Hot Nights and City Lights: My favorite fair weather DC dates

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone and suddenly I've been sucked into the humid haze of a Washington DC summer.  Although in about a month it will probably be in the high 90s with 100% humidity, I still love summer in this city.  Sure there are tourists and interns clogging up the metro and sidewalks, but they are all here to visit us!  Well, maybe not us, but our beautiful, muggy city, built on a swamp, rich with history, and ripe with politicians and wannabes.  But I digress...I really love summer in the city. 

So...on the off chance I DO go out on a date this summer, I've decided to compile my favorite summer dates/outings, so that when the time comes, I'll be armed with fun suggestions.  Here are my top 5, with commentary, in no particular order.

1.  Airplane Watching at Gravelly Point (Arlington, VA):  Now anyone who knows me knows that I have an irrational fear of flying, but something about watching planes successfully land and take off is very exhilarating to me.  Gravelly Point Park is located along the Potomac River just off the George Washington Parkway.  Its also the closest you can get to a runway without actually working at the airport or being on the plane.  If the wind is blowing from the south you will be just a mere 300 feet below the jets that are taking off from Reagan National Airport.  In three words, it. is. awesome.  In my opinion, its also a great first date.  Its not your typical "going to the movies" first date where there's not really a chance to chat with your date.  Rather, at Gravelly Point, you'll have time to chat, while also have the distraction of airplanes taking off over your head every 5 minutes or so.  Fail Date Potential:  A lot of people, especially families, frequent this park.  If you're looking to be alone with your date, this is not the place.

2.  A Visit to Great Falls Park (Great Falls Virginia): Also located off the George Washington Parkway, this park boast spectacular views of the Great Falls waterfalls.  There are also places to picnic, and hiking trails for all skill levels.  Fail Date Potential:  Weekends in the summer means a big long line of cars waiting to get into the park.  Keep your patience level elevated and the car's air conditioning on max and you should be okay.  

3.  Miniature Golf (Top Golf, Alexandria, Virginia): I like to go on dates that involve a little friendly competition, like bowling or a game of pool.  Well during the summer you can bring your competitive side outside, with a friendly game of miniature golf.  I prefer going to Top Golf in Alexandria, VA.  Now for the transportationally challenged, getting there may be tough.  But there's always Zipcar, and there's the chance your date might be a baller and have his very own car (swoooon!).  Anyway its totally worth it when you get there!  Nice, clean facility, with romantical evening and nighttime hours, and a bar in the club house where the loser can buy a round. Fail Date Potential:  I really can't think of one.  Unless maybe if your date is an ass or a sore loser, or if you really just don't like mini golf.

4.  Paddle Boating (Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C.): Make like a tourist and rent a paddle boat for an hour!  Its only $8 for the hour and when you get back on dry land you'll have worked up an appetite and you'll be ready for a cocktail.  Fail Date Potential:  You'll have to wear a life vest which isn't very trendy, but not all that bad because it may end up saving your life.  You also may capsize, but I haven't heard of that happening a lot.  I think this is a safe bet.  

5.  Nationals Baseball Game (Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.):  Wow, the Nationals suck this year, but I sure do love going to baseball games.  The baseball stadium is really the only place that I can think of where I'll buy a plastic bottle of Coors Lite for $7.50.  But I still think baseball games are really fun dates.    On a side note, I'm actually going to the Washington Nationals Ladies Night Happy Hour at the stadium tomorrow.  Its a happy hour for laaaaadddiieees, prior to the game, with food and drink, complimentary massages and manicures, other girly things, and player appearances.  I'm not going to lie, when I heard about the player appearances, I thought, this is my chance to land me a baseball player! What a blog posting that would be!  Fail Date Potential: Hmmmm, is there one?  I guess the only reason both you and your date would end up at a baseball game is if you enjoyed watching baseball and drinking $7.50 Coors Lites.  So it might just be a match made in heaven.