When you join the tour your guide clearly explains 2 things:…read more 1. "This is not a historical tour and I am not a professor, so don't expect to go away with some newfound knowledge of colonial history. Rather, tonight is about the booze and the boos. So let loose, drink up, and have fun because I know I will." 2. "If you are a non-believer, don't spoil it for the rest of us with negative comments. Please don't burst our little bubbles." I was so happy that our host set the standard right off the bat with the appropriate mood and knowing what to expect. This is not the right tour for you if you are uptight, critical, or judgmental. No one likes a "negative-Nancy-know-it-all" when taking a tour, especially when it has to do with something like ghosts. Not to say that I am a believer in ghosts myself, because I don't actually know if I do or I don't; but, I also don't like a smug smarty-pants challenging the guide every 5 minutes with snarky comments. With that being said, our guide Katie (or Kate?) did an awesome job at keeping the tone of the tour fun and social with some booze and some ghostly stories thrown in. A previous reviewer said their tour ended early, ours actually ran over because we were all having such a great time with one another. We went to 4 pubs and 6 haunted locations. Overall, I think it was a great tour that I would recommend to anyone who wants to have a fun night out on the town. It is a unique alternative to just sitting in a bar on a Friday night.

Katie K was an amazing tour guide. Our tour was small and fantastic! She told great stories and…read moremade us more aware of Alexandria history than we were before. Highly recommend.

This was our first tour with Alexandria's Original Ghost and Graveyard Tour! We booked this for my…read morebirthday. We had an incredible time! Lennon, our guide, was enthusiastic, very informative and funny. This is such a beautiful, busy and old town with a fun modern flare. So much rich history here. We are "out of towner's" but when we return we will be booking another tour! Thank you for such an incredible experience.

I went there on a school trip and it was very fun and interesting. We learned about all the history…read moreof Alexandria that was very interesting and also learned about some ghost stories. Beware of Victor

Highly recommend this awesome historical tour! Tim, our guide, did a great job - he's definitely a…read morehistory lover AND has a great personality. My husband & I would not have enjoyed Alexandria nearly as much on our own.

From the owner: Our mission is to provide memorable experiences to visitors of Old Town Alexandria through…read moreprofessionally guided walking tours. We blend local knowledge, captivating stories, and historical places into a must-do activity!

I have taken two of the curated heritage tours with Manumission Tour Company and I've had a great…read moreexperience both times! I love learning about history in Alexandria and Manumission provides little-known African-American history in historic Old Town. City of Alexandria Councilman John Chapman owns the tour company so taking the tour is a great way to interact with a local leader as well as support a locally owned business. He takes great care in providing accurate information and sharing the history in a respectful way. The walking pace is slow and steady with stops along the way - small groups are intentional so that we can hear as he speaks (uses a microphone speaker) as well as engage with questions. I liked that the tour is mindful of walking throughout Old Town and the guide is mindful as we are crossing streets and pointing out areas for sitting for those who may need to rest during the tour. I learned so much on the tours and I'm looking forward to booking another tour to learn even more. It is truly a unique experience in Alexandria.

Great experience from start to finish! Scheduling the tour was quick and easy online using the…read morelink my friend sent me. The guide was knowledgeable and responsive to the group's many questions. There are so many stories left untold in our history books and our guide introduced us to early luminaries in the Black community in Alexandria, like doctors, civil rights attorneys, property developers and organizers of churches and social clubs. We even visited a cemetery from the 1800s where freedmen were buried after the war. Standing there, I had such a powerful feeling. These were REAL people, not just faceless characters from a book. Know before you go: This is a small, locally owned and operated business. Don't expect 24/7 operators to take your call. If you are from out of town, it gets hot here in the summer! Our guide had water bottles for us and the bus was air conditioned (not on arctic blast but it was nice). Do expect a caring and personal experience. You'll be glad you went!

