Who says spooky season can’t also be romantic? Here are five ideas for a bewitching Halloween date.
Drink creepy cocktails
Turn drinks into a haunting evening at Halloween pop-up bars. Penn Quarter golf bar Puttery has transformed into Frankenstein’s “cocktail lab” through November 7. Themed cocktails feature neon colors, smoke, and fake eyeballs. Tickets cost $22 and include a welcome drink. In Alexandria, the Nightmare on the Avenue pop-up is pouring seasonal drinks such as the “Pumpkin Pie Hazing” (Kahlúa and pumpkin purée) and “Stitched & Salted,” a tequila-based cocktail with a black salt rim. The bar is decked out with skeletons, a haunted carnival area, and a replica of the girl from The Ring.
Double date with ghosts
Invite local spirits to join your date on a ghost tour. A guide clad in colonial garb leads Alexandria’s Original Ghost and Graveyard Tour, sharing paranormal tales as your stroll through charming Old Town. Tickets are $15. Or, head to Georgetown for the nightly Ghosts of Georgetown walking tour. You’ll be guided through picturesque houses to learn about the neighborhood’s haunted histories and true crime stories. The tour also includes a stop at the steps featured in The Exorcist. Tickets start at $39.
See a spooky film
Going to the movies is a classic date, and local screens are showing a range of spooky films in October. Independent theater Suns Cinema in Mount Pleasant is embracing the season with a series of spine-chilling classics, from The Psychic on October 22 to Halloween on October 31. Tickets are $12, and the theater also has a cocktail bar so you can debrief the jump scares over drinks. For outdoor movies while the weather is still nice, head to Union Market for Ghostbusters on October 17 and the UDC Amphitheater for The Addams Family on October 24. Both screenings are free.
Watch a Halloween-themed show
The Drunk Shakespeare Society is performing Drunk Dracula, where a rotating cast member performs the show after five shots of whiskey. Tickets range from $49 to $149, and you can see how the actors manage the mayhem through November 9. On Halloween, a live shadow cast is performing The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Lincoln Theatre. You can get tickets to see the cult classic for $45 to $57.
Carve a jack-o’-lantern
Head to a pumpkin patch in Maryland or Virginia to get a gourd you can carve during a cozy night in. For pumpkins in DC, Blagden Alley backyard bar Calico is hosting a free Late Harvest Festival on October 19. Pick pumpkins from the patch and paint them while sipping on hot cocktails. Take part in a jack-o’-lantern display at Nalls Produce in Fairfax County. Pick up a pumpkin on October 31 to decorate at home and then drop it off at the garden center or stop by Nalls on November 1 from 11 AM to 4 PM to carve a pumpkin you’ll leave behind. Return Saturday or Sunday night to see the works all lit up.
