15 Best Things to Do in Crystal City, VA

By VI Staff on March 29, 2020

Crystal City in the state of Virginia/a> is home to an award-winning theater, bike trails, specialty shops, amazing, restaurants, and many other things to do throughout the city and the surrounding area. The urban community is technically a part of the city of Arlington, Virginia, just minutes away from Washington, D.C. Crystal City sits along the Potomac River, offering some dramatic views. The area’s unique network of underground walkways and shops attract numerous visitors to Crystal City throughout the year, along with its close proximity to the nation’s capital.

1.Arlington Artists Alliance

The Arlington Artists Alliance is devoted to creating and promoting local art in and around the community of Arlington, Virginia. The non-profit organization is made up of a number of visual artists, encouraging and supporting both emerging and established 3D and 2D artists. The Arlington Artists Alliance manages two different galleries that exhibit new works every and promote new artist members, as well as national and local artists in special exhibitions, along with offering art classes. The group also hosts a number of annual community-wide special exhibits, including the fall and spring festivals at the Fort C.F. Smith.

2100 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 571-483-0652

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2.Blue Underground Studios

The Blue Underground Studios in Arlington, Virginia first started business in 2005 and has been publishing a variety of quilt patterns since its beginnings. The mission of the business is to provide quilt patterns to people that are innovative and clear, enabling all quilters, regardless of skill level, to create amazing looking quilts. Blue Underground Studios offers a wide array of both traditional and contemporary quilt patterns, all designed with the busy quilter of today in mind. The instructions for patterns are tested by local quilters for clarity and accuracy, and include several tips for efficient cutting and sewing.

1600 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 773-425-6261

3.Bread & Water Company

The Bread and Water Company offers a changing menu and focuses on the basics, whether it involved baking their breads, pies, and pastries; smoking vegetables, fish, and meats for their spreads, soups, and sandwiches; or simply making an excellent cup of tea or coffee for customers. The Bread and Water Company draws on its traditions from multiple continents, and both of the coasts of the United States, paying close attention to the ingredients used in their food and refusing to hide any of them behind camouflage and fillers. The company is also committed to using seasonal produce from local farmers whenever possible.

1202 S Joyce St, Arlington, Virginia 22202, Phone: 703-567-6698

4.Crystal Boutique

The mission of the Crystal Boutique is to provide stylish women of all ages and sizes with an amazing experience in wardrobe building. The goal is to completely outfit customers “from head to toe,” as well as accessorizing, to help women create their own look and define their style. The Crystal Boutique has been around since 1970, offering sophisticated clothes for casual, day, and evening need times, as well as outfits to wear to work and a wide variety of accessories and jewelry. Staff are able to special order clothing in custom fits and a variety of colors.

2160 Crystal Plaza Arcade, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 703-415-1400

5.Crystal City Shops

The Crystal City Shops are a group of cool cafes, eateries of celebrated chefs, and contemporary restaurants in Crystal City, Virginia. Many of these dining options provide al fresco seating along the tree-lined, colorful streets, making a perfect spot to sit and do some people watching while eating delicious food. The Crystal City Shops are a destination for foodies, featuring more than one hundred services and shops in the modern and energetic marketplace with a point of view and personality of its own. The shops line several city blocks, just five minutes away from downtown Washington, DC.

2100 Crystal Dr, Arlington, Virginia 22202, Phone: 703-413-4380

6.Dama Ethiopian Restaurant

The Dama Ethiopian Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia is a unique Ethiopian restaurant that has been family-owned and operated since the year 1980. The restaurant has been an establishment in the Crystal City area for over thirty years and has been the recipient of many accolades from a variety of critics and sites. The Dama Restaurant serves a broad array of food, ranging from pastries and American fare to authentic Ethiopian cuisine. The traditional Ethiopian Dama Bakery and Cafe offers lattes, exquisite cappuccinos, and perfect espressos, as well as some of the area’s finest baked goods.

1505 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204, Phone: 703-920-5620

7.Earth Treks Crystal City Climbing Center

The Earth Treks Crystal City Climbing Center is a massive climbing center in the Crystal City, Virginia area, measuring a total of more than forty-five thousand square feet. The climbing center features over four hundred boulders and roped routes that are just begging for visitor to climb. There is also a specific area for bouldering that includes top out boulders, as well as a yoga studio, fitness area for cardio and strength exercises, group classes, locker rooms, and a gear shop. The Earth Treks Crystal City Climbing Center also offers system boards, hydraulic campus board, and other training essentials.

