20 Apr 23 Unique Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

There is no shortage of unique date night ideas in Arlington, VA. No matter whether you are looking for an idea for a first date with someone new or for a 50th date with your long-term partner, this list is for you! For example, you can grab a blanket and some food to picnic at Gravelly Point Park as you watch planes fly overhead. Want to learn about my other 22 recommendations? Then keep reading below!

Contents:

1) Picnic at Gravelly Point

2) Get Cozy at an Outdoor Movie

3) Stop by the George Washington Memorial Parkway Viewpoints

4) Stroll Through Arlington Cemetery

5) Attend a Comedy Show / Open Mic Night

6) Go to an Event or Festival

7) See a Show at Shirlington Signature Theater

8) Taste New Flavors with a Cooking Class

9) Swing Around on a High Ropes Course at Climb UPton

10) Challenge Your Date to Games at Boardroom

11) Look to DC from The View Building

12) Bike the Mount Vernon Trail

13) Appreciate History by Visiting Memorials

14) Spot Some Animals at Potomac Overlook Regional Park

15) Test Your Relationship with an Escape Room

16) Smell the Roses at Bon Air Park Rose Garden

17) Sweat it Out in a Workout Class

18) Play Disc Golf at Bluemont Park

19) Skate It Out at MedStar Capitals Iceplex

20) Make a Splash at Ocean Dunes Waterpark

21) Play a Game of Mini Golf at Upton Hill Park

22) Batter Up at the Batting Cages at Upton Hill Park

23) Rock Climb at Movement Crystal City

1) Picnic at Gravelly Point

I had to put this at the very top of my list for unique date ideas in Arlington, VA because it might just be my favorite. I will admit I am a bit biased because my first date with my partner occurred at Gravelly Point.

Pack a picnic and make your way to Gravelly Point for a unique date night. There is plenty of parking, so that should not be an issue. Moreover, there is no entrance fee for the park.

Once you arrive, find an open patch of grass, lay out your blanket and food, and then watch the planes fly overhead. The park is located right next to Ronald Reagan Airport, so the planes fly pretty close to the ground as they take off from and land at the airport.

If you are looking for a park for a date night across the river, then check out Hains Point at East Potomac.

Watching a plane fly overhead while picnicking at Gravelly Point

2) Get Cozy at an Outdoor Movie – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

I rarely go to the movie theater anymore, but I always look for opportunities to enjoy an outdoor movie. Unfortunately outdoor movie nights generally only exist in the summer months. Therefore, make sure you enjoy a few to hold you over until next year.

There are a few places you can enjoy an outdoor movie in Arlington, VA: (1) Arlington Mill (2) Penrose Square (3) Pentagon Row. Be sure to look up their schedules and exact locations, for details can change from year to year. Moreover, most outdoor movie events are free of charge.

All you need to do is pack a lawn chair or blankets to then enjoy a movie in the great outdoors. I also recommend you bring snacks, for what is a movie without snacks?

3) Stop by the George Washington Memorial Parkway Viewpoints

If you have driven along the George Washington Memorial Parkway before, then I am sure you have seen the various pull offs. However, have you ever actually stopped at any of them?

If your answer is no, then these are the perfect spots for your next date night in Arlington. There are two viewpoints located within Arlington along the Parkway, so you can choose to stop at one or both of them. Each will provide a view across the Potomac River into DC. Additionally, I recommend you pack some food so you can sit at the viewpoints and appreciate the view for a bit longer.

4) Stroll Through Arlington National Cemetery

While the Arlington National Cemetery is quite the tourist destination, it can also be a great spot for date night. There is no entry fee, though you will have to pay for parking if you drive. Either way, it will end up being a pretty cheap date night (aka you have more money to spend on food).

Take your time as you stroll through the cemetery grounds, stopping to appreciate the different gravestones and memorials. Something about walking through a cemetery might prompt deeper life questions, so you can get to know each other even better. Moreover, this spot becomes more beautiful in spring when the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Another great spot for cherry blossom viewing is at the Tidal Basin just across the river in DC. There is truly no better way to escape the crowds than to book paddle boats in the Tidal Basin.

Cherry blossoms blooming in Arlington National Cemetery

5) Attend a Comedy Show / Open Mic Night

One of the best date night ideas in Arlington, VA to lighten the mood (especially on a first date) is to attend a comedy show or open mic night. The performers will either have you laughing so hard you cry or wanting to belt out in song.

There are a few comedy clubs within Arlington: (1) Belly Laughs Comedy Club (2) Yaz Comedy. However, please be aware that a variety of other places, such as restaurants and theaters, also offer comedy shows and open mic nights. A quick google search should be able to help you out, for locations and dates are always changing.

6) Attend an Event or Festival – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

Arlington, VA always has different events and festivals going on, and those make for perfect date night ideas. There are often festivals tied to different holidays or seasons, for example cherry blossom season, the fourth of July, etc. Additionally, there are various random events held throughout the year, for example dancing classes, mahjong classes, artisan markets, etc.

