When It's Just the 2 of You... There's Only 1 DC for a Romantic Weekend Escape

Whether you're treating your valentine to a mini vacation, taking a long weekend break for Presidents' Day or celebrating the start of spring, Washington DC offers wonderful opportunities for romantic getaways in early 2024.

LGBTQ+ couples looking to indulge in fine dining, fabulous performances, cultural exploration or vibrant nightlife will all find something to suit their fancy and provide an invigorating break from the winter doldrums.

Queer-owned Culinary Adventures

Over the past nine years, husbands Michael Reginbogin and Jason Berry have built Knead Hospitality and Design, a DC restaurant empire. The savvy couple has a phenomenal track record of identifying extraordinarily talented chefs to then create stunningly designed showplaces for said talents.

Feasts for the eyes and the palate, Knead's hot spots include Succotash Prime, where James Beard-winning chef Edward Lee brings an Asian accent to Southern cuisine. Indulge in dishes like crab cakes with curry remoulade, crispy green beans with wasabi ranch, and collard greens with kim chi served alongside massive platters of fried chicken and prime steaks.

At Gatsby, art deco décor meets all-American diner cooking: whether you're in the mood for chicken pot pie or pie a la mode, you're in the right place. And their "No Prohibition" nightly special offers 90 minutes of bottomless craft cocktails for $38.99.

Recently, their more casual Kneadza artisan pizza and tuTaco Mexican street food concepts have opened at Swingers, DC's cocktail-fueled indoor miniature golf course for grown-ups.

Pia Carusone and Rachel Gardner are the queer business partners behind Republic Restoratives, the world's largest women-owned and crowdfunded distillery. Their singular brands, like Madam, a blended whiskey which features a portrait of Kamala Harris on the bottle; and Dissent pastrami-spiced gin, a tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg (portions of proceeds are donated to the National Network of Abortion Funds) can be sampled on weekend tasting tours at their New York Avenue headquarters.

It's Not Just a Stage

The work of queer heroes old and new will be featured at some of DC's most celebrated venues this winter. The Tony-winning revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company will play at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts between March 12 and 21 as part of its national tour. The straight twosome known as Paul and Amy in prior productions has here been reimagined as gay couple Paul and Jamie.

Over at the legendary 9:30 Club, LGBTQ+ singer songwriters will be in town for three wildly varied shows. Brittney Howard, the former frontwoman of Alabama Shakes, and solo Grammy-winner in her own right plays selections from her brand-new album, What Now?, on February 20 and 21.

Later that week, on February 23, moody, broody California-born Ryan Beatty brings his Calico tour to town. And on March 3, the club welcomes another Gen Z icon-in-waiting, the internet-spawned sensation Maddy Zahm.

Nocturnal Animals

If you're looking to extend a romantic night on the town beyond the curtain call or final encore, DC's queer club scene is ready to welcome you.

Longtime favorite JR's remains a staple of the Dupont Circle scene, while last year saw the opening of a new neighbor, The Little Gay Pub, with gold and green bathroom décor that has gone viral as a background for sexy selfies. Also nearby, the DuPont Italian Kitchen (a.k.a. DIK) is the city's best spot for queer karaoke.

Over on the U Street corridor, another major gayborhood, massive new club Bunker arrived in 2023, joining already popular dance spot The Dirty Goose. The city also boasts a real rarity, A League of Her Own, which may be the world's only queer women's sports bar, along with fan favorites As You Are and Green Lantern, among others.

History and Culture

A visit to DC is never complete without a visit to the federal institutions and museums along the National Mall.

For many LGBTQ+ travelers, a self-guided tour of the Supreme Court of the United States will provide a memorable emotional experience.

Queer visitors may find themselves inspired by the site where decisions were made in cases like Obergfell v. Hodges (2015), which legalized same-sex marriage nationally, and Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), which declared that firing an employee merely for being gay or transgender is illegal.

Beginning on March 1, the National Portrait Gallery will present "Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood's Golden Age by George Hurrell," featuring stunning portraits that helped establish Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo and Katharine Hepburn as indelible icons in the American psyche.

Hurrell's oeuvre also includes the famous images of closeted gay leading men Ramon Novarro and William Haines.

Where to Canoodle Overnight

Among the many DC hotels rolling out a rainbow-striped welcome mat to LGBTQ+ visitors, the most notable include The Eaton, located in walking distance of the Smithsonian Museums and featuring yoga classes, sound baths and, on weekends, vinyl-only DJ sets in its Allegory lounge.

There's also the stylish Lyle, by Dupont Circle, which features a 24-hour Peloton-equipped gym (all the better for counteracting its bottomless Bloody Mary brunch); the LINE DC, in a stunningly refurbished 110-year-old church in the lively Adams Morgan neighborhood; and the Hotel Zena, which features an extensive gallery of work by women artists, a giant interactive Lite Brite wall, and a lobby pool table.

When you're looking for the perfect romantic getaway, remember there's only one DC.

Discover more great activities and events at washington.org.