Friendly staff and good selection of resources. If you're new to the area of looking to pick up…read moreinformation for visitors its a good place to start. also bunch of local tours start here

The Ramsay House is a great place to stop and grab some maps, brochures, or pamplets if you're new…read morein town or visiting. You can find out what's going on not just in old town, but in DC, and the surrounding DC metro area. I first visited the Ramsay House when I heard of the ghost tour called Footsteps to the Past. I paid $8 for the tour, not really knowing if it would be all that fun. Let me tell you, it was a blast. Our tour guide was extremely enthusiastic when it came to telling the tales of ghosts and hauntings within old town. She was also very knowledgeable when it came to history. There wasn't one question that stumped her. What I thought would be a so so tour, turned out to be a great time. On the tour, you'll walk about 6 blocks through some of old towns most beautiful streets. Basically, it's a great way to learn more about the history of old town. It's great for the family, kids especially. Wear some decent walking shoes and bring a bottle of water.

Our sons booked this trip as a gift, at first I was reluctant as we have lived in the area for…read moreyears. Turned out to one of my favorite gifts as the tour opened our eyes to places we have not tried for one reason or another, plus got a little history and learned a couple of things. Terry was our Tour Guide, he was awesome and very knowledgeable of the area, the history and the food. It was a walking tour, Terry kept a pace that everyone could enjoy, did not rush, explained each stop in advance. He also seemed to have a great working relationship with each of the stops staff. We were seated quickly at each spot, and did not have to wait long for our food. Each spot served enough to give you a taste of the menu, and each stop was very good. The Mexican food was amazing, and one dish in particular will bring me back sooner than later. The crazy thing was most of the ingredients are not on my favorite list, but together- Bam !!! That was the cool thing about the tour, took us out of comfort zone, and exposed us to selections we normally would not have tried. Definitely recommend this tour, Terry was the best, and not just because he is a fellow Nats Fan- LOL. My wife who never does group photos did not hesitate when another participant said "Hey, group photo" she jumped right in. Just a nice relaxed way to explore new foods, when visiting for the first time or as a long time resident. Find new go to spots & possibly make new friends.

Robert was a terrific and very informative guide. The history and foods were all amazing. Highly…read morerecommend!

EASY Bike rental was…read moreeasy, with easy to understand tours and options. Changing a reservation due to weather was easy. Picking up the bikes was easy with great directions. The bikes were in great shape and a pleasure to ride - easy. Drop-off was simple and easy. Great experience and I highly recommend.

Unfortunately, we did not have a good experience. We rented 9 bikes for the Mt. Vernon ride + water…read moretaxi back. All 9 of the bikes had issues with gears. One bike completely fell apart during the ride. Half of our group had to walk the last 2+ miles of the ride. Instead of apologizing and reimbursing us for the faulty bike, we were told that it was a new bike and out of their kindness, they wouldn't charge us to repair it. In addition, when we arrived at 9am there was only one employee working and several groups ahead of us. We had to wait 30-40 minutes to get our bikes. With the late start and having to walk 2+ miles, we were late for the Mt. Vernon tour and our time there was rushed - we barely made it to the water taxi. Not sure what more I could add. It was a horrible experience. Not recommended - unreliable bikes, poor service.

Tom toured my husband, adult daughter and me through Monticello and Mount Vernon over the course of…read moretwo days. His knowledge and professionalism was outstanding, and his manner of presentation made the experience first class. Highly recommend, and the next time we are in DC, we will be planning our excursions based on Tom's availabilit.

I took the Mercy Street tour of old town Alexandria and really enjoyed it. If you don't know what…read moreMercy Street is, it's a new period drama on PBS that is set during the civil war at the Carlyle House in old Town. This tour gives you some insight into life in Alexandria during that time and takes you around to the notable sights in the show. I learned quite a bit about my city back 150 years ago. I had walked all the streets many times before, but was able to see it all in a new light. The tour picked up at the visitor center and winds through a few blocks of Old Town. Our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable and welcomed questions about the time period. It was a very affordable, enjoyable walking tour. I totally recommend it for people of all ages.

I had the best time. It was a nice way to see DC from a whole different perspective. Comfortable…read moreseating and very courteous staff.

Took the water taxi from DC Wharf to Georgetown. It was a nice break to be able to sit and see the…read moresights. We ended up in a boat that didn't have the open seating which was disappointing but we made the best of it and sat in the back to be outside.