A quick google search will help you learn about all of the events and festivals happening in the near future. Find one that peaks your interest, invite a date, and have a great time exploring something new!

If you are willing to travel just a bit outside of the Arlington area, then you can also attend a strawberry festival. Bonus – you get to pick your own strawberries! Additionally, lantern festivals occur around the DC area almost every year. However, they usually require a day trip since they are held a couple of hours outside of the city.

Artisan market set up in the plaza in Pentagon City

7) See a Show at Shirlington Signature Theater

While Arlington might not be home to Broadway, it is home to the Shirlington Signature Theater. The theater hosts a variety of different shows throughout the year, with each show running anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

For example, it has hosted Sweeney Todd as well as Passing Strange in the past. Check out their events calendar for current show information. I would recommend booking tickets in advance, especially if you want to see a show during the weekend.

8) Taste New Flavors with a Cooking Class

A lot of people will splurge at a fancy restaurant for important date nights, such as an anniversary or Valentine’s Day. However, you can also opt to splurge on a cooking class. Not only do you get to eat delicious food, but you also learn how to cook it. Moreover, this would be a great first date (though it is a bit pricey) since learning how to do an activity can help to break the ice.

There are a few different places that offer cooking classes in Arlington: (1) Sur La Table in Pentagon Row (2) Cookology in Ballston. Please be aware that classes generally run anywhere from $80 to $150 dollars per person.

Moreover, check out this list of the best things to do in Pentagon City for even more date ideas.

Attending a cooking class at Sur La Table in Pentagon City

9) Swing Around on a High Ropes Course at Climb UPton

You do not even have to venture all the way to Harpers Ferry for a high ropes course. Though I will say a day trip to Harpers Ferry would make a great date, especially hiking the Maryland Heights Trail.

Instead, Climb UPton is located within Seven Corners. The course includes 90 different obstacles with varying levels of easy, medium, and hard. It is recommended you book tickets in advance, and ticket prices are approximately $50 per person. Encourage your date to complete all elements of the high ropes course. Also, you can consider challenging them to see who can complete an obstacle the fastest.

10) Challenge Your Date to Games at Boardroom

If you are like me, then you look for first date ideas to be just about anything other than dinner at a restaurant in Arlington, VA. Instead, I like to engage in some sort of activity so I can feel more comfortable as well as get a better idea of what the other person is like.

The Boardroom in Arlington, VA is the happy medium for first dates. It is a restaurant + bar that has a ton of board and card games available to play. When I say a ton, I mean they have an entire wall full of games. While you can still have a classic dinner first date, you can also shake it up a bit by challenging your date to a game. You can really make it interesting by betting dinner – loser pays!

11) Look to DC from The View Building – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

The View of DC offers 360 degree panoramic views of Arlington as well as Washington, DC. It is an observation deck located in Rosslyn, which is a neighborhood of Arlington, VA. This will be a cheaper date, for entrance to the observation deck is free.

Feel free to take your time as you stroll around the observation deck and truly appreciate the views. You can even step outside onto the open-air terrace.

Panoramic view from The View of DC building in Rosslyn

12) Bike the Mount Vernon Trail

If you prefer more active date night ideas in Arlington, VA, then you should add biking the Mount Vernon Trail to your list. The Mount Vernon Trail is 18 miles (29 kilometers) long, so you can make this a pretty long date if you wish. Moreover, you can enter the trail at any point. The trail runs along the Potomac River, so you will also have fantastic views (in addition to your date of course).

If you own a few bikes, then offer to bring one for your date as well. Otherwise, you can both rent bikes. There are a lot of rentable bikes available in the Arlington area, such as the Lime brand.

The trail runs through Gravelly Point Park, so you can even combine a biking date with a picnicking date for a two in one special.

13) Appreciate History by Visiting Memorials

While Washington, DC might hold the top spot in terms of the number of memorials, Arlington, VA can still hold its own. Some of the main memorials located in Arlington include the Air Force, Marine Corps, Military Women’s, and National 9/11 Pentagon Memorials.

Your next date night can be a tour of the memorials in Arlington. Whenever you stop at each one, you should also commit to reading any available information about the memorial or looking up additional information online.

View of the Air Force Memorial from Pentagon City

14) Spot Some Animals at Potomac Overlook Regional Park

Potomac Overlook Regional Park includes a few miles of trails, an organic vegetable garden, and other demonstration gardens. However, one of the main features of the park is the nature center full of animals. Good news – there is no entrance fee to the nature center or other areas of the Potomac Overlook Regional Park.

The nature center includes animals such as owls, snakes, turtles, frogs, and more. While it is not as expansive as a zoo, it is a nice place to view a few animals within a park setting. After visiting the animals you can always decide to continue the date by hiking along a trail.

For other nearby hikes in the area, check out Scott’s Run Falls in McLean, VA or Billy Goat Trail Section A in Potomac, Maryland.

