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50 Unique Date Ideas in Washington DC 💗
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items After living in DC for two years, I learned that it's a fantastic city to plan a date night for Dylan and I! There's truly something to do all year round, and depending on your interests, you can always find a romantic way to spend a day with your lo...
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For Art Lovers 🎨
For Foodies🍴
For Supporting Local 🫶
For City Lovers 🏙️
For Nature Lovers 🌱
For Gamers 🕹️
For Art Lovers 🎨
If you and your partner enjoy looking at art or visiting museums, here are five great places to check out for your next date night!
An interactive museum that places you into a different world in each room!
ARTECHOUSE DC Immersive Art Experience
You can wander through the beautiful gardens and estate before heading inside to see the art museum!
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
This FREE museum holds one of the largest collections of American Art!
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Located in Potomac, Maryland, this exhibition features World War 2 artists from around the world.
The Glenstone Museum
I'm not super into art museums, but this one was super fascinating to me to see portraits of important historic American figures!
National Portrait Gallery
For Foodies🍴
There are so many great places to eat around the DMV, but here are top-of-the-notch spots! Find cafes, seafood spots, the best Indian food, and more in this list
Dylan and I dined here for one of our anniversaries, and this exquisite Indian cuisine was to die for!
Rania
Located on Georgetown's waterfront, this is the spot for seafood! Open from brunch to dinner.
Fiola Mare
This is the cutest French Cafe with outdoor seating and fantastic desserts! It's a DC classic.
Le Diplomate
If you're looking for breakfast for dinner, head to Ted's Bulletin! There are seven locations across DC.
Ted's Bulletin
Check out one of the many Washington DC Michelin Star restaurants for for a luxurious dining experience!
Washington MICHELIN Restaurants
Head to this brewery for an affordable date night!
City-State Brewing Co.
If you enjoy trying fine wine, head to District Winery to try out a few glasses!
District Winery
If you're both into cider, head to Alexandria to try out some delicious ciders!
Lost Boy Cider
For Supporting Local 🫶
DC has so many fantastic markets! Dylan and I loved exploring them when we lived there, and it's an affordable way to get to know the area and support local.
Fresh produce, homemade art, and fun events can be found at this market in this Capitol Hill neighborhood!
Eastern Market
A cute Latin American market that I LOVED going to! Restaurants, beverages, and shops!
La Cosecha
Union Market is the BEST spot for a ton of different food vendors and outdoor seating!
Union Market
The DuPont Circle Farmers Market is a cute date idea for a Sunday afternoon! Shop for clothing, fresh produce, and more.
FRESHFARM Dupont Circle Market
For City Lovers 🏙️
Exploring the city never gets old and there are always nooks and crannies to discover. Here are a few ways to enjoy the city with your loved one:
The Wharf is such a cute place to spend an evening! Dine out, sit on the pier, and get some s'mores for the road!
The Wharf DC
One of the best ways to explore the National Mall is via bike! Get the best views with your loved one while getting in some exercise.
Bike Around The National Mall
A fun way to spend a day with your loved one is mural hunting around the city!
Find Some City Murals
Politics and Prose was my favorite bookstore in DC. Head downstairs in the Chevy Chase location to grab a coffee!
Head To Politics and Prose Bookstore
Kramers is another fantastic book store in the DC area for a date! They have a coffee shop and bar attached as well.
Visit Kramers Bookstore
For Nature Lovers 🌱
Looking to explore DC with your partner in the outdoors!? Despite being a major city, Dylan and I found plenty of ways to incorporate greenery into our dates! Here are our favorite spots:
The National Zoo is an awesome place to take your significant other. It's one of the biggest zoos I've ever been to and you can easily spend hours there!
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
I wish I had gone to the arboretum more than once! It's such a beautiful space perfect for a date.
United States National Arboretum
The Arboretum is a very cool place to spend the day. Many different rooms teach you about different biomes and plants. There is an indoor and outdoor section!
United States Botanic Garden
Gravelly Point is such a cool place where you can watch the airplanes land at JFK! Perfect picnic spot.
Picnic at Gravelly Point
Take a trip down to Shenandoah Valley for a romantic hot-air balloon ride!
Hot Air Balloon Rides Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
One of my all-time favorite DC dates was kayaking the Potomac River near Georgetown for Dylan's birthday!
Boating in DC - Kayaking the Potomac
Book a luxurious DC dinner cruise for a romantic date night!
Washington DC Premier Dinner Cruise
For a romantic walk around an island, Theodore Roosevelt feels like a breath of fresh air away from the city!
Theodore Roosevelt Island
For Gamers 🕹️
There is plenty of entertainment to go around in DC, including restaurants with board games, indoor mini golf, dive bars with games, and more!
This is an EPIC indoor mini golf spot! Dylan and I went and ordered drinks on the course! So cool
Swingers Crazy Golf - Dupont Circle
You can find Axe Throwing, Light up Ping Pong, Corn Hole, and more at this DC location!
THRōW Social DC
For date night, attend a show at the Black Cat Nightclub then get some drinks at the Red Room bar! You can also enjoy some pinball and darts!
Black Cat Nightclub: Red Room Bar
If you like classic 70s and 80s video games, take your significant other to Players Club!
Players Club
Choose your adventure: axe throwing, rage rooms, rollerskating, or pickle ball at Kraken!
Kraken Kourts & Skates
I've never been one to golf, but this was just a fun take on a date night in DC!
Topgolf National Harbor
This restaurant/bar was one of me and Dylans favorite in DC - grab a cocktail while picking out a board game for a quality date night!
The Board Room
For Amusement 🎶
If you enjoy live music, shows, theatre, or sporting events, check out some of these venues for a romantic evening on the town!
Attend a play or take a tour of the iconic Fords Theatre for your next date night!
Ford's Theatre
The Kennedy Center always has a ton of entertainment, ranging from free to higher ticket shows. Check their website for date night inspiration!
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Comedy Shows are a fantastic switch-up from a traditional date night and can bring many laughs!
DC Improv Comedy Club
Another great comedy improv spot in DC is Capital Laughs!
Capital Laughs
If you're into theatre, check into The Arena Stage! They have classic and new works happening all the time.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
If you and your partner are into theatre dating around the Shakespeare time period, check out this theatre for fantastic plays!
Shakespeare Theatre Company
After exploring Georgetown, head to Blues Alley for some live jazz in an authentic venue.
Blues Alley Club
The Anthem is THE concert spot in DC on The Wharf. Perfect for a date night or anniversary gift!
The Anthem
Dylan and I went to a Nationals baseball game on the fourth of July and had a BLAST! I'd recommend going to a sporting event together at least once.
Attend a Sporting Event at Nationals Park
If you'd rather watch hockey than baseball, the Capital One Arena is the spot during the winter for a date night!
Capital One Arena
For Quality Time ⏰
A fun date idea in DC is to spend quality time together while learning a skill! Class options are abundant for you and your partner to take in the DMV, but here are a few!
Take a dance class together at Glen Echo Park to learn a new skill and bond together!
Partnership Dance Series - Glen Echo Park
I always wanted to take a Latin American cooking class with Dylan at La Cosecha but we never got around to it. Don't be like us and just book the dang class!
La Cosecha Cooking Class
For A Getaway 👀
Whether coming to DC for the first time or want to take a trip away from your apartment, the Morrison Clark Historic Inn is perfect for a romantic time.
Book a luxurious staycation at the Morrison Clark Inn for a victorian mansion stay while in DC!
Morrison Clark Historic Inn