With Memorial Day comes the beginning of summer. Starting this weekend, from here to Labor Day, Washingtonians will lament the heat, consider the crowded beaches to the east, and more or less mentally check out. With an eye to getting outside, here are four things you have to do before summer ends.
Visit a winery
Many winery tasting rooms are generally open most of the year, but the best time to go is during an early summer day. Pack a picnic, call a few friends, buy your favorite bottle, and relax on a patch of grass or at an outdoor table.
Northern Virginia has a number of excellent wineries an hour to an hour-and-half from D.C. But if that kind of drive seems daunting, there’s always Paradise Springs Winery, approximately 30 miles away from downtown D.C. in Clifton.
“”There’s not a lot of places to put a winery,” said Paradise Springs owner Kirk Wiles. “”We have a beautiful setting. They can have a great evening and not have to drive so far.”
Opened only about 18 months, the winery recently debuted its new tasting room.
From 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Paradise Springs holds its happy hour, featuring $1 off glasses of wine, as well as live music. Knock off work a little early, recruit a designated driver, and you’ll be enjoying a glass of vino in less than an hour. And yes, they’re open until 9.
“Being so close, we want people to feel like they have time to enjoy drinking wine,” Wiles said.
Paradise Springs Winery: 13219 Yates Ford Road, Clifton, Va.; 703-830-WINE; paradisespringswinery.com
Outdoor Movies
Weekly outdoor movie festivals in the D.C. area have become almost as common as tourists standing on the left side of a Metro escalator. And while the festival themes initially were pretty straightforward (science fiction, best of the 1990s, James Bond), this summer seems a bit more eclectic.
The folks at National Harbor have even added an additional night. Sunday nights are still reserved for family-friendly films, and now Friday nights are labeled date night.
“It really became very popular,” said Rocell Viniard, vice president and director of marketing for National Harbor. “We had great crowds every night. It made sense to add date night.”
Crystal City’s theme, which falls on Monday beginning June 6, is “By the Numbers,” and features films such as “Air Force One,” “Forty Year Old Virgin” and “Oceans 11.” Rosslyn’s ongoing Friday feature is called “SNL in the Movies” and highlights former “Saturday Night Live” stars in film. Selections include this Friday’s “Tommy Boy” and later in the summer “Animal House” and “Mean Girls.” NoMa’s Wednesday Summer Screen tackles trains (“Stand By Me” and “Slumdog Millionaire” this June). National Harbor’s weekly summer films begin June 10.
“It’s fun,” Viniard said. ” People love going to the movies.”
Rosslyn (Fridays through Aug. 26): rosslynva.org
NOMA (Wednesdays through Aug. 3): nomabid.org
Crystal City (Mondays beginning June 6): crystalcity.org
National Harbor (Fridays and Sundays beginning June 10): nationalharbor.com
Grab a drink on a rooftop bar
There are a growing number of places in the D.C. area to grab a drink and enjoy a gorgeous elevated view, but the most striking has to be the P.O.V. lounge atop the W Hotel. The view? The White House. You’re almost close enough to wave at the snipers on the roof (though you shouldn’t wave at the snipers on the roof).
Try to get a reservation, but if you’re feeling adventurous at 5 p.m., head over for a drink before it gets too crowded. Sure, glasses of wine start at $10, but the view is worth it.
P.O.V. Lounge: 515 15th St. NW; pointofviewdc.com
Tidal Basin Paddle Boats
Those happy tourists sitting out in the middle of the Tidal Basin? Well, they’re tired. Because as anyone who has ever piloted a paddle boat knows, it’s hard work. But if you’ve lived in the area a while and haven’t taken the plunge, give the paddle boats at the Tidal Basin a shot. Heck, for just $12 an hour for a two-person boat, you’ll get a whole different perspective on the monuments. And an added workout for your legs.
tidalbasinpeddleboats.com
