Chris Militzer/Miliman12 Photography
Have a weekend free from taking the kids to sports tournaments and piano lessons? Think the lawn can wait another few days before being cut again?
What you need is a guys’ weekend.
Call up the fellas and try some of these local things that won’t require much travel and, in some cases, may even have you home before curfew. Want to catch a game and grab a beer but you don’t feel like trekking into the District?
No problem, Port City Brewing Company has your back. With 10+ of their tasty beverages on tap at any time, stop in for one of the best brewery tours in America and stick around to sample their locally-made craft beer. Several TVs show the game so you won’t miss a pitch. 3950 Wheeler Ave., portcitybrewing.com.
Other great local sports bar options: Glory Days Grill at Alexandria Commons Shopping Center, Theismann’s near the King Street Metro, Bugsy’s in Old Town, or Ramparts near Shrilington.
Chris Militzer/Miliman12 Photography
Down at Alexandria’s waterfront, the Tall Ship Providence is partnering with Port City, so you’ll be able to take a beer cruise along the Potomac. Enjoy the wind in your sails and a few cold ones at the same time. Check out the Tall Ship Providence website for more information on the coming beer cruises at tallshipprovidence.org.
More ways to enjoy the water this summer: Pick up a kayak or canoe and hit the Potomac. Belle Haven Marina is just off the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the Belle Haven area. Mariner Sailing School does sailboat, kayak and canoe rentals, sailing classes and much more. Sign up at saildc.com.
More of a landlubber? Grab your fishing license and a pole and head over to Alexandria’s own Lake Cook on Eisenhower Avenue. The fully restored and stocked lake is part of Cameron Run Regional Park.
If beer or water isn’t your thing, Alexandria also offers up some excellent cocktails for you and your friends.
With a few great speakeasies in the city, you can transport yourself to the days of prohibition and sample drinks in some very cool locations. Captain Gregory’s restaurant and bar is hidden behind a secret door inside Sugar Shack donuts at 804 N. Henry St. and offers small plates and craft cocktails in an intimate and fun location. We'll leave it to you to find the hidden door — I’ve already said too much. More info is at captaingregorys.com.
PX at 728 King St. offers the full Prohibition Era vibe to compliment the drinks. (You’ll need to dress appropriately for this one. Collared shirts are required, and leave the Nats hat at home.) Dress the part and enjoy some amazing concoctions from native Virginian Todd Thrasher. Take a peek at barpx.com.
Speaking of Todd Thrasher, why not learn to make these same cocktails at home by taking his The Art of Craft Cocktails with Todd Thrasher course at PX? Offering a menu curated specially for you, Todd teaches the classics along with modern culinary inspired drinks in an interactive (lots of sipping) mixology demonstration. Learn the techniques and stories behind all of these masterful creations.
That’s a lot of drinking, so now it’s time to get something to eat, and what’s better for guys weekend than BBQ?
Alexandria offers up a few good choices for your favorites whether is pork belly, pulled pork, chicken, ribs or brisket. Rocklands BBQ has been around since 2004, serving up the standards in mouthwatering fashion, and is also a good choice for catering if you have even more folks over for the backyard BBQ and you don’t want to cook. Stop by the original restaurant at 25 S. Quaker Lane and check out the menu at rocklands.com.
Relatively new: Myron Mixon’s was opened by Grand Champion BBQ master and TV BBQ judge Myron Mixon. Inducted into the Kansas City BBQ Hall of Fame in 2013, Mixon brings quite the pedigree to town. Try the dry rubbed wings with Alabama white sauce, a favorite, at his restaurant at 220 North Lee St. Preview the menu at myronmixonspitmasterbbq.com.
Finally, Smoking Kow jumped from his successful food truck to a brick and mortar store at 3250 Duke St. You can still pick up juicy brisket, ribs and pulled pork from one of the trucks, but the sit-down location is a fun spot to take down that moist chopped meat, mac ‘n cheese, or jalapeño sausage made by locals, Logan’s. smokingkowbbq.com.
Want to work off all of that food and drink? Head over to Greendale Golf Course at 6700 Telegraph Road and play 18 holes at this challenging course with tight fairways and several water hazards. Go to fairfax-county.gov/parks/golf/Greendale for tee times and more info.
Kalista Diamantopolous
Or, head over to America’s first Top Golf at 6625 S. Van Dorn St. and take advantage of the 70 climate controlled hitting bays, full service restaurant and bar, or — if you need a slower pace at this point in the weekend — the two 18-hole miniature golf courses might be your move. Go to topgolf.com/us/alexandria.
In Alexandria’s West End, Sportrock is a fun place to learn to climb or take those skills to the next level. With a 60-foot wall and a variety of challenging-but-fun options in an air-conditioned space, you won’t even notice how hard you’re working out… until you wake up with sore arms the next day. 5308 Eisenhower Ave., sportrock.com.
After all this activity, head over to Vola’s Dockside Grill on the waterfront (volasdockside.com) and order up some oysters, Chesapeake Bay fish tacos or blackened grouper, and sit and tell lies about your golf game earlier in the day. (Everyone saw you kick the ball.) Take it slow and unwind a little while watching the boats pass by while planning what to do the next day!