15) Test Your Relationship with an Escape Room – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

Can you think of a better way to test your compatibility with a date than to figure out an escape room together? Either you will end up stuck in the room arguing or you will be able to work together and make it out before the clock expires.

There is an escape room on Columbia Pike as well as one in Clarendon. Additionally, there is a place called 5 Wits in Ballston. While it is not an escape room per se, it is quite similar. You can thus do multiple date nights at escape rooms, for each place has a variety of different rooms/themes. Escape rooms will generally cost around $40 or more per person.

If you head to 5 Wits at Ballston, see if you can beat my partner and I’s score below.

Our score at 5 Wits in Ballston

16) Smell the Roses at Bon Air Park Rose Garden

Roses are often associated with romance, so visiting a rose garden on a first date will definitely sprinkle a bit of romance in the equation. The Bon Air Park Rose Garden includes over 120 different kinds of roses, so try to name a few as you stroll along.

Additionally, there are a variety of other attractions within Bon Air Park. For example, there are tennis courts and multiple playgrounds. Moreover, there is no entrance fee for the rose garden or the other park attractions.

17) Sweat it Out in a Workout Class

If you are still looking for more active date night ideas in Arlington, VA, then consider booking a workout class. There are a variety of classes available in the area, for example yoga, HIIT, pilates, cycling, and more. Push each other to be the best you can be as you sweat it out in the gym.

Here are a few examples of gyms in the area with workout classes: (1) Orangetheory Fitness (2) F45 Training (3) MADabolic (4) Adaptation Athletics (5) Brazen Fitness (6) Club Pilates and more! Classes generally range anywhere in price from $20 and up.

Looking for an outdoor workout? Then head to Harpers Ferry to complete the Maryland Heights Trail or to Maryland to complete the Billy Goat Trail Section A.

18) Play Disc Golf at Bluemont Park – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

If you are a disc golf professional in the making, then you can teach your date how to play. On the other hand, you and your date can learn how to play together (aka laugh at each other).

Bluemont Park has a disc golf course within its borders. There are nine different holes, most of them under 300 feet (~91 meters) apart. If you do not already own your own disc golf set, you will need to purchase one before arriving at the park. Additionally, I recommend reading up on the rules of the game in advance if it is your first time. Otherwise, you can make up your own rules as you go along.

19) Skate It Out at MedStar Capitals Iceplex

MedStar Capitals Iceplex is the arena in which the Washington Capitals practice. Their practices are open to as well as free for the public to attend.

However, the Iceplex is not always reserved by the Capitals. There are times just about every day where you can go to the Iceplex for public skating, hockey lessons, pick-up hockey, etc. Please note that you will need to book tickets for such events; you can check out their events calendar for more information. Ice skating is a perfect way to spend your first date or your 30th date. You can laugh as each other falls and then help them back to their feet.

Additionally, Pentagon Row sets up an outdoor ice rink during the winter months. Check it out in the picture below.

Outdoor ice skating rink in Pentagon City

20) Make a Splash at Ocean Dunes Waterpark

One of the best date night ideas in Arlington, VA is to release your inner child at an outdoor waterpark. The Ocean Dunes Waterpark is located within Upton Hill Regional Park. It is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Tickets cost approximately $10, and they are only available in-person at the waterpark.

Ocean Dunes is not a full sized waterpark, but it is big enough for you to have a good time. There is a large dumping bucket, waterfalls, squirters, and a few waterslides.

21) Play a Game of Mini Golf at Upton Hill Park – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

Upton Hill Regional Park has more to offer than just the waterpark mentioned above. It also has a mini golf course that is open from March through November. Tickets cost approximately $7 per person, and you can purchase them upon your arrival.

The mini golf course has a variety of challenges and hazards you will need to overcome / avoid at each hole. To make it even more interesting, you can create a unique rule for each hole. For example, you can swing your golf club one handed for one hole and between your legs for another. This is a date after all, have some fun!

Playing a round of mini golf

22) Batter Up at the Batting Cages at Upton Hill Park

I know what you are thinking…Upton Hill Regional Park has everything! There are six batting cages available with slow, medium, and fast-paced pitching options. Additionally, there are three softball cages available with slow and fast-paced pitching options. They will provide you with a bat as well as a helmet.

You can book a batting cage online in advance or in person at the park. Prices vary depending on the type of session you would like to book, so I recommend looking at their website for updated information. Moreover, the batting cages are open from March through November.

23) Rock Climb at Movement Crystal City – Date Night Ideas in Arlington, VA

If neither of you have been rock climbing before, then this will be an adventurous as well as an amusing date. Rock climbing is quite difficult, so you will bond as you learn together. You can even decide to take a class for some individualized instruction.

Movement Crystal City offers bouldering as well as belaying. Bouldering is when you climb without any ropes on a short path while belaying is when you are attached to a rope and can climb to greater heights.

PIN IT to save it for later!

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

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