14 Top Date-Night Ideas In Alexandria Virginia

A date night is a great way to convey love to your significant other. Whether a newly wedded couple or a long-term couple, the evening social date is always a good way to rekindle the spark in your love journey. You get to discuss your feelings under the stars like two love-struck 14-year-olds. 

Alexandria, Virginia, is a great place for a night of calm and romance. The city overlooks the nation’s capital and is known for its early-American architecture, historic attractions, hotels, unique boutiques, and award-winning restaurants. Apart from its proximity to downtown Washington DC, another upside of planning a romantic getaway to Alexandria is that it is easily accessible. More than three metro stations, airports, and a couple of interstate highways are linked to the city. 

This article presents some of Alexandria, Virginia’s best date night ideas. It doesn’t matter whether you only want a night of calm sipping a glass of champagne or a more intensive and adrenaline-pumping night out; we have everything covered.

Culinary class at Osteria Marzano

If your partner is a fan of Italian cuisines, there is no better place for a date night in Alexandria, Virginia, than at the Osteria Marzano restaurant. The most incredible part is that you’re not going there for the food only. You can attend chef Marzano’s culinary class.

The class is a one-hour thirty minutes hands-on lesson on the art of making seasonal Italian food. Chef Marzano will pass on family culinary secrets to attendees. 

By the end of the class, you won’t only have improved your culinary skills, but you’ll also have a nice meal prepared by the two of you to end the night. The class is held at Osteria Marzano restaurant at 6361 Walker Lane, Alexandria, VA. You can check ahead to make reservations and price inquiries.

Dine at Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant 

Located at 138 N Royal Street, Alexandria, VA, Gadsby’s Tavern (including the restaurant) is a historic place in Alexandria. It is a go-to place for romantic dinners. If you want to spice up your date night with a touch of traditional American meals, then you are at the right place at Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant. 

The restaurant has been serving customers since 1770. Of course, the ownership has changed hands over the years, but they’ve managed to maintain a high quality of service. This has seen them serve various notable men, including George Washington, James Madison, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.

Gadsby’s Tavern serves up exquisite local cuisine and vegetarian and gluten-free options. They are open for dinner Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 pm. You can choose from their vast array of dishes, including crab cakes, filet mignon, meatloaf served with red potatoes, and fresh onion soup.

Visit AR Workshop Alexandria 

Away from dining and wining, you can also have a little bit of shopping for your date night in Alexandria. AR Workshop is a DIY spot and boutique. Couples can make their bespoke designs and pattern. Spending a date night at a location like this will help create a deep feeling with your partner while you check out unique designs. AR Workshop is the best place for couples who want to spend their date with utmost fun and unique excitement. 

It is located at 1212 King Street, Alexandria, VA, Old Town Alexandria. Although kids are allowed here, we don’t expect you to bring your little ones along on the date. You can also pick up some DIY materials for creating your awesome home pattern and décor from raw materials. 

Dine at The Wharf 

Hold on a bit; we’re not asking you to go crocodile hunting at night. The Wharf is just another fine restaurant for dinner. Located at 119 King Street, Alexandria, VA, The Wharf is a naturally-themed restaurant offering full bar service. If you want to have your date in a home away from home, you should go to The Wharf. There are more than enough indoor and outdoor seating spaces guaranteeing a fantastic experience and a worthwhile date night. 

It is an excellent restaurant to enjoy the best seafood in the city in a historic setting. The restaurant opens at 12 pm from Monday to Sunday and doesn’t close until 10 pm each day. They offer reservations and takeout so you can take some of their fantastic food with you. 

Dine at Oak Steakhouse 

Oak Steakhouse is another great restaurant idea for a date night in Virginia. Located at 901 North Saint Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA, the restaurant features a variety of fresh DC Regional ingredients and a Prime Certified Angus beef selection. You can choose between homemade bread, appetizers, salads, entrees, and their delicious signature steaks.

