King Street Alexandria Webcam – Old Town’s Main Street

The King Street Alexandria Webcam looks east down King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, from a fourth floor office at 515 King Street, with a strip of the Potomac River showing at the far end. Red brick rows line both sides of the street. A long block with a run of dormer windows fills the right of the frame, and a corner building with white window trim closes the left. Street trees crowd the middle of the picture, so through summer and early autumn their leaves hide parts of the roadway. Once they drop, the traffic lights, crosswalks and street traffic below stand out clearly, along with the free trolley that runs the length of King Street. A second tab switches to the same operator’s camera on the courtyard steps of the Alexandria Circuit Court across the street, and the King Street stream stays on after dark.

About King Street in Old Town Alexandria

King Street is the historic main street of Old Town Alexandria. It runs about one mile (1.6 kilometers) from the King Street-Old Town Metro station down to the Potomac waterfront, past brick sidewalks, 18th-century storefronts and what ALXcam’s own guide counts as more than 200 independent shops, galleries and restaurants. The camera sits about 550 meters (0.3 miles) from Waterfront Park, which is why the river appears as a thin band of water between the rooftops rather than a full harbor view. Nearer the water, the lowest blocks east of Fairfax Street are closed to cars and given over to outdoor dining, a change made permanent during the COVID pandemic.

Alexandria itself dates from 1749. On May 2 that year the House of Burgesses approved the river site, and Fairfax County surveyor John West laid out the first 60 acres (24 hectares) of the town, assisted by a 17-year-old George Washington. The city counted 159,467 residents at the 2020 census.

The cameras belong to ALXcam.com, which is owned by Wallace Wason, PLLC and run from the firm’s fourth floor offices at 515 King Street, opposite the Alexandria Circuit Courthouse at 520 King Street. The King Street camera is aimed east toward the waterfront to catch foot traffic and street life, and the corridor it covers hosts the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade, Fourth of July celebrations and spring art festivals. The courthouse camera faces the court’s courtyard steps, which the operator watches for weddings and parades.

Weather and Climate in Old Town Alexandria

Alexandria has hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters. Climate figures for the area come from Reagan National Airport, the official Washington weather station, where the 1991 to 2020 normals put July highs at about 32 C (90 F) and July lows at 22 C (72 F). January ranges from highs near 7 C (45 F) to lows around -1 C (30 F). Spring and autumn sit in between, with April and October highs of 20 to 21 C (68 to 69 F) and lows of 9 to 11 C (48 to 52 F).

Rain falls in every season, totaling about 1,062 millimeters (41.8 inches) a year, from 73 millimeters (2.9 inches) in January to 110 millimeters (4.3 inches) in July. Snow is occasional rather than routine: the airport averages 35 centimeters (13.7 inches) a year, 12 centimeters (4.9 inches) of it in January. On the camera, the seasons show mostly in the street trees. They are full and green through summer, start to yellow by mid-October and stand bare through winter, when the view down to the river opens up and a snowfall can whiten the rooftops and brick sidewalks.

Things to Do Near King Street in Alexandria

The easiest way up and down the street is the King Street Trolley, a free City of Alexandria service that runs roughly every 15 minutes, seven days a week, year round. It stops about every two blocks between the King Street-Old Town Metro station and the waterfront end of the street, passing the Alexandria Visitor Center at 221 King Street and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. Market Square at 301 King Street hosts the Old Town Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from 7 a.m. to noon. ALXcam describes it as one of the longest-running farmers markets in the country, and AAA notes that George Washington sent produce from Mount Vernon to be sold there.

Near the waterfront end of King Street, the Torpedo Factory Art Center fills a former munitions factory with 82 artist studios, six galleries and the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. The docks along the Potomac sit at the base of King Street, and the Mount Vernon Trail follows the river for cycling and walking. Christ Church, at 118 North Washington Street, is an English country-style church built between 1767 and 1773.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More historic streets and East Coast views from around the site:

• Staunton Webcam
• U.S. Capitol Webcam
• Charleston Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is King Street in Alexandria?

King Street runs through Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, from the King Street-Old Town Metro station east to the Potomac River. The camera is mounted at 515 King Street, about 550 meters (0.3 miles) from Waterfront Park.

What can you see on the King Street Alexandria Webcam?

The main view looks east down King Street between brick rows to a strip of the Potomac River, with traffic lights, crosswalks, street trees, cars and pedestrians in the foreground. The second tab shows the courtyard steps of the Alexandria Circuit Court at 520 King Street.

Who runs the King Street Alexandria Webcam?

ALXcam.com runs it. The site is owned by Wallace Wason, PLLC, which streams both of its cameras from fourth floor offices at 515 King Street.

What is the weather like in Alexandria, Virginia?

Summers are hot and humid, with July highs around 32 C (90 F). Winters are mild to cool, with January highs near 7 C (45 F) and lows around -1 C (30 F). Snowfall averages 35 centimeters (13.7 inches) a year at Reagan National Airport.

Is the King Street Trolley in Alexandria free?

Yes. The City of Alexandria runs it at no charge, roughly every 15 minutes, seven days a week, between the King Street-Old Town Metro station and the waterfront end of King Street.

Is King Street in Old Town Alexandria closed to cars?

Only in part. The lowest blocks east of Fairfax Street, nearest the river, are closed to traffic and used for outdoor dining. The rest of King Street, including the stretch in front of the camera, carries cars and the trolley.

When is the Old Town Alexandria farmers market?

The Old Town Farmers Market sets up in Market Square at 301 King Street every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.

Can you see the Potomac River from the King Street webcam?

Yes, at the far end of the street. The river shows as a band of water between the buildings with the wooded far shore beyond it, and the view is clearest in winter when the street trees are bare.

Source: ALXcam