Intercity Amtrak routes regularly arrive at Alexandria Union Station, including the Northeast Regional, Silver Service, Crescent, Cardinal, and Carolinian. The two nearest airports to the city are the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the Washington Dulles International Airport.