Beat Cold-Weather Boredom With These Activities in DC, Maryland and Virginia

When it's too chilly to go outside, there's still plenty of fun to be had. Whether you want to cozy up by a fire or see some innovative art, here are some ways to beat out the stir-crazies.

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Step inside ARTECHOUSE (1238 Maryland Ave SW) and you’ll feel like you’re in another world. The innovative arts space specializes in larger-than-life, interactive projections on the walls. You can lounge in bean bag chairs to soak in the sights, or play around yourself. Tickets start at $16 for adults and $8 for kids if purchased online. A winter-themed Northern Lights exhibit runs Dec. 7-Jan. 5.
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Ax throwing has become a serious trend around D.C. In addition to Bad Axe (2419 Evarts St. NE and 2985 District Ave Suite 195, Fairfax, Va.), there’s Kraken Axes (840 E Street NW) and Autobahn Axe Throwing (45448 E Severn Way, Sterling, VA).
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Cheer on the Capitals at 18 home games in December, January and February that you can watch from the Capital One Arena — still chilly, but not as biting as the outdoors. Winter also means basketball, and that means the Wizards! Buckle up for a slew of home games every week.
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The Punch Bowl Social is a retro-style bar, bowling alley, arcade and karaoke hall rolled into one building in Arlington (4238 Wilson Blvd.). A cozy fireplace defines the holiday lounge on the first and second floors. “Virginia Is for Lovers”-styled karaoke rooms and an homage to Arlington’s Great Elephant Escape — when four elephants escaped an amusement park in 1906 and ran through town — add local touches.
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When it gets chilly outside, the U.S. Botanic Garden stays balmy and green. Explore a tropical rainforest, a reconstructed Jurassic landscape, rare and endangered species, orchids and more. It’s free to enter.
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Have you ever wanted to be inside the shoes of a video game character? Virtual reality arcades are springing up around the DMV and allow that exciting experience. Reviewers love VR Zone DC (2300 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite G-101), which offers options for gaming, art exhibitions and VR escape rooms. The Augment Arcade offers more than a dozen games along with a bar in Shaw (645 Florida Ave NW). Monster Mini Golf is great for kids and families, plus you can book sessions as short as 5 minutes for just $5 (locations in Gaithersburg, MD; Columbia, MD; Chantilly, VA).
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The National Law Enforcement Museum (444 E St. NW) has artifacts relating to notorious police investigations, both local and national. Tickets cost $21.95 for adults and $14.95 for youth ages 6 to 11. Online purchases get a $2 discount.
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Get out of the cold just to try and break back out. Every city now seems to boast an escape room game, where daring participants get locked in and solve a series of puzzles to get out. Escape Room Live, with D.C. and Alexandria locations, lets you flee the sinking Titanic, outsmart a maniac in the woods or undo a crypt’s curse. Themes run from family-friendly, like the Wizard’s Apothecary (Escape Room Live Alexandria, 814 King St.), thrilling (Stephen King-inspired Dungeon Things at Insomnia Escape, 2300 Wisconsin Ave NW) to old-school mysterious (Sherlock Holmes’ Library at The Great Escape Room, 1730 Connecticut Ave. NW)
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Have you ever wanted to be inside the shoes of a video game character? Virtual reality arcades are springing up around the DMV and allow that exciting experience. Reviewers love VR Zone DC (2300 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite G-101), which offers options for gaming, art exhibitions and VR escape rooms. The Augment Arcade offers more than a dozen games along with a bar in Shaw (645 Florida Ave NW). Monster Mini Golf is great for kids and families, plus you can book sessions as short as 5 minutes for just $5 (locations in Gaithersburg, MD; Columbia, MD; Chantilly, VA).
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Sportrock Climbing Centers (5308 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria, VA; adult day passes cost $20 with separate equipment rental) is only one establishment where you can harness up and scale a wall. A few others include Earth Treks Crystal City (1235 S Clark St., Arlington, VA) and Badlands Playspace (For kids, 5200 Randolph Rd, Rockville, MD).
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