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.

Came to check out brunch here. Online, it shows a la carte options - when we walked in, we were…read moretold it was a Buffet Brunch only, $30 per person. We decided to stay and check it out, @1pm on a Sunday. Brunch is from 11a-4pm. There was only 1 other person for brunch, when we arrived. There was a DJ was that playing super loud music. Mostly rap music. The food was good. Fresh salad, fruit, meats etc. Unlimited mimosas was $25 per person. We could only order 1 flavor at a time, which there was about 8 flavors. They were good By 3pm, the place was more so filling up. What was crazy was at 4pm, the workers started breaking down the buffet-- quickly!! A group that had arrived @ 3 were caught off guard that brunch was ending. The workers did provide everyone with TAKE HOME Boxes, so we filled our boxes as fast as they were breaking it down lol Hookah guy arrived, think it was a total of $68. The hookah was good Gratuity is automatically included. Our waitress was GREAT! Only thing I didn't like, the place had her walking around in a tight leopard body suit, with her arms out, like this was the Playboy mansion. It was cold in there. I would come back for brunch - just know, there was not a mention of a Buffet brunch online

I came to Throw Social for Howard's Graduate and Professional mixer during Homecoming week. The…read morevenue is on the 2nd floor of the Axe Throwing venue, and it is spacious. I love the cabanas they have for lounging and eating/drinking. Since the event was catered, I can't speak on the service too much, but the spread of food was impressive and delicious.

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.

In October I went to Drunk Dracula in DC for my first Drunk Shakespeare experience, and I laughed…read moreso much. If you've never been, just know this isn't your typical theater outing--it's way more interactive, chaotic (in a good way), and just plain fun. When you walk in, there's a bar, but you don't order directly from it. Each seat has a QR code, and the staff delivers drinks right to you, which is super convenient. Once you enter the theater area, you're even given a complimentary shot to kick things off--great way to set the tone for the night. The venue itself is small and really intimate, which makes the whole experience better. There isn't a bad seat in the house. The seats along the stage are bench-style with cubbies underneath for your stuff, while the upper-level seating has stools set behind bookcases that wrap around parts of the stage. The drink menu includes themed cocktails, plus wine, beer, and spirits--expect to pay around $15 per drink. There are also light snacks, but portions are small and a bit pricey, so don't count on them to fill you up. If you do order food, the stools by the bookcases are definitely the best seats since you'll have a surface to put your plate on--otherwise, it's lap dining. As for the show itself, it was fantastic. There's a lot of audience participation, and the actors absolutely commit--including proving they're actually drinking. One thing I didn't realize beforehand is that not the entire cast drinks--there's usually one designated drinker, which honestly makes it even funnier and leads to some unforgettable moments. The performance is an abbreviated version of the story, mixed with plenty of local references that keep it fresh and relatable. The Drunk Shakespeare company also puts on other holiday-themed shows throughout the year, which is awesome. I'll definitely be back to check out Drunk Christmas Carol.

We had fun. Id say closer to a Chaucer experience than Shakespeare. Its an audience participation…read moreperformance so be prepared to be involved (especially front center). Its very informal and yes very tawdry. The actors, God bless them, obviously have formal training but the focus here is on fun, being silly and being drunk so the audience is rationed only short bouts of Shakespearian acting between gags.

If your looking for the arcade just be aware that it is not open. We took my daughter across town…read morefor a little fun only to find everything was closed. Assuming due to covid. The pizza part seemed cool.

Great memories of this place. Call ahead to make sure it is open, we have been denied a time or two…read moredue to parties or it just wasn't open. It is in the basement of the main pizzeria. I dare you to find better beer, pizza and food with an arcade. Family fun for sure. Easy to get to from the C&O (bikers) and the garage. We have good luck with parking relatively close; any walk has been enjoyable.

I typically come here during bar crawls. Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon, around 6p. There was no…read moreone in there but the bartender and dj. the DJ mix was recorded, smooooth good music! Bartender was super nice! She mentioned Fridays and Saturdays are the best time to visit. They also have hookah, but didn't try them

I ended up meeting some friends here after we closed out a different event. We came on the Sunday…read morenight if Memorial weekend. It was definitely a chill, laid back adult vibe with excellent music. I believe the music was by DJ BG. He definitely was playing the throwbacks that brought me back. They do have hookah for purchase and had a grill set up outside for food. Not sure if there is a kitchen inside for other cooked food. The place is small and intimate. We ended up just ordering drinks from the bar. Not sure if table service is provided on other n8ght when it is more busy but the bartender was quick and efficient. Definitely excited to return when I just want to chill and vibe to good music.

