Oops, can't believe I haven't written a review! I've been here when it first opened back in 2022…read moreand a few times since then. I love the location. It's easy to get to and appreciate that parking is simple via the attached garage (albeit the garage is interesting and could be the scene of a horror film). There are ample food options as well since this place is nestled in Ballston with the outdoor area on Wilson crawling with restaurants. If you need something quick, fast casual spots and fast food in general are offered in the food court inside of the mall. Now for the actual game review. It's best to book in advance online. Things are super easy and much faster; you also do not have to pick a game right away. So far I've played the Floor is Lava, a more family oriented one with my nephew, and most recently Squid Games with my nieces. Note that the latter is better suited for older kids. My youngest niece who is 5 had a couple of issues maneuvering her avatar during Squid Games. Of the three I played, Squid Games has been my favorite, naturally. Youngest niece kept dying every time she stepped foot. I was telling her to go left go left and she screamed back at me that she hadn't learned left or right yet, then proceeded to get picked off. Game aside, please note you are welcome to purchase drinks from the room. If you are playing a game that's more than 30 mins, note you will need water. There is a lot of moving around. Also note, sadly the water is Dasani so prepare to have your tastebuds assaulted.

I wasn't familiar with Immersive Gamebox before our visit. I've heard of similar interactive gaming…read moresetups, but I didn't know IGB had a location in Arlington--or what to expect from the experience. I went with my niece and was genuinely surprised by how much fun we had! The games were interactive, challenging, and a total blast. We laughed a lot, got competitive, and I'm pretty sure people in the other rooms (or "boxes") could hear us having a great time. I'm really glad we gave it a try, and I'd definitely go back. If you have kids or are looking for a unique family outing, I'd say the passes are well worth it. One quick tip: Know exactly where you're going before you arrive. I didn't realize the location is on the outside of the mall, which wasn't a big issue for me, but it could be frustrating if you're tight on time. The confirmation emails do a solid job providing directions--if you're driving and parking. But if you're getting dropped off (like I was via Uber), the signage and location can be a little tricky to spot. A minor hiccup, but something to be aware of.

Jonathon at Vintage View Cinema was proactive and timely in his services. We used a 33 foot screen…read moresetup and it was perfect for our event.

From the owner: Discover the thrill of mobile cinema like never before at Vintage View Cinemas…read more What We Offer: - Giant Inflatable Outdoor and Indoor Screens - High-Quality Audio and Projection - Delicious Concessions including Popcorn, Candy, Nachos, Nachos, etc. - Adult and Family-Friendly Atmospheres - Blockbuster Films & Classics - Vintage themed Preshows and Intermissions included with every package Special Features: - Themed Movie Nights - Date Night Packages - Kids' Movie Parties - Live Sports and Entertainment - Corporate Events - Concession Rentals - Rock Band Karaoke

Funny story - I was looking for kid-friendly ideas of things to do in DC and asked ChatGPT for…read moreideas. One of the responses was the Planet Word museum, which I never heard of. I looked it up and decided to try it! They recommend you get timed passes online ahead of time; it's free but they do recommend a donation. This museum is SO COOL! As someone who loves different languages and words I loved everything about this place! My kids loved all of the interactivity. There is a room with an interactive word wall and you can interact and answer and request more info on the history of certain words. For example, I learned that "ketchup" was named after a Chinese sauce even though they are not similar. There is also a magical library room where you can pick a book off the shelf and place it on a book holder and the book is read to you. There are also mirror shadow boxes that come to life if you read the inscription. Finally, the kids loved the karaoke room - you select a song and as you sing along you see the types of parts of speech at play in the song. Great experience, would for sure recommend and go back!

