Alexandria Taylor

Freelance Travel Writer, Travel Lemming

Alexandria Taylor is a travel writer based in Washington, DC. Alexandria loves exploring the DC area and surrounding cities for rooftop views and unique experiences. Alexandria’s favorite places to travel are Rhode Island, Boston, and Charleston, South Carolina. When she travels, you’ll find her checking out the local yarn stores, bookstores, and dive bars.

🏠 Local to: Washington, DC and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

🌟 Favorite Destinations: Sanibel Island, Florida, Tempe, Arizona

🎓 Education: James Madison University

✔️ Fun Facts: When I’m not traveling, I crochet, knit, and embroider

Meet Alexandria

Alexandria Taylor posing for a photo on a bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — On a bridge in Pittsburgh, PA

Alexandria Taylor under the clear blue sky on a desert in Scottsdale, Arizona — Desert in Scottsdale, Arizona

Alexandria Taylor smiling for a photo in Boston Public Library Garden — Boston Public Library Garden

Alexandria Taylor, enjoying her day on a beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island — The beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island

📚 What was Your Favorite Travel Experience or Story?

I love being in New England in the fall. My best friend and I both have October birthdays and she lives in Rhode Island. I would go to Rhode Island to visit her in the fall to celebrate our birthdays. We would go to the beach in Narragansett, walk around Newport, and go apple picking in Cranston. We would also drive into Boston, walk around Back Bay, and have a nice meal in the city.

New England is just such a lovely state to be in during the Fall months. The leaves are beautiful colors, the air is crisp, and it’s still nice enough to take a walk on the beach. Plus, there is both a cozy and spooky feeling, which is the perfect embodiment of the season.

🗺️ What’s Your #1 Expert Travel Tip?

Mix structured planning with free days when creating a trip itinerary. Plan every detail down to a tee and you won’t have room in your schedule to discover unique things. But if you plan nothing, you might spend the trip trying to figure out what to do. Having a healthy amount of both lets you do all the big tourist things and explore on your own.

I suggest splitting it up by day. Have days that are completely planned out. Plan the activity, how you’re going to get there, where you’ll eat, and the times. Then the next day, build-in a day of free time. These free days you can find unique stores, restaurants, and bars. On these days, don’t be afraid to leave the “tourist areas” and head into more residential or local areas.

I love searching for yarn stores and my boyfriend likes finding map sellers in places we visit. Searching for these niche stores takes us into neighborhoods that aren’t usually on visitor’s radars. But these places are where we’ve talked to locals and gotten their suggestions for places to go.