03 Apr 8 BEST Things to do in Pentagon City (Arlington, VA)

I have compiled a list of the eight best things to do in Pentagon City, which is a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia. You can squeeze all of these activities into one day, but I recommend you spread them out over time to truly enjoy them all. For example, you can take in views of Washington DC from Prospect Hill Park. Want to know the others, including my personal favorites? Then keep reading below!

Furthermore, check out my list of 20+ unique date night ideas in Arlington, VA (hint – some ideas include activities you can do in Pentagon City).

Contents: 

1) Shop ‘Til You Drop

2) Grab a Bite to Eat

3) Enjoy the Views at Prospect Hill Park

4) Get Active at Virginia Highlands Park

5) Attend an Event at Pentagon Row

6) Learn Something New at the DEA Museum

7) Discover New Flavors in a Cooking Class

8) Break a Sweat at the Gym

1) Shop ‘Til You Drop

Probably one of the most well-known things to do in Pentagon City is to go shopping. Why? Well, there is not only the Pentagon City Mall but also multiple other plazas full of stores.

No matter the items you need to go shopping for, I am fairly positive you will be able to find them at a store in Pentagon City. The mall is full of clothing, electronics, beauty, jewelry, furniture, and department stores. You will find a few high end stores, such as Nordstrom, as well as more general stores, such as The Children’s Place. Moreover, the Pentagon City Mall is also known as the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.

Additionally, there is a row of stores along South Joyce Street. These include but are not limited to clothing, kitchen, pharmacy, and beauty stores. Travel a couple blocks to the east and you will find more clothing, electronics, and general stores on 14th Street South.

One of the many stores in Pentagon City

2) Grab a Bite to Eat – Things to Do in Pentagon City

I am sure you are going to work up an appetite after a day full of shopping. Trust me, there is not a shortage of delicious food joints in Pentagon City.

First, you can choose to eat at the food court within the mall. You will generally find a lot of chains here, for example Chipotle and Panda Express. However, my absolute favorite food spot in all of Pentagon City is located here. It is the Panda Tea House, which serves bubble tea. My personal choice is the strawberry and banana smoothie with bubbles. I actually do not like the taste of tea, so I opt for smoothies or slushies at bubble tea shops.

Second, you can eat at a restaurant located in the Pentagon Row plaza. There are a lot of great options here, including an asian bistro and handmade ice cream shop. However, I would say that my personal favorite in the plaza is Bun’d Up. Not only does it have a cool name, but it serves delicious bao buns.

Third, there are a few more restaurants located on South Hayes Street as well as on South Fern Street just a few blocks to the east. You can grab some pizza, Chick-Fil-A, coffee, and more there.

As a little bonus, there is a Costco located in Pentagon City. You can always hit up the Costco food court for a classic hot dog or chicken bake.

My FAVORITE bubble tea in Pentagon City

3) Enjoy the Views at Prospect Hill Park

Prospect Hill Park is located in the northwest corner of the Pentagon City neighborhood in Arlington, VA. While the park is fairly small at only 0.4 acres, it holds incredible views.

The park sits a bit higher than its surroundings, so you can see some of the large attractions in Arlington. For example, you can see the Air Force Memorial just about a mile away. Moreover, you can see across the Potomac River into Washington DC. Prospect Hill Park would thus be a good spot to view the fireworks set off by Washington DC on July 4th.

There is no entrance fee for the park. Furthermore, the hours are listed on Arlington’s Park and Recreation site as sunrise to sunset.

For nearby parks just outside of Pentagon City, head to Gravelly Point to watch planes fly overhead or to East Potomac Park to hike the Hains Point Trail.

View of the Air Force Memorial from Pentagon City

4) Get Active at Virginia Highlands Park

A lot of people might say visiting the vast array of stores or restaurants are their favorite things to do in Pentagon City. However, my favorite thing to do is play tennis at Virginia Highlands Park.

Even if you are not a tennis fan (do not worry, I will forgive you), there are a lot of other activities within the park. First, there are six tennis courts and two tennis walls. The courts also have lights so that you can play after the sun sets in the evening. Second, there are two full-sized basketball courts as well as a half-sized one.

Third, there are two baseball fields. I have seen people playing baseball and softball on these fields as well as other activities such as ultimate frisbee. Fourth, there are two soccer fields. All you need is a group of friends and a soccer ball to keep you busy and active for hours.