235 S. Clark St, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 703-340-2700

8.Gallery Underground

The Gallery Underground is a gallery owned and operated by the Arlington Artists Alliance, which is an organization that promotes the artwork of both emerging and established artists in the region. The mission of the gallery is to make fine art of the region more accessible to the public. This is done through art workshops, special events, and exhibits that change each month. The Arlington Artists Alliance provides professional development opportunities for local and regional artists and serves the surrounding community through outreach projects, mentoring, scholarships, classes, and exhibits. The Gallery Underground offers many different exhibits throughout the year.

2100 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 571-483-0652

9.Good Stuff Eatery

The Good Stuff Eatery is located in largest area of downtown Arlington, an area with more than one hundred shops, an award-winning theater, bike trails, outdoor movie nights, and speciality stores. The Good Stuff Eatery is a family-owned and operated restaurant that serves Farmhouse Burgers on freshly baked, buttery soft, Pennsylvania dutch buns with their own special sauce, farm-fresh tomatoes, and more toppings. Only a very short walk from the Crystal City Metro stop, the cafe isn’t too far from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The first Good Stuff Eatery opened in 2008 on Capitol Hill.

2110 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 703-415-4663

10.Hilton Crystal City

The Hilton Crystal City offers several different dining options at the Washington Reagan National Airport, all designed with travelers in mind. The Oasis Bar provides a variety of appetizers to snack on while guests sip on one of the crafted cocktails, and is a great place to just sit and relax. At Relish, diners can try casual American fare with upscale flavor. The restaurant is open for both breakfast and lunch with a menu that includes vegan options. The Marketplace, found at the airport hotel’s lobby level, provides specialty sandwiches, freshly made salads, snacks, espresso, and cold beverages.

11.Jaleo

Jaleo, the restaurant by chef José Andrés in Crystal City, Virginia is a large tapas-style restaurant with convenient parking, semi-private and private rooms, and high ceilings. The plates here are designed for guests to share and are made with local and authentic Spanish ingredients and prepared simply for the best flavors. The small plates offered on the menu at Jaleo are inspired by several more traditional dishes that Jose grew up with as a child. They have been elevated through his creativity, talents, and experiences, providing an authentic Spanish menu with finesse, along with amazing sangria, wines, and Spanish cheeses.

2250-A Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 703-413-8181

12.Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel

Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel aims to provide travelers with an authentic Italian meal or a good cup of coffee at the hotel in Crystal City. At SOCCI, guests can savor some authentic Italian fare in the inviting hotel restaurant on their way to the Reagan National Airport. The Espressamente illy provides fresh-brewed, rich coffee as a good way to start or end a day in the area, as well as pastries during the morning and light bites for either lunch or dinner. The Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel is located not even a mile from the Reagan National Airport.

13.Synetic Theater

The Synetic Theater is situated in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and is a non-profit theater company that performs in Arlington, Virginia at the the Crystal City Theatre. Since the theater company’s beginnings, the productions performed by the Synetic Theater have received many awards. The Synetic Theater also aims to redefine theater by blending movement and innovative techniques, investing in the growth of artists, and providing a memorable visceral experience for everyone in the audience. The theater typically produces around four or five mainstage productions, as well as two or three series productions for families each season.

1800 South Bell St, VA 22202, Phone: 866-811-4111

14.The Crystal City Sports Pub

The Crystal City Sports Pub constantly aims to be a place where both locals and visitors can come to, relax, and enjoy good food and drinks every day of the year. The casual, laidback eatery provides decent sized portion of delicious food at an affordable price with a goal of making every experience at the Crystal City Sports Pub a pleasant one for customers. The Crystal City Sports Pub is a multi-level, friendly restaurant with a sports themed menu that includes “overtime” apple pie and “home run” quesadillas and “overtime.” There are also darts, pool tables, fifty-five televisions.

529 23rd St S, Arlington, VA 22202, Phone: 703-521-8215

15.Westin Crystal City

At the Westin Crystal City, visitors will find a dining option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner only a mile from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and only minutes away from Washington, DC. The Nutrio Restaurant is the on-site restaurant of the Westin Crystal City hotel, which serves Mediterranean cuisine using the freshest ingredients available in an elegant setting. The menu at Nutrio also include options for children, as well as healthy SuperFoodsRx™ options. Reservations are required at the Nutrio Restaurant in the Westin Crystal City, and there is a private room that customers can use for small gatherings and meetings.