Don’t let the cold keep you down. We’ve found plenty of ways for you to keep busy and beat the winter blues in Northern Virginia this year.
Relive Your Youth at the Arcade
Grab your tokens and kick it old school with a game of Skee Ball, Ms. Pac-Man, or pinball at Alexandria’s Continues Arcade, which also boasts a menu of bites curated by celebrity chef and local restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn.
Go All in at a Polar Plunge
Test your willpower and take an icy dip for a good cause at a Polar Plunge benefiting Special Olympics Virginia. Events include a January 24 dip at Mosaic in Fairfax or a February 14 plunge at Leesylvania State Park.
Learn DIY Home Repair Skills
If winter makes you want to hibernate at home, make good use of your time by tackling that drywall repair or tiling your backsplash. TradeWorx Academy in Fair Oaks Mall offers hands-on workshops with professionals. If you’d rather leave the work to a pro, they also offer classes on vetting a contractor.
Kick Up Your Heels Line Dancing
Dust off your cowboy boots and head to a NoVA bar or restaurant offering line dancing on certain nights of the week, including L&B Pizzeria & Sports Bar in Dale City, Lost Boy Cider in Alexandria, and CraftWorx Taproom in Gainesville.
Sweat it Out at a Sauna
Saunas are having a moment, and NoVA spas offer variations like infrared, charcoal, Korean-style, and hydrotherapy. Some options include King Spa in Chantilly, The Steam & Chill Sauna Co. in Falls Church, and Parkside Spa & Sauna in Annandale.
Mold a Custom Piece of Pottery
Try your hand at making a one-of-a-kind creation at Potters Union in Herndon. The new studio offers classes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill levels.
Clear Out the Clutter
Organize those holiday decorations, clean out that closet, or sort through those catch-all kitchen drawers. Winter is the perfect time to tackle some indoor decluttering projects. You can find organizational experts online to lend a hand, and local companies like Potomac Concierge offer decluttering classes and workshops.
Sip Inside an Igloo
Live the Arctic life at one of the NoVA venues offering cozy, Instagram-worthy heated spaces to enjoy beverages and bites, including Leesburg’s Lansdowne Resort, Lark Brewery in Aldie, and Alexandria’s King & Rye.
Take a Totally Tubular Ride
Love a cold, exhilarating thrill but skiing’s not your thing? Bundle up and head out to a nearby resort like Bryce, Massanutten, Snowshoe, or Roundtop Mountain for some snow tubing.
Cook Up Something New
Tired of serving the same old meals? Cookology in Arlington offers a variety of culinary classes, including how to prepare plant-based options and how to cook with wine. Sur La Table in McLean offers date-night sessions, kids’ classes, and baking lessons — and offers online options as well.
Mix Up Your Workout
Shake out of your fitness rut and try a new class this winter. Reston’s Pure Barre offers ballet-inspired full-body workouts; Sportrock Climbing in Alexandria and Sterling offer bouldering and rope climbing; and Urban Boxing Arlington will help you push your limits with kickboxing or Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Watch High-Level Athletic Pursuits
Sports fans have lots to cheer about this winter. Not only will the Super Bowl air on February 8, but the Winter Olympics — held in Italy — run February 6 through February 22. So even if your favorite NFL team is out of the running, you can still host a watch party to see Team USA compete to bring home the gold.
Skate the Day Away
Don your scarf and gloves and make your own Hallmark holiday movie moment with a spin around an outdoor ice rink. You can find your ice at the Reston Town Center Pavilion, Harris Pavilion in Manassas, and Westpost at National Landing.
Level Up Your Game
Head to Tysons Corner Center’s new Level99, an interactive adult gaming facility with more than 50 mental and physical challenge rooms. Reward yourself afterward at Victory Brewing, the site’s full-service restaurant and bar.
Pair History with Your Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate season is in full swing, and you can savor the sweet drink as you visit eight Alexandria spots and learn the history of the area. Alexandria Food Tours’ Hot Chocolate History Tour includes cocoa from two local shops.
Try Your Luck at a Card or Board Game
Looking to meet new people and show off your board game skills or Pokémon card prowess? Arlington’s The Board Room offers themed game nights; Crossroads Tabletop Tavern in Manassas hosts strategy game nights; Herndon’s Hashtag Gaming Arena hosts tournaments for Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon; and Ashburn’s Huzzah Hobbies hosts monthly Dungeons & Dragons events.
Rock Out to Local Live Music
While you wait for outdoor music venues to open back up, there are plenty of indoor spots to catch a show. Head to The State Theatre or JVs in Falls Church or The Birchmere in Alexandria for a rockin’ good time with cover bands like Newmyer Flyer and tribute bands like Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. Or head to the Barns at Wolf Trap to see acts like improv group The Second City or hear bluegrass from the Yonder Mountain String Band.
Be a Good Sport
Miss those days of playing on your school’s sports team? NoVA adult sports leagues are a great way to get fit, meet new people, and have some fun. Indoor options at leagues like FXA and Volo Sports include bowling, volleyball, pickleball, and basketball.
Bond Over Books
Winter is the perfect time to snuggle up with a book. Once you’ve turned the last page, meet up with fellow bibliophiles at an area book club. Check out groups hosted by local bookstores like Bards Alley in Vienna, One More Page in Arlington, and Old Town Books in Alexandria.
Bust Out Your Binoculars
Bird-watching isn’t just for warm weather — the Northern Virginia Bird Club leads trips all winter at regional parks, bays, and marsh areas. You never know when you might spot a northern pintail or an orange-crowned warbler.
Create Sweet Chocolate Treats
Chocolate makes everything better. Sweeten up a cold day by decorating your own milk chocolate bar with rose petals, Himalayan salt, spices, fruits, and nuts at River-Sea Chocolates in Chantilly. Or learn chocolate making, pastry creation, and cocktail mixing at classes at The Conche in Leesburg.
Visit a Hot Spring
Many people believe hot springs have healing properties, and what better time to try one than in the winter? You can find a warm spring as close as Fredericksburg’s Alum Spring Park, which remains 72 degrees year-round. Virginia also has Blowing Springs (near the Omni Homestead Resort), Shenandoah Hot Springs in Luray, and Falling Spring in Covington.
Embrace Dry January
After indulging over the holidays, many people choose to abstain in the new year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to a marvelous mocktail. Ambar and Surreal in Arlington and Royal Restaurant and Vola’s Dockside Grill in Alexandria are just a few area spots serving up creative and delicious nonalcoholic options.
Rent a Cozy Yurt
Experience the winter beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the three-bedroom Front Royal Yurt, available on Airbnb. It features a fire pit, grill, full kitchen, sunken hot tub, pool table, and — at 1,300 feet elevation — gorgeous 360-degree mountain views.
Lighten Up and Laugh
Nothing beats the winter blues like a hearty chuckle, and many DC and Virginia venues are hosting comedic fun. For example, Martin Lawrence is at the MGM theatre at National Harbor on January 15 and 16; Kelsey Cook is at the DC Improv January 22 through 24; and Caroline Rhea is at the Arlington Drafthouse on January 30 and 31.
Feature image of Mosaic Polar Plunge courtesy Special Olympics Virginia
This story originally ran in our January issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