Perfect weekend shopping area! Lots of vendors to shop at. From vintage to DIYs, the selections…read moreare endless! I love coming here with my best friend to see what we can spend our money on LOL Hungry? Don't worry! Plenty of restaurants and food places to choose from.

I was expecting a bit more, but still a quaint area to walk around…read more We went on a rainy day, which was too bad for the outside vendors! They were the most fun to peruse - variety of typical farmers market stuff, like locally made teas, foraged mushrooms, etc. Thankfully it was covered so we could poke around a bit. Inside, in one of the attached spaces, were craft vendors. Some unique art, vintage resellers, and trinkets. Lots of fur coats! The main part of the building was almost exclusively meat. As a visitor, this wasn't much fun to look through since we weren't grocery shopping. There was one breakfast spot inside that looked good. Otherwise, we went pretty fast through here since it was basically one long butcher shop. I'd have loved more variety and places to buy food or drinks to eat as we walked!

Fun place for the kids to play arcade games. Picnic table and bar seating downstairs. Great for big…read moregroups. Easily got it. Cornhole to play for free. Food came out fast. Service was good.

Boardwalk is fine, but out of all the choices at the Wharf this would be on the bottom of my list…read moreunless you have kids. It's nice and fun, but the food is pretty overpriced and there's nothing really special. I stopped by with friends on a Thursday night. You seat yourself, and most of the tables are long communal tables. The decor isn't too exciting although they do have a nice long bar in the front with a great view. The staff were friendly but definitely running around to all the tables. The hot dog was $12 with chips, and it was an average hot dog. I got the Cubano sandwich which was good but not great and was $18. Again, the food was fine but not worth the money. There are a few arcade games, including some pinball machines and crane games. Upstairs they have a basketball game and skeeball. There are no tickets so I would think it would be a nice date night activity. I would guess kids would want tickets or prizes. Boardwalk does an average job with a few different things. I would go instead to a nice restaurant or bar or a great arcade.

My daughter let me know: "Illusions are my favorite!!" So I grabbed some tix to MoI & she was SOOOO…read moreexcited to be going, while on our travel. Understand my dismay when we arrive JUST as a group of about 20-30 adults on a team building exercise, scheduled for the same time as our reserved tickets!!! But the staff (led by Tracy & supported by Cesar) ENSURED my daughter (and even I! lol) had an AMAZING time. Tracy ushered us away from the crowd and guided us through the illusions towards the end, then rotated us to the entrance after the group had cleared. We didn't even realize they were there...(figuratively of course, but real talk!) And that's KEY to these types of museums, especially with children - that they have space to explore without adults rushing them. Tracy and Cesar made sure my daughter had the space she needed to have THE BEST experience of our week in DC. The museum is great! But when coupled with the staff, it becomes a truly reality altering experience!

We were there today at the Museum of Illusions. We had fun, but we were surprised at how expensive…read morethe tickets were for so few exhibits. To be honest, it felt like there wasn't much breadth to the museum. You move through it quickly, and then you're done. If you're going to charge that kind of price, it doesn't quite match what's inside. Either lower the ticket price by at least $10--or if you want to keep the current price, add more installations. Give people more to actually experience. Think about it in comparison to places like the free Smithsonian museums or even other DC museums like the Spy Museum or Planet Word--you're just not getting the same depth of content for the cost. It's fun. It's clever. But it's thin.

The Magic Duel is just that...two Magicians competing to win the title of best of the night. You…read moredo actually vote on your phone at intermission. Mark Phillips and Ryan Phillips were both terrific. The one we voted for did indeed win, but they were both great! The Saturday we were there, there were two performances. We chose the 5pm one. It's a fast-paced show that kept us laughing, intrigued and highly entertained. A very fun, wonderful way to spend entertainment dollars in DC. Not a bad seat in the house! This is downstairs in the historic Mayflower Hotel, nice and close to the Farragut North Metro Stop. Definitely appropriate for all ages. Highly recommend!

This review is for the show at the Writers Center, Bethesda, MD, which doesn't seem to have a Yelp…read morepage of its own. I recognize that the Magic Duel takes huge pride in 5 star reviews on Yelp, which I deeply respect. But I did wish that we had seen the show in a different venue. I am no stage expert, but lights and sound do matter a lot in delivery of a magic show for a skeptic like me, going because the significant other loves magic shows. With better lighting, things would have been more "magical" (thinking bottles.) I was also surprised that a bubble artist, as good as she was in her profession, was considered a magician. After some quick research, you will end up at Magic Duel in this genre, so please go to Dupont or Georgetown.