Fifth, there are two dog parks. One is for larger dogs while the other is for smaller dogs. I have to say I love walking past the dog parks so I can see them all running around. Sixth, there is a playground. Bring your children here so they can use up all of their energy. Seventh, there is a sand volleyball court.

There is no entrance fee for Virginia Highlands Park. Furthermore, the hours are listed on Arlington’s Park and Recreation site as sunrise to 10:00pm.

If you are looking for some hikes in the area, check out Billy Goat Trail by Great Falls or Scott’s Run Falls.

Tennis courts at Virginia Highlands Park

5) Attend an Event at Pentagon Row – Things to Do in Pentagon City

Pentagon Row is a plaza located within Pentagon City. It is one of the best places to visit because it has a bunch of shops and restaurants in addition to planned events. You can visit their site here to learn about upcoming events.

For example, they set up an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter months. The exact time they set it up depends on the weather. However, a general idea is that it will be open from November through March. Additionally, they host outdoor movie nights in the summer. They will release the list of movies and dates a couple of weeks in advance. Pack up some chairs or blankets and grab a spot on the grass in front of the big screen.

Examples of other events held in Pentagon Row include an artisan market on certain Sundays, trivia and karaoke at Nighthawk Brewery and Pizzeria, Mahjong lessons at Bun’d Up, and comedy open mic nights at Mattie and Eddie’s Irish Bar and Restaurant.

Moreover, Pentagon Row has picnic tables, large wooden chairs, and cornhole boards set up outside for the majority of the year.

For an event just outside of the DC area, consider attending a lantern festival.

Outdoor ice skating rink in Pentagon City

6) Learn Something New at the DEA Museum

The DEA Museum stands for the Drug Enforcement Administration Museum. Its name basically explains itself. The museum contains information, photos, artifacts, documents, and interactive exhibits on drugs.

The DEA Museum’s mission is to accurately display the nature of the United States’ relationship with drugs throughout history. Moreover, the museum began to create exhibits concerning drugs on a global scale shortly after the turn of the 21st century. Some exhibits within the museum are permanent while others are temporary. You can thus visit the museum at different dates and still learn something new.

Additionally, the DEA Museum puts on events every now and then. Example events include panel discussions and conversations. If you visit on a day without any events, then you can still enjoy the interactive exhibits. These include, for example, a fingerprint examination and artifact inspection station.

The museum is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free for all ages.

7) Discover New Flavors in a Cooking Class

If you have never taken a cooking class before, then I highly recommend you consider a class at Sur La Table for your first time. My partner and I have done Thai as well as steak + empanada cooking classes together. Want my honest opinion? I highly enjoyed learning how to cook the dishes as well as getting to eat them afterwards. The classes are a bit pricey at around $80+ per person, but they are well worth it. We plan to sign up for more classes in the future, probably for an anniversary or other special occasion.

Sur La Table also offers classes for a vast array of other food genres. For example, classes are available for pastries, dim sum, handmade pasta, ramen, brunch, paella, and more. They even offer “date night” cooking classes. Arlington, VA is full of possible date night ideas, so be sure to check a few more of them out.

They list out the dates for their cooking classes well in advance, so you can sign up early. It is best to nab a spot while you can, for the most popular classes will sell out. Additionally, there are often two or more classes offered per day.

Attending a cooking class at Sur La Table in Pentagon City

8) Break a Sweat at the Gym – Things to Do in Pentagon City

Lastly, one of the best things to do in Pentagon City, VA is to check out the local gyms. There are a variety of gyms and classes available, so you are sure to find something that fits your preferences.

First, there is a Planet Fitness on South Joyce Street. Planet Fitness prides themselves on having incredible deals on gym memberships as well as a supportive gym culture. Second, there is an Orangetheory Fitness on South Fern Street. Orangetheory Fitness provides a variety of classes based on science to target certain heart rate intervals and thus produce the best results possible.

Third, there is an F45 Training on South Joyce Street. F45 Training provides 45-minute group sessions of high-intensity interval training. They aim to create an encouraging group environment where individuals can pursue functional training backed by sport science. Fourth, there is a Club Pilates on South Joyce Street. They offer a vast array of pilates classes that target different physical aspects, such as balance or legs and glutes. Additionally, there are classes available for all skill levels.

Another great (and fun) way to break a sweat is by maneuvering through a high ropes course or hiking the Maryland Heights Trail in Harpers Ferry.

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For a more relaxing activity, buy tickets for a nearby lantern festival: Lantern Festival in Washington, DC.

Or spend the day with dolphins: Kayaking with Dolphins in Virginia Beach.