Long nights and dreary weather can make motivating yourself to leave the house hard, but all Netflix and all chill makes Jack or Jill a dull date. Just because the holidays are largely over doesn’t mean the rest of winter has to be boring—it just means the corny and saccharine stuff is done. If you need a plan to motivate yourself to, why don’t you two…

Time to get your date on. (Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons)

Ice Skate at the Sculpture Garden

The sculpture garden provides a rather romantic backdrop to the rink, which offers reasonably priced skate rentals and turns particularly pretty when backlit snowflakes waft down onto the ice at night. There’s also an option right on the Georgetown Waterfront, that is bigger and slightly more expensive. Anyway, what better excuse to get cozy with your boo than if you’re truly good and cold first? You can warm up with hot cocoa at the nearby kiosk in the interim and find some delicious pho or ramen afterwards.

Cheer on the DC Rollergirls or another new sports team

Um, badass women on wheels. Need I say more? Even if you’re not a woman looking for women or a sports fan of any kind, roller derby is incredibly fun. The banter, the bruising (literally) competition … all of it makes for an exciting and creative date. You could also show your District pride by cheering on the Wizards or the Caps. If you’d rather participate than spectate, there are a wide variety of sports clubs and classes in the District. Browse the Kennedy Recreation Center options or catch a game of pickup frisbee (yes, even in the winter) down on the mall.

Bluejacket. (Photo by Brian Allen)

Tour a local brewery

The District is brimming with great microbrew spots, including 3 Stars, Bluejacket, DC Brau, Hellbender, Right Proper, Atlas Brew Works, Port City, Capitol City, Denizens Brewery, and more. We’ve mapped out one potential tour you can do through Ivy City and NoMa.

Ski or snowboard (at night!)

Located an hour and a half outside of D.C., Whitetail resort features a high-speed lift and most of its slopes are lit up come dusk, you know, for extra thrills and romance. Lessons are offered for less experienced skiers or snowboarders, including a women-only day. If you’re still not into teetering on a slick plank or two at top speeds, you can go tubing! This native Wisconsinite wholeheartedly vouches for the pure joy that is rocketing down an icy hill on inflated tire innards. Other comparative options include Liberty Mountain Resort, Wisp Resort, Snowshoe Mountain Resort, and Timberline Resort.

Photo by Clif Burns.

See some theater, ya Philistine

Go catch some culture. You can always check out our monthly theater preview for some of the best shows currently being staged. Woolly Mammoth Theater Company is always a good bet—it features truly interesting and current independent performances (and if you’re under 30, tickets are just $20). Other great performing arts options include the Howard Theater, Studio, the Shakespeare Theater Company, Ford’s Theater, Warner Theatre, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, and many more. If you’re tight on cash many theaters have group discounts and “pay what you can” nights, or check out the daily free show at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Millennium Stage. (The Kennedy Center and the National Theatre also have accessible performances.)

Haunt a hookah lounge

Maybe you’re meeting up with a Tinderella for the first time, and you’re looking to check out their sexy smoke ring game. Get your Gandolf the Grey on at the lovely, dusky hookah dens sprinkled throughout Adams Morgan, U Street, and H Street NE.

Photo by c00lmarie.

Peruse the museums you’ve been meaning to see

Winter is the perfect time to explore the joyous glut of museums available in the District. If you’re seeking art, head to the Hirshorn, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the African Art Museum, the Asian Art Museum, or another one of the many, many lesser-known galleries. Impress your boo by scoring tickets to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. If they’re a book-lover bring them to the awe-inspiring Library of Congress. There’s a very cool Native Nations Inaugural Ball at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian on January 20. If kids are part of the equation, try the family-friendly Spy Fest at the Spy Museum on January 27. I’m hoping to go to the “Louder Than Words,” rock n’ roll exhibit opening at the Newseum on January 13th. D.C. offers something for every nerd.

Protest or volunteer

Because D.C. is an incredibly politically engaged city, chances are your high partner is, too. Why not do something for a cause you both care about? Go cuddle puppies at an animal shelter, protest on the mall, mentor some kids, or spend time working at a food bank or homeless shelter. Engaging in something meaningful to you both is a great way to strengthen your bond, and the District is full of great volunteering opportunities, whether you’d like to focus on local arts, combatting hunger or homelessness, or something else.

U.S. Botanic Garden (Photo by Jill Slater)

Get your flora fix

If the cold has you craving some nature, head to the underrated National Arboretum. You can also wander around the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum or the vast chain of Smithsonian gardens, which are pretty even in the winter. Personally I love going to the beautiful glassed-in (read: warm) United States Botanic Garden to photograph the cacti and orchids, and to breath that humid, oxygen-rich air. Support your local economy by purchasing some adorable, hip, (and hard to kill) little succulents at a nearby nursery. If you want to do something more active, don’t forget about hiking Rock Creek Park!

Learn about another culture at a winter festival

The area is celebrating the Chinese New Year (which begins on January 28 this year) with a Chinese New Year parade, Chinese dragon dances, live musical performances, and much more. You can also check out the event listings at the various embassies; there’s always something interesting going down like the Macedonian Old-New Year’s Masquerade celebration on January 14. Make a point to learn about a holiday tradition you two know little about.

The Logan Circle location is on the smaller side, but it is well stocked (Courtesy of Buffalo Exchange)

Go thrifting

Sure there are lots of fancy shopping options popping up around D.C., but they don’t offer the same thrill of the hunt and unique pieces that thrifting does. The District actually boasts some fabulous second-hand shops. Check out DCist’s guide to the best ones here.

Create something

Budget-minded lovers can bring their date to the ArtSpace DC in Shaw. For $5 you can learn a new skill and use any of the piles of art supplies including paint, colored pencils, looms, canvas, a darkroom, and more! Some of the Monroe St. Arts Walk studios in Brookland offer interesting and sometimes obscure art and craftsmanship classes.

Sir Sundays. (Photo by Alex Edelman)

Be fabulous at a drag or burlesque show

Feed your saucy side by checking out a drag or burlesque show (and no need to limit yourself to nighttime, either). If you’ve never been, you’re in for a treat. Many shows are very inclusive, queer-friendly, and wonderfully weird. Again, if you’d rather participate, there are lots of classes for that. It’s a great way to work up a sexy sweat.

Explore every neighborhood in the District

Even though D.C. is a relatively small city, it can be easy to unconsciously stay within certain bubbles marked by class, geography, interest, profession, accessibility, etc. Make an effort to get to know all of your neighbors better by going to a restaurant, shopping, attending an event, or simply wandering around every District neighborhood in the next year. (Maybe map your progress by coloring in a cool poster like this!) Seeing the District’s 131 neighborhoods will take time, so why not knock a few out together this weekend?