Can D.C. be a world-class city with just two bowling alleys? As the rest of the ist-averse names the best places to knock over some pins in their respective areas, we here at DCist had to improvise and add some other leisure activities to the list. Below are a few ways to unwind in the D.C. area. Yes, drinking is included.
Photo by DC John.
BOWLING: We now have two — yes, two! — options for bowling in D.C. proper, both of them of the upscale variety. Lucky Strike (701 7th Street NW) plays host to D.C.’s Better Off Bowling Old league on Sunday and Monday nights. Registration is $69 for October-November games. The old standby has been somewhat eclipsed by newcomer Pinstripes (1064 Wisconsin Avenue NW), which offers Italian food and reasonably priced local beer. Depending on the day and time, a game will run you from $5 to $9 per person. Bocce at Pinstripes is similarly priced. To get an old-school bowling experience, you’ll have to leave the city. If you or someone you can convince to come bowling with you has an ID from a federal government agency, branch of the military or National Institutes of Health, the inexpensive ($2.50 to $3.50!) and authentic Bethesda Naval Bowling Center is an option. Bowl America began in the D.C. area and still has several locations in the region, including a Falls Church location which is about a 30-minute walk from the West Falls Church Metro station.
SKEE BALL: Skee Ball is popular enough in D.C. that there’s a league. Teams of six to eight people can register with DC Skee for one of five nights around the area, including at Iron Horse (507 7th Street NW) and Buffalo Billiards (1330 19th Street NW). Penn Social (801 E Street NW) and H Street Country Club (1335 H Street NE) offer 50-cent games, while Rocket Bar ( 714 7th Street NW) also has lanes.
PING PONG: Tables are free to use at Comet Ping Pong (5037 Connecticut Avenue NW), a location preferred by a local table tennis Meetup group. You can also get some table tennis time in at Penn Social, Buffalo Billiards ($10 per hour) and Breadsoda (Tuesday nights only). If you want to get real serious about table tennis, Club Joola in Rockville (4931 Wyaconda Road) offers classes and private coaching.
Photo by Stephen Grodek.
GOLF: While I have never understood the pleasure gained in playing 18 holes of golf, whacking the bejesus out of a golf ball — that I get. Two of D.C.’s three public golf courses — East Potomac (972 Ohio Drive SW) and Langston (2600 Benning Road NE) — have driving ranges. East Potomac’s features 50 covered stalls and 50 uncovered where you can hit 51 balls for $7. Clubs can be borrowed for free. For the same amount of money, you can play mini golf at East Potomac between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
LASER TAG: Laser tag was really cool when you were kid, and then it got lame, and then it got cool again, and then How I Met Your Mother ruined it and it got lame again. I’m hear to tell you that it’s cool again. On what authority, you ask? On the authority that I worked at a laser tag arena throughout college and, well, just trust me, it’s fun as shit. Running around in a dark maze, shooting people with an invisible beam. You’re lying to yourself if you don’t think that sounds like a good time. Anyway, the bad news is there’s no laser tag places in D.C. The good news is that there’s a number of great places throughout the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. I can personally vouch for Shadowland in Gaithersburg (624 Quince Orchard Road), where I cut my teeth on the sport as a young lad. But it doesn’t matter where you’re playing. Ultra Zone Laser Tag (447 Carlin Springs Road, Falls Church, Va.) and Shadowland Laser Adventures (5508 Franconia Road in Alexandria, Va.) are two other options. Good laser tag skills are prevalent in any arena. — Matt Cohen
POOL: Previously mentioned locations Breadsoda ($6-$16 per hour), Rocket Bar ($6 to $20) and Buffalo Billiards ($8-$22) are all known for their pool tables. Add to the list Atomic (3427 Connecticut Avenue NW; $6-$20 per hour, prorated) and my personal favorite dark basement, Bedrock Billiards (1841 Columbia Road NW; $6-$20).
DRINKING: You don’t need an excuse to drink in This Town; it’s one of our favorite pastimes. But if you want to drink in an organized way, Church and State (1236 H Street NE) hosts Whiskey Wednesdays for members of its Whiskey Club, which rewards you for drinking nice American whiskeys. Its sister bar, Wisdom (1432 Pennsylvania Avenue SE), has a similar club, except for gin. DC Beer also features events around the city where you can gather with other alcohol lovers for things like special tap takeovers.
