Sponsors: The Hunting Creek Garden Club; The Garden Club of Alexandria

Tickets: $40; single-site, $10; ages 6-12, half-price

Info: (703) 549-8240; www.VAGardenweek.org

Within view of Washington, Alexandria was a Colonial seaport and is intimately associated with the life of George Washington. It is full of historic sites, and the Old Town district includes more than 4,000 historic buildings.

Tour highlights:

300 S. Lee St. (Mr. and Mrs. Brian B. Gibney, owners) is a gray clapboard house whose renovation in 1997 included an excavation to provide basement living. The new kitchen and family room show off a reclaimed wood chimneypiece. The garden has Southern plantings around a flagstone patio.

The classic Georgian at 210 Duke St. (Mr. and Mrs. Dennis J. Garcia, owners) was built in 1787 by George Washington's physician and has been used as a residence, school and boarding house. The current owners have restored the house and garden, which reflects 18th-century design.

217 S. Fairfax St. (Mr. and Mrs. David Holt, owners) has been renovated and enlarged several times. The kitchen features heated limestone floors, marble countertops and a central preparation area that conceals the appliances. Outside, there's a playhouse with its own garden and stone path.

415 Wolfe St. (Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Turner, owners) sits on one of Old Town's largest lots. The original house was built between 1763 and 1785. The owners have updated it without sacrificing historic details, and art pieces include a Thomas Jefferson sculpture, one of 36 by renowned artist George London.

716 Wolfe St. (Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rehg, owners), a frame house built between 1812 and 1814, underwent an interior transformation in 2003 to reflect modern décor while still honoring the historical heritage. An extensive art collection is displayed, and the rear garden features a pool bordered by plantings.

712 Prince St. (Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Wiley, owners), built as a Federalist town house in 1802 with two added wings is a classic example of Southern architecture. The living room, originally a 40-foot ballroom, has two seating areas. The garden was designed as a "moon" (all-white) garden.

*View an original Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington at 415 Wolfe Street.