Simply put, Oak Steakhouse is an outstanding destination for an amazing date night. Their booth-style seating style and the array of scattered lamps provide an unbeatable romantic ambiance. It opens at 5:00 pm from Monday to Sunday and offers reservations and takeout. There is also an outdoor seating option to enjoy your time at Oak Steakhouse.

Music at The Birchmere 

Date nights in Alexandria don’t have to be about restaurants and dining alone. You can shake things up by visiting the Birchmere located at 3701 Mount Vernon Avenue. Alexandria, VA 22305. 

The Birchmere is a legendary music hall that has been a stepping stone for the music career of many artists. You could buy tickets to their shows and enjoy the music while holding hands. The music and performing artists are constantly changing, so be sure to check ahead.

You can order dinner at the music hall. There’s also beer to quench your thirst as their bar opens at 5 pm. Don’t forget to try the smoked ribs because it’s been getting rave reviews from visitors. 

Go Ice Skating

Another fun and bonding date night activity you should try is ice skating at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center. The recreation center is located at 2017 Belle View Boulevard. Alexandria, VA 22307, just a few minutes away from Old Town. 

You could practice your skills and show your partner a few tricks if you’re a hockey player. It’s even better if the two of you know a thing or two about hockey. You could hold hands while practicing your twirls and spins. 

You can bring your skating gear along or opt for skate rentals that cost less than $5. You could enroll in a ‘learn to skate’ class together if you’re not so good at skating. The class costs less than $10 per person. Before going home, you could head to the nearby cafe for hot chocolate and dessert. Whether you’re an ice skater or not, you’ll have an enjoyable time at the recreation center. 

Wine Tasting at Sonoma Cellar

If you don’t like wine, you might want to look away for a bit. Visit this California Fresh-inspired restaurant to taste the best North American wine around here. Sonoma Cellar is located on King Street, also called the beating heart of Old Town Alexandria. 

It will be unfair to say that Sonoma Cellar is only about the wine as there’s also a cafe that operates Mondays to Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm. They have Taco Tuesdays and Wine Down Wednesdays, with a 30% discount on selected bottles all day. You should visit on a Wednesday night if you like to enjoy this discount. 

If you finish up your date at Sonoma Cellar early enough, you could head on to get some romantic gifts along the sidewalks of King Street.

ShadowLand Laser Adventure

Located at 5508 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310, ShadowLand Laser Adventure is the right place to pump up you and your lover’s adrenaline. The place offers you an amazing date night amazing with interactive gaming scenarios. The place is known for its superb arena design, full of bridges and towers for a real-time 3D game environment. 

Their laser tag game is fun for partners who are good at it. If you have no prior experience, you can always learn while playing the game. There is going to be an introduction to the laser tag game with laser vests and the laser pistol. 

ShadowLand Laser Adventure has been described as the best laser tag place one can ever think of going to. The adventure will leave an everlasting impression on you and keep coming back for the adventure of a lifetime. The center stays open till 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Visit the Streets of Captain’s Row

Friendly advice before heading to Captain’s Row, be sure to hold your ring. If you’re a lady, your partner may be planning to propose, be prepared. Captain’s Row is a historic landmark in Old Town Alexandria. It is a date-worthy area of Alexandria with its lovely cobblestone block lined with row houses. The scenery here is so romantic you may be tempted to go on your knee and pop the question if you haven’t done it already. It is not unusual to find men proposing to their spouses here. 

Captain’s Row also houses one of the most historic buildings in Alexandria, which has now been turned into a fine arts museum called Athenaeum. Unfortunately, the museum closes early and won’t fit into your ideal date night. After taking a walk around the street of Captain’s Row, you can head on to Grape + Bean to have a taste of the refreshing wine on offer. At Grape + Bean, they serve wines and an extensive array of craft-brewed beer.

Escape Room Live Alexandria

Escape Room Live Alexandria is an escape room center that offers a healthy dose of exciting activities for all ages. With the award-winning puzzle and Hollywood-style escape rooms, your date night is sure to be an immersive and experiential adventure. The rooms are well designed with themes like those of Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe, and Professor Moriarty. With the immersive and stimulating nature of the escape rooms, you tend to feel like the movie protagonist.