Planet Word is a fun pit stop geared mostly toward children, though adults will still find plenty…read moreto enjoy. The space feels very modern, with clean and well maintained exhibits throughout. I appreciated the free coat rack and lockers available to all visitors. One thing to note is that the stairs are unidirectional, so moving between floors requires walking across the entire level each time. We were advised to start on the third floor and work our way down. The third floor featured a massive globe surrounded by multilingual iPads. Each one offered different languages along with cultural and linguistic context. The video and audio quality stood out as especially clear. There was also an interactive show exploring the history and cultural influences behind everyday words. While museum shows can sometimes feel skippable, this one held attention for the full fifteen minutes with clever use of visuals, lighting, and a dynamic word driven backdrop. On the second floor, the free photobooth stood out as a highlight. Individuals or pairs pose based on randomly assigned words. The photo quality is not the best, but it still makes for a fun and memorable souvenir. There is also a sing along room where groups of children gather to perform songs. I had to laugh when Eminem came on, though I was genuinely impressed by how the lyrics were broken down and analyzed on screen. A small library space is also available, stocked mostly with children's books for casual reading. I also tried the Lexicon Lane experience, which cost forty dollars and is designed for groups of up to four. It is set up similarly to an escape room, but with a stronger focus on wordplay and language based puzzles. Since we were the first group of the day, we had full choice of the cases, while later groups had to pick from what remained. Each case offers a normal or expert level, though both were fairly challenging. Some puzzles rely heavily on familiarity with American idioms and cultural references, which could make them tougher for some players. That said, the staff were very accommodating and offered helpful nudges when groups got stuck. I would especially recommend this for puzzle lovers, as it is a unique add on and actually more affordable than a typical escape room. One of the standout aspects of Planet Word is the staff. They were consistently friendly, approachable, and clearly invested in making the experience enjoyable. Overall, it is a great museum to visit if you are looking to be entertained for an hour or so.

Whimsical, thoughtful, elegant, and delightful. Fresh cut flowers, hot tea, tasty scones and…read morecream...every detail of today's Mother's Day tea was just ah-mazing!!!! Thank you Mrs. B and your lovely team!! Can't wait to be back!

Such great ambiance, they did a great job with this place! The employees were so kind and helpful…read moretoo. The food variety was great. They were able to offer great GF options too

Best movie theater ever. The place is huge and it offers a great place to catch movies. The seats…read moreare great, the food selection is awesome, and the parking is in the garage and there are plenty of spaces. I like most the seats and the theater size. Come catch a movie here!

Went here recently with a movie and the service was terrible…read more 1. Everything was very disorganized, many people didn't know how to get food, or where to get it. The staff there did not seem able to help anyone. It seemed there were about 3 different systems to order food. You couldn't order real food on the concessions kiosk, and you couldn't just go to to the counter to order food like in other theaters. You had to order real food from your seats, butt when we got to our seats, we couldn't see a food menu, but had to call a server (which we did, but they never came). Only after the movie was over, did someone tell us we could order food from staff. We asked this before the movie, and were told we had to order from our seats. 2. Staff seemed disinterested and lacked training. I had a question about food, as the QR code wasn't working. I went up to an associate to ask for help. At first they tried walking away from me, but I flagged them down. I know they saw me, since we looked at each other right in the eyes. They said "Just scan the QR code." When I informed them I did and it still wasn't working, I just got a blank stare in return. Luckily another person answered. They told us the kitchen was closed, and they weren't serving food anymore, which was incorrect. So we didn't get food until after the movie 3. I wasn't the only one with issues. After the movie, I ran into several customers who were very confused about the whole process of getting food, and lots of people had problems getting food and drink. 4. The food wasn't good either. Not that I expect a gourmet meal, but I expected edible food, as that seems to be known for. On a positive note, the actual theater was pretty nice. Comfortable seats, better than AMC/Regal. The screen was very clear. Overall, it seems the staff were very poorly trained, didn't want to help customers, and seemed very overwhelmed. This was not a pleasant experience for myself, or the people I was with. I doubt I'd ever come back to this theater.

I had never been here before attending a smaller/private show with a couple groups of kids over the…read moreweekend. I've been to a few planetariums, but this one was pretty great, especially given it's random location. I think the person putting on the show was named Bob? Anyway, he did an awesome job. I learned and saw things I had never learned or seen before and he did a great job of explaining things without boring me and the many children in the room to death. Planetariums can make me dizzy and nauseous, also I had to look away periodically, but he moved at a pretty good pace, so I actually could enjoy much of the presentation. It was about light and went into a bit more about planets and the universe later on. I would definitely return.

