59° and Patchy rain nearby
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The forecast is garbage. Your weekend does not have to be.
I started to write a beach guide. Research was done. I had it all mapped out. Sandy Point. Colonial Beach. Breezy Point. Beautiful. Perfect. Then I looked at the weather app and sighed.
Rain. All weekend. Maybe through Monday.
So here is the pivot. You can still leave the house. You can still have an adventure. These six indoor spots are affordable, and close enough that you won't spend your whole weekend in the car. No FOMO. No soaked sneakers. Just good fun.
Photo: Ad Meskens via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.01. The Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly, VA)
The vibe: A massive hangar attached to the National Air and Space Museum. Space shuttle. SR-71 Blackbird. Enough airplanes to make your neck hurt from looking up. It is also, apparently, the longest indoor walk in the DMV if you need steps.
Hours: 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily.
Cost: Free admission. Parking is $15.
Why go when it is raining: Because you can walk laps around the Space Shuttle and pretend you are training for something. One lap is about 2,460 feet. Do a few. Call it exercise.
Before you go: The cafeteria exists. It is fine. Bring snacks if you are picky.
CCA - Share Alike 4.0 International. Photo: AgnosticPreachersKid2. The Rubell Museum (Washington, DC)
The vibe: A contemporary art museum in Navy Yard. Modern. Spacious. Quiet. Exactly the cure for a rain-soaked weekend.
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Cost: Saturdays and Sundays, $15 for adults. Wednesday through Friday, pay-what-you-wish. DC residents get in free.
Why go when it is raining: Because it is indoors, it is quiet, and you can spend 40 to 60 minutes looking at art without anyone asking you to buy something. The building has floor-to-ceiling windows, arched ceilings, and a mix of white gallery space and exposed brick. It is also a block from the Navy Yard waterfront—so if the rain lets up, you can pop outside.
Before you go: Street parking is about $2 an hour for the first hour. Metro is easier. Navy Yard station is right there. Take a look at the exhibition schedule.
 via Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.03. Glen Echo Park (Glen Echo, MD)
The vibe: A historic arts park just outside Bethesda. Indoor dance classes in the Spanish Ballroom. A beautiful, creaky building with actual soul.
Hours: Check the website for class schedules. The park is open daily.
Cost: Dance classes vary. Some are under $20.
Why go when it is raining: Because the Spanish Ballroom has a floor that has seen thousands of dancers, and on a rainy night, it feels like a secret. They offer contra dance (kind of like square dancing) on Friday nights. No partner needed. No experience required. Wear shoes and be willing to look silly.
Before you go: Wear comfortable clothes. Bring water. Leave everything else at the door.
Roller-skating experience.4. The Kraken (Washington, DC)
The vibe: The DMV's only indoor roller-skating rink. Located on Rhode Island Avenue NE. Also has pickleball and table tennis.
Hours: Check their website—open skate times vary.
Cost: Admission is reasonable. Skate rental available.
Why go when it is raining: Because nothing makes you forget the weather like wheels on a wood floor and disco lights. You do not need to be good. You just need to be willing to fall. Also, it is one of the few places in DC where adults can act like kids and no one judges.
Before you go: Bring socks. Wear pants you do not mind scuffing. And accept that your ankles will hurt tomorrow. View indoor photo gallery.
5. Swingers (Dupont Circle, DC)
The vibe: Indoor mini golf with a bar and street food vendors. Two different themed courses. It is not for kids—it is for adults who want to putt and drink.
Hours: Check the website. Weekends are busy.
Cost: Around $20 per person for a round of golf.
Why go when it is raining: Because it is indoors and it requires zero athletic ability. Also, the food is good. Also, you can drink a cocktail while lining up a putt. Also, it is in Dupont Circle, so you can metro there and avoid driving in the rain.
Before you go: Reservations recommended. Do not just show up on a holiday weekend and expect a tee time. It's a highly styled interior. Check out their photo gallery.
6. Pinstripes (Georgetown or Pike & Rose)
The vibe: Indoor bowling and bocce with a full restaurant and bar. Upscale. Clean. Not your childhood bowling alley.
Hours: Open daily. Check the website for reservations.
Cost: Bowling is about $15 to $20 per person per game, plus shoe rental.
Why go when it is raining: Because it is a classic rainy-day activity with a coat of polish. The Georgetown location is in a historic building. The Pike & Rose location is newer. Both have good food and drinks. You can bowl, eat, and wait out the storm without feeling like you are trapped in a basement.
Before you go: Make a reservation. Memorial Day weekend will be busy. Here are the official venue map and brochure.
The Bottom Line
The beach was a nice thought. The weather might have other plans. Or it might not.
Here is the deal. If the sun comes out, go. We will have the beach guide waiting for you.
If the rain is real, do not sit at home refreshing your social media, watching everyone else have fun. Go do something. Put on real pants. Walk through a museum. Bowl. Dance in a historic ballroom. Fall on roller skates. Laugh about it.
The rain will stop eventually. Your weekend is happening right now.
#RainyDayDMV #MemorialDayWeekend #IndoorAdventures #UdvarHazy #GlenEchoPark
More News from Takoma Park
- Jeff Draco Is Throwing an Album Release Party. You Are Invited. Memorial Day weekend. DC beloved indie pop rocker, Jeff Draco's new album release is on May 23 at Songbyrd. Night Hawk and Housing Co. open. Be there.
- Tonight in Bethesda: Doors Open at 7:30 PM! (Free Event) Free Bethesda mariachi workshop tonight at 7:30.
