Looking for holiday date ideas in D.C.? We tried seven Christmas-themed dates so that you and your significant other can enjoy this December! Ranging from 0 to 10, we covered it all.
Ice skating at Georgetown Waterfront (9/10)
For $18 each, you and your date can enjoy scenic ice skating at the Georgetown Waterfront. You can impress your date with your skating skills, or if you’re too scared to fall in front of your date, don’t worry; plenty of penguin skate helpers are available to rent! After an hour and 30 minutes of skating and laughing, you can warm up at one of the many restaurants around the rink. If ice skating leaves you too tired to eat, you can always cross the street to grab some popcorn and enjoy a movie at the AMC Theater.
National Christmas Tree (8/10)
Since 1922, the country has lit up “The Ellipse” with the National Christmas Tree. The tree’s decorations change yearly and become an artwork in and of themselves. The tree was set up on Dec. 5th, meaning you and your date can go and visit! Don’t forget to take a cute picture with the one and only National Christmas Tree as your backdrop! When you are done enjoying the view, you can take a stroll hand in hand through the winter wonderland scene at the mall.
Martins Tavern (10/10)
The oldest family-owned restaurant in Georgetown, “Martins Tavern,” is the perfect place for a holiday meal. It also is the ideal place for a romantic date, and you don’t just have to believe us, this is where John F. Kennedy proposed to his wife Jackie (with success)! This restaurant offers savory comfort food with a cozy winter ambiance. The meal will make it worth itself simply by how beautifully decorated the restaurant is for the holiday season. With wreaths all around and ornaments hanging from the ceiling, it’s impossible not to get in the holiday mood! The menu will overwhelm you with delicious lunch, brunch and dinner options if the decorations aren’t enough! On top of that, Martin’s Tavern is large and quiet enough that you and your date can easily share a pleasant conversation over your meal. You could get a delicious meal with a beautiful ambiance for $25-$40 each, so make sure to bring your Jackie!
Season’s Greetings at the Botanical Gardens (8/10)
Every year around Christmas, the National Botanical Garden has a creative exhibit representing miniature displays, with beautiful arrangements of flowers. This year’s exhibit featured miniature D.C. landmarks, a model train exhibit and hundreds of flowers showcasing holiday spirit. Anyone can enter the Botanical Gardens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Nov. 28 and Jan. 5th. For free, this relaxed holiday exhibit could be a great way to make memories with a significant other by enjoying the smell of fresh flowers, then walking over to the Conservatory’s coffee shop where you could enjoy some hot chocolate with each other.
Zoo Lights (10/10)
The Zoo Lights is a magical event that the National Zoo hosts each year from Nov. 22 to Jan. 4th on Thursdays through Mondays from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. At Zoo Lights, over 500,000 bright and colorful LED lights are sprung around hundreds of trees, exhibits and paths to light up the night with festive spirit. Not only is Zoo Lights a great place to walk and hold hands while observing the magnificent light displays, but it is also a romantic way to spend the holidays with your significant other! Multiple live music performances, as well as pop-up stands to get a bite to eat or buy a souvenir, can make you look back on the perfect date.
Boat parade at the Wharf (10/10)
If you want to snuggle up with your date while observing beautiful holiday boats and live music, this boat parade is for you. The festive boat parade at the Wharf happens on Dec. 7th from 5 p.m. to – 8 p.m. Bring a jacket and excitement because the 32nd annual boat parade showcases more than 60 holiday-decorated boats to spot with your date, as well as smores at the Wharf’s campfire and a magnificent firework finale to end the night. Nothing is more romantic than sharing a s’more at a campfire while watching the fireworks and the holiday boats pass by. However, don’t miss out on kissing your hot date under the mistletoe on Pearl Street before you leave!
Dupont Circle DC Holiday Market (9/10)
Nothing screams a picture-perfect date spot more than a holiday market. Make sure to put this Dupont Circle Holiday Market on your dating bucket list, because it features more than 30 small businesses selling handmade, unique holiday gifts and items to discover with your significant other. From Nov. 22 to Dec. 15 at 11 or 12 a.m. to 8 p.m., you and your date can browse different shops and get into the holiday spirit. Whether you are holding hands while observing a small business Christmas shop or sharing a holiday sweet treat together, the “DC Holiday Market” is to the palace to be with your date.
By Victoria Pineda and Sabine Crawford