The Arlington Planetarium is back and open to the public! If you love science as much as I do or…read morejust want to learn a little more about what you are seeing in the local night sky, then come out to the planetarium. My husband and I attended for the first time last night and we plan to return for the monthly presentations. The planetarium provides a small and intimate environment for families to learn about different scientific topics and study our local night sky. The planetarium is part of the Arlington Public School system and as such, hosts school aged educational programming in partnership with local schools. However, most of the cost of operating the facility and programming comes from members of the community who support via membership in the Friends of Arlington's Planetarium nonprofit organization. Volunteers actually run the monthly public outreach events. This is a great place to rediscover the beauty of the world and universe around us. There is a small parking lot outside the building and they do offer restrooms, as well as a small gift shop (table) inside. Thanks for an excellent evening. We will be back next month! :-)

Why wouldn't that have a shady area or more cooling stations…read more Non gender porta potty's - gross. Very little choices for picky kids, vegan or other diets- maybe pack your own stuff. Fair food.

The Fairfax Fair is a Northern Virginia social institution!…read more Most people's first initiation into this yearly carnival is sometime around high school when they hold hands with a certain special someone on the ferris wheel or if they took the group date route, had worn matching tee shirts emblazoned with their crew's name in neon grafitti writing. Either way, the Fairfax Fair is the start of many, many blissful summer memories. A few of mine include: 1) The time I volunteered for a major sponsor of the event to dress up as the Cow from Cartoon Network's "Cow & Chicken". All of these little kids tried to pull my udders and punch me in the eye (which was conveniently located through Cow's open mouth). 2) The time my best friend performed on the Budweiser stage with her hs sign language choir. It was like an awkward scene out of Napoleon Dynamite that I will cherish in my heart forever. Whatever your age, gender, race, or socio-economic class the Fairfax Fair has something for everyone. Meat on a stick? Check. Laser light shows and fireworks? Check. Carnival rides? Check. Crazy circus carneys? Double check. Burnt out music artists from the 80's? QUADRUPLE CHECK!!! Musical guests have included eighties wonder kids Rick Springfield, Pat Benatar, Rob Base, Flava Flav, and more! I am secretly hoping that the Backstreet Boys will be hitting the county fair circuit soon so I can take care of some unfulfilled high school dreams. So anyways, what are you waiting for? The Fairfax Fair is coming to town this Friday, Saturday and Sunday!! Buy your tickets now -- the Fairfax Fair is your chance to do the Hump with Digital Underground himself. PS: If you don't know how to do the Humpty Dance here are a few rules: #1) Limp to the side like your leg is broken #2) Shake and twitch kinda like you're smokin'

The 10th Anniversary Vietnamese Festival at Tysons Corner Plaza was a fun event. Good food and…read moreperformances. We especially enjoyed watching the pho and crawfish eating contests.

Viet Fest was fun. The only thing that was not cool was hot sun on the fine summer day at…read morebeautiful Tyson's Plaza. Most people do not know about the plaza or festival. You can reach it via metro or park in a huge garage at the Mall. Food is very good and reasonably priced - between 3$ and $8. Sandwiches(banh mi) , soups(pho) and egg rolls are available. Cultural dance and music performances going on while you are eating.. Even Psychic readings is available - same shop was at the Bolivian Festival week later which proofs how our hopes are the same, no matter how we look or talk. No entrance fee - just open yourself to a different culture and food. Kids playground available - Lions dance - ice cream...kids friendly

Went with a group for a little art making retreat. Had so much fun. They are very helpful and made…read moreit so easy to create really beautiful pieces. Will definitely be back!

A Fun and different outing on Super Bowl Sunday. Looking to…read morejoin again for another experience

Had such a great first experience at Muse Paint Bar in Mosaic District!…read more The instructor was amazing and made the class easy to follow and fun. The staff was incredibly nice, organized, and patient with everyone. I had the sampler platter and it was delicious -- and they made sure food came out in a timely manner. There's plenty of space, so you don't feel cramped, and parking is easy with garage and street options available. Overall, such a fun night out. I'll definitely be back and would recommend it!

This was such a fun experience! I love that they guide you through creating certain paintings, and…read morethere are so many options to choose from! I had not painted for many years and wanted to get creative again. Art is therapeutic. If you are bored of the same old thing, try this! The set up was well organized. They have everything you need there. They even sell hot food and drinks. There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and light bites. A lot of the food seemed baked and not fried (if it matters to you). The painting instructor was great. My painting turned out better than I thought it would be. This would be a great experience for groups, team building, birthdays, public and private events, and just as a general social mixer. I did not know anyone there but got to know people sitting at my table. The staff even takes care of the clean up! I went away feeling more motivated to get back into the arts.