Washington, D.C., District of ColumbiaDate ideas
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Date ideas in Washington, D.C.
Romantic dinners, drinks, shows and views.
18 places
The top 18
Romantic and intimate places, plus shows, live music and galleries, ranked by our own engine.
4.8· 21kGallery · Chinatown1. National Gallery of Art
National art museum with West and East Buildings and a sculpture garden on the National Mall; admission is free.
4.8· 14kGallery · Chinatown2. National Portrait Gallery
Smithsonian museum of portraits of influential Americans, including the presidential portraits, with a glass-roofed courtyard atrium.
4.8· 11kTheatre · The West End3. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington's national performing arts center on the Potomac with theaters and a concert hall; the main building is closed for renovation.
4.8· 1.9kTheatre · Southwest Waterfront4. Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
Southwest Waterfront regional theater complex with three stages presenting American plays and musicals.
4.8· 1.5kTheatre · Blagden Alley-Naylor Court Historic District5. Drunk Shakespeare DC
Immersive comedy show where one actor drinks whiskey shots while performing a Shakespeare play; cocktails served to seats.
4.7· 8.6kTheatre · Chinatown6. Ford's Theatre
Historic theatre where Lincoln was shot, with a museum, Petersen House across the street, ranger talks and live performances.
4.8· 886Theatre · Chinatown7. Shakespeare Theatre Company: Harman Hall
Multi-level downtown theatre hosting Shakespeare Theatre Company productions, known for intimate sightlines.
4.8· 731Theatre · Fairlington Green8. Signature Theatre
Arlington professional theatre in Shirlington producing new works plus contemporary and classic musicals and plays in intimate spaces.
4.8· 469Theatre · Chinatown9. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Intimate Penn Quarter theatre company staging new and contemporary plays, with pay-what-you-can performances.
4.6· 7.6kTheatre · The Wharf10. The Anthem
Large concert venue at the Wharf with a standing floor, balcony seating and multiple bars; hosts touring acts.
4.6· 5.1kGallery · Captains Row11. Torpedo Factory Art Center
Former munitions factory on the Alexandria waterfront housing artist studios and galleries where artists work and sell.
4.6· 4.9kLive music · Shaw12. 9:30 Club
Standing-room rock and indie concert hall on V Street with balconies, a bar and pub food; entry by show ticket.
4.6· 3.4kTheatre · Arlandria13. The Birchmere
Long-running Alexandria listening room with supper-club seating and a bandstand, hosting ticketed concerts.
4.6· 3.2kTheatre · Golden Triangle14. DC Improv Comedy Club
Long-running basement comedy club near Dupont Circle with national headliners, local acts and open mic nights.
4.6· 2.1kTheatre · North Potomac Vista15. The Theater
3,000-seat concert theater inside MGM National Harbor casino resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland, hosting touring musicians and comedians.
4.6· 1.9kLive music · Georgetown16. Blues Alley Club
Intimate Georgetown jazz and blues supper club with live headline acts and a food menu.
4.7· 547Theatre · Trinidad17. Atlas Performing Arts Center
Performing arts venue on H Street NE staging theatre, music and dance in a renovated art deco theater.
4.8· 272Theatre · Capitol Hill18. Folger Theatre
Intimate 250-seat Elizabethan-style theatre inside the Folger, staging Shakespeare, other classics and new plays.
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Places checked on 4 November 2026. How we pick