If you’re visiting Washington D.C. with teens and looking for something totally different to keep them occupied, let me introduce you to one of the most fun, family-friendly surprises we discovered on our recent trip: Flight Club.
Now, if you’re from the UK like us, you may already be familiar with Flight Club’s ultra-cool, high-tech darts venues that have taken London and other cities across the UK by storm. But here’s the catch: in the UK, you have to be 18+ to take part, which has meant that much to our teens’ frustration, we’ve never been able to experience it as a family.
So imagine our delight when we discovered that the new Flight Club in Washington, D.C., which opened in early 2025, welcomes kids aged 12-17 before 6pm – Sunday to Friday. For our two teenagers, this was huge news – and for us as parents, it was the chance to finally see what all the fuss was about. Safe to say, we loved every minute of it – and it quickly became a highlight of our trip.
What is Flight Club?
For those who haven’t heard of it, Flight Club has revolutionised the traditional pub game of darts. It’s not the sticky-floored pub game you might remember – instead, it’s part of a new wave of cool, immersive, social gaming venues, much like Topgolf, Ten Pin Bowling, Social Sixes or Puttshack.
This isn’t just throwing darts at a board. Flight Club’s “Social Darts” concept combines fun-paced games, automatic scoring, and interactive animations on a digital screen – think ten pin bowling meets darts, all with restaurant-quality food, themed cocktails, all in a really fun party atmosphere.
The building that Flight Club D.C. is in is beautiful, located in a historic rowhouses in the Mt. Vernon Square area of the city and is the brand’s seventh U.S. venue, joining Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Denver. And it’s a beautiful inside the 8,400-square-foot venue, designed to look like an old-school London pub, along with vintage fairground décor, carousel horses, retro art, and private booths where you play your games of darts.
From the moment we walked in, it had that “wow” factor, and felt like we had been transported to a beautiful 19th-century London pub with whimsical fairground touches. And because we visited before the 6pm cut-off, it felt just right for teens.
Getting in with Kids: Good to Know
Let’s start with the really important info. At the time of our visit, kids and teens were allowed before 6pm, which worked perfectly for us – we booked a 4:30pm session, giving us 90 minutes of game time and to enjoy our food..
You’ll need to book in advance, especially on weekends or during school holidays, and I’d recommend requesting a “oche” (pronounced “ockey” – which is the name for your private darts booth) with seating if you’re eating during play. The venue is very well organised and the staff were really friendly, explaining how everything worked and helping us get started.
The Games: Social Darts at Its Best
There’s a reason Flight Club has earned rave reviews since it launched. The games are brilliant – easy to learn, fast-paced, and brought out all of our competitive sides. None of us are darts experts by any stretch, but it didn’t matter. The games are designed to level the playing field, and the scoring is all automated via motion-tracking tech in the darts and boards. What we loved was the hidden camera that captures video of winning throws to broadcast an instant replay, much to the delight of the one who threw the best darts.
Before we started, we all had to enter our names (like at ten-pin bowling) and a photo for the leader board, before choosing the games to play, , some easier than others. Our host took us through the options, gave us our darts and made sure we were all set up and took our drinks order. Each booth has its own seating area, small table and dartboard.
There are several game modes to choose from – everything from traditional 301 to knockout tournaments, and party-style games like “Killer” or “Demolition” where the goal isn’t just to score points, but to knock out your opponents. The on screen graphics are fun and engaging, and the whole experience is slick and seamless. . The way the games rotate turns automatically meant no one felt left out, and the 90-minute session flew by.
If you’ve done Topgolf, you’ll know how addictive social sports can be when tech is involved – but Flight Club really impressed us by how quick and varied the games were. It’s definitely one of the best interactive experiences we’ve done as a family, and we all agreed we’d love to go again.
The Food and Drinks
Now, I’ll admit – I wasn’t expecting the food to be this good. Social gaming venues can be hit and miss when it comes to quality, but out food at Flight Club D.C was excellent as was the service.
The menu is built around small plates designed for sharing, which we found worked really well as we were playing. The menu here is extensive and pretty well prices and we tried a selection of dishes, hungry after a busy day walking around the sights of Washinton DC.
We started with buffalo chicken sliders and classic beef sliders, which were delicious. My husband went for the mini beef barbacoa tacos, which were tender and full of flavour – one of our favourites of the evening. Alongside the mains we enjoyed sides of fries.
The kids loved the four cheese flatbread, and came sliced for easy sharing between turns on the dartboard. And for dessert – the showstopper – cotton candy served on a giant stick, a highlight for the girls and Insta-worthy, and just what you want to finish off a fun afternoon.
The bar here is raised up like a theatre’s stage, is the centerpiece