Updated May 16, 2022. With a bit of normalcy returning to the region, you may be looking to treat your special someone to a memorable night on the town. Whether you are in the beginning stages of a relationship or are celebrating your 20 year anniversary, these date night spots are sure to ignite (or re-ignite) your spark.
Best Place for a First Date
The Block
Finding the perfect first-date spot can be tricky. It needs to have the right amount of casual with a dash of unique. Rather than a run-of-the-mill restaurant or bar, this food hall is a great place to grab a drink, enjoy a fun bite for dinner, including Korean fried chicken and Hawaiian-inspired poke, or linger over ice cream. Plus, there are plenty of Instagram-worthy photo spots to commemorate your first date. 4221 John Marr Dr., Annandale
Best Place for a Quick Date/Coffee Date
Caffe Amouri
Take your date for an afternoon pick-me-up featuring small-batch roasted coffee in a cozy setting. Enjoy a wide variety of coffees from Costa Rica, Jamaica, Peru, Brazil, and Papua New Guineau, as well as loose-leaf teas. Catch a free class or stay for open mic night on Saturday. 107 Church St. NE, Vienna
Best Place for an Outdoor Date
Bear’s Den Overlook and Bear Chase Brewing Company
Get outdoors for an easy, one and a half hour hike out and back, climbing to a gentle 280 feet of elevation along the Appalachian Trail in Bluemont. Afterward, enjoy a pint of beer and the picturesque views and mountain air at nearby Bear Chase Brewing Company. Beers range from a wide selection of IPAs to wheat beer and lagers, as well as cider. Bear’s Den: 18393 Blue Ridge Mountain Rd., Bluemont; Bear Chase Brewing Company: 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont
Best Place for Over-the-Top Romance
Bluemont Vineyard
Snuggle with your date while sipping a glass of wine and taking in panoramic views of Loudoun Valley. The vineyard is nearly 1,000 feet above sea level along a ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, making it picture-perfect for a romantic day-long getaway. 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont
Best Close-the-Kitchen-Down Date
Vermilion
This cozy dinner spot in the heart of Old Town Alexandria offers a variety of dishes including New York strip steak, Amish chicken, suckling pig, and halibut. A chef’s five-course tasting menu, including a vegetarian option, is also available. After dinner, share a flourless dark-chocolate cake or marcona almond tart, and then linger over small-batch bourbon, Scotch whisky, or American rye. 1120 King St., Alexandria
Best Adventurous Date
iFLY
Get your date’s heart racing with an indoor skydiving adventure. You’ll both be floating on air during this high-flying, safe adventure that requires no special skills. Instructors will teach you the basics of indoor skydiving and provide all necessary equipment, including a flight suit and helmet. 20315 Commonwealth Center Dr., Ashburn
Best Place to Propose
The Observation Deck at CEB Tower
Put a ring on it 400 feet above DC with unprecedented panoramic views of the Capitol, monuments, and other DC landmarks, as well as Virginia and Maryland. See 360-degree views of DC and the surrounding area through three stories of windows and an outdoor terrace. There’s even a Champagne bar, allowing you to toast your future together. 1201 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 214, Arlington
Best LGBTQ-Friendly Spot
Freddie’s Beach Bar
With happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. daily it’s easy to meet new friends and then stay for Drag Bingo Night on Wednesday or karaoke on Thursday night. Saturday night features Freddie’s Follies Drag Show. Don’t forget about Sunday’s Champagne brunch. 555 23rd St. S., Arlington
Best Place to Find a Date
The Lot
Forget about crowded bars. Get some fresh air at this 22,000-square-foot beer garden in Clarendon featuring food trucks, entertainment, games, and an adult sandlot. Dogs are welcome all day on Sundays and before 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Meet new friends while playing cornhole, putterpong, giant Jenga, giant Connect Four, and jumbo bucket pong. 3217 10th St. N., Arlington
Best Place for a Date with Your Kids
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
If you and your date will have kids tagging along, take them to explore aviation and spaceflight. Two large hangars display thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the world’s fastest jet-propelled aircraft; a Concorde, the first supersonic airliner; and the Space Shuttle Discovery. End the day with a movie at the Airbus IMAX Theater. 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy., Chantilly
This post originally appeared in the cover story of our January 2020 print issue. For more things to do in Northern Virginia, subscribe to our newsletters.
