Tickets Now on Sale for The Twig’s 84th Historic Alexandria Homes Tour—Don’t Wait

ALEXANDRIA, VA — If you have been thinking about taking The Twig’s Historic Alexandria Homes Tour this year, don’t wait.

Tickets are now on sale for one of Alexandria’s most popular annual events. Recent tours have sold out, prompting organizers to encourage visitors to purchase tickets early.

For one Saturday every fall, a select group of Old Town homeowners does something most people never would: They unlock their front doors and invite the public inside.

Behind those familiar brick façades are elegant staircases, hidden English gardens, remarkable art collections, historic libraries and beautifully restored rooms that most people only dream about seeing. It is one of Alexandria’s most beloved traditions, and every ticket sold helps support Inova Alexandria Hospital.

This year’s 84th Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Homes Remain Secret Until Tour Day

One of the event’s enduring traditions is that visitors do not know which homes are on the tour until the morning it begins.

“The homes are kept a secret until tour day—discovering them is part of the fun,” The Twig says on its website. “A modest exterior can open into rooms full of curated art, collections and English gardens. It’s a rare chance to step inside Alexandria’s living history.”

While the homes attract visitors, longtime Twig volunteer Scoti Albrecht says people quickly discover that the tour is about much more than architecture.

“The touring guests are interested in a house’s history,” Albrecht told The Zebra during last year’s Homes Tour. “They are curious about how people decorate things and about collections. In the past, there have been book collections, presidential portraits and one woman collected Chinese hats. Some are almost museum-like.”

No two homes are alike. One may showcase Colonial craftsmanship, while another may surprise visitors with a sleek modern addition tucked behind a centuries-old brick façade. Others hide lush gardens, artwork collected over decades or family treasures with fascinating stories of their own.

Albrecht said finding those homes is an ongoing process.

“Often the process involves word of mouth,” she told The Zebra. “A group of ladies also scout out homes for the tour.”

That element of surprise is one reason many people return year after year. Even longtime Alexandrians often discover something they have never seen before.

Tour Supports Inova Alexandria Hospital

The homes may be the attraction, but the purpose of the tour reaches far beyond Old Town’s architecture.

Every ticket helps fund patient care, medical equipment and healthcare initiatives at Inova Alexandria Hospital through The Twig, the hospital’s longtime volunteer auxiliary.

Earlier this summer, The Zebra reported that The Twig completed its $500,000 fundraising pledge to Inova Alexandria Hospital ahead of schedule and immediately announced a new six-year, $2 million commitment to support the future Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark.

According to The Twig, the organization has contributed more than $7 million to healthcare in Alexandria since its founding in 1933. Money is raised through the Historic Homes Tour, The Twig Thrift Shop and other fundraising efforts.

In welcoming visitors to last year’s Homes Tour, then-President Lori Ring reflected on the organization’s dual mission.

“Along with our sponsors, your purchase of a ticket to the Homes Tour will help us complete our current $500,000 pledge to the Hospital,” Ring wrote in the 2025 Homes Tour guide. “We are thrilled to make this contribution to ensure the availability of accessible, quality health care in our city.”

That goal has now been achieved. Maureen McGuire-Kuletz currently serves as president of The Twig following the organization’s June leadership transition.

According to The Twig’s 2024–25 Annual Report, last year’s Homes Tour was among the most successful in its history. The event sold a record 1,200 tickets and raised more than $86,000 in a single day for Inova Alexandria Hospital. Approximately 900 visitors passed through one featured home.

What Your Ticket Includes

Every ticket includes admission to all featured homes, a printed tour book that serves as both the visitor’s admission ticket and guide, and complimentary admission on tour day to the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum.

Guests may visit the homes in any order between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Volunteer docents will be stationed throughout each residence to share architectural details and historical information.

Because the homes are private residences, interior photography is not permitted.

Early-bird tickets are $45 through July 31. The price increases to $50 on Aug. 1, and ticket sales close Sept. 10.

According to The Twig, ticket pickup locations will be announced in the coming weeks. On the morning of the tour, guests will present their tickets to receive the official tour book, which serves as both admission ticket and guide throughout the day.

For first-time visitors, the biggest surprise may be what cannot be seen from the sidewalk. Behind Alexandria’s historic doors are stories every bit as memorable as the homes themselves.

Tickets are available at TheTwig.org.