Valentine’s Day is this Sunday, and while flowers, candy and fancy dinners are nice, there are other ways to spend time with your special someone without spending a ton of money.
The
Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton is a wonderful place to visit for both art aficionados and history buffs. Long term Northern Virginia residents may remember back in the mid-1990’s when the prison was a super max facility. Now local artist display their works in the old cell blocks that have been transformed into art studios. Every medium of art imaginable is represented. There are also special exhibitions in the galleries. In addition to the art studios and galleries, the Workhouse Prison Museum houses exhibits that tell the fascinating history of the Workhouse facility including the imprisonment of women suffragists during the WWI era and the installation of NIKE anti-aircraft missile batteries during the cold war era. Admission to both the artist studios and museum is free, but donations are appreciated.
Old Town Alexandria is a great destination for anybody interested in early American history.
The Lyceum off of S. Washington Street, known as Old Town’s history museum, houses exhibits on the history of Old Town going from prehistory to the modern era. Admission to The Lyceum is $2.
The
Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria is another great place to take the art lover in your life. Built in 1918, the building was an actual torpedo factory, but after the end of WWII, manufacturing of torpedoes ceased, and eventually the space was converted into art studios. Today you can wander around the building and see local artist working at their chosen medium. In addition to local artist, Target Gallery, located in the Torpedo Factory, features high-caliber national and international artists in a variety of visual media on a rotating schedule. Admission to the Torpedo Factory is free.
If there’s an aviation enthusiast in your life, the
Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly is a companion facility to the National Air and Space museum in DC. Two huge hangers house thousands of aviation and space artifacts including a Concord and the space shuttle Discovery. Admission to the museum is free, but you have to pay for parking.
Finally, if you love wine,
The Winery at Bull Run is a working farm vineyard in an authentic 1860’s setting. You can tour the historic buildings and learn about wine making during the Civil War era. Walk-in wine tastings are $14 per person and includes a souvenir glass.
Whether you’re spending the day with your significant other, your family, or yourself, there are many fun and inexpensive things to do on Valentine’s Day.