Escape Room Live is located at 814 King Street 2nd FI Alexandria, VA. It is loved by locals and tourists because of the unique live-action adventure cum gaming experiences. It opens at 8:00and closes at 12:00 am the next day every day of the week. Each room has its own theme, which can be finding the locks, unlocking the safe, tapping Morse code, figuring out the combo key, etc. This can be a fun way to work with your lover and bond more.

Go on a Boat Cruise 

How about a date night on the Potomac River? If this sounds like an opportunity you want to explore, then make your arrangement with the Potomac Riverboat Company. The company offers seasonal sightseeing cruises, and you can make special plans with the Alexandria-National Harbor water taxi that operates in Alexandria. There are other companies offering boat cruises around Alexandria. You can check them out.

BARCA Pier & Wine Bar

Built on a commercial shipping pier, BARCA Pier & Wine Bar is a warm restaurant that offers outdoor riverfront dining along with a full bar featuring tapas & wine. It is located at 2 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria, VA. It is known for its indoor and outdoor seating, including cocktails with weekend brunch, wine, sangria, and Spanish-Mediterranean small plates. The combination of the commercial Pier and the Wine Bar makes the restaurant unique as it reflects the pleasant riverfront atmosphere of the historic Old Town Alexandria’s Robinson Landing.   

Everything about the restaurant just appears excellent and exciting, from the wine to the waterfront. There are more than enough tables to catch fun, and the entertainment is literally above complaints. 

Their menu includes Serrano Ham Croquetas, Beef Tenderloin, Gambas Al Ajillo, Petatas Bravas, Cucumber Salad, Market Fish, Shanklish, Spanish Octopus Salad, and Patatas Bravas. The Pier opens at 11:30 am from Monday to Friday and at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday. The Wine Bar opens at 4:00 pm from Monday to Friday and at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Basin Street Lounge

Basin Street Lounge offers exceptional nightly live music with bar fare and an available selection of cigars. Located at 219 King Street, Alexandria, VA, the lounge has a great speakeasy sensation to it. Such a wonderful place for unwinding, clearing your mind, smoking a cigar, drinking, and listening to some fine music. The lounge features an excellent collection of bourbon, scotch, and cool whiskeys with a good assortment of cigars. 

With the leather chairs specially made to make guests feel as comfortable as possible, you will surely enjoy your date night in such an environment. There is also a full bar, fabulous cocktails, outside seating, table services, and live music. The bar is classy and intimate; it opens at 4:30 pm from Monday to Saturday and at 1:00 pm on Sunday. 

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens 

Make it a date with nature by visiting the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. They are botanical gardens, also used as an event center at 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, Virginia. At Meadowlark Botanical Garden, you can explore landscaped gardens and enjoy your date night. There are several attractions at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, among which are: walking trails, native wildflowers, an extensive shade garden, varieties of cherry trees, irises, gazebos, peonies, and birds.

The environment around the gardens is serene and welcoming for couples who are thinking of escaping from the usual hustle and bustle around the area and having a nice time together. Also, you can decide to go there during annual events like Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Easter Egg Hunt, the Winter Walk in Lights in December, and the Annual Korean Bell Garden Celebration in May. Depending on your budget, you can go for the Atrium, the Lilac Pavilion, or the three available gazebos. The garden opens at 10:00 am throughout the week.     

Final Thoughts 

Date nights are cool and meant to be an alone-time for couples. We don’t expect you to bring kids along with you! If you feel your love life has become boring or nose-diving, you could use a night out or night outs to get things back on track. The activities on this list are by no means exhaustive.

However, these ideas resonate better with the editorial team, and the places and activities included will not cost you a fortune. In this article, we have explored the top 15 date night ideas in Alexandria, Virginia. The list includes iconic places and fun activities where you can enjoy your date night. Their feature, offers, services, overall structures, and open time were discussed. 

Thus, on your next visit to the hometown of George Washington, make sure you try out some of these places. It’s even relatively easy to visit multiple sites on a night or split them into several nights if you’re staying longer than one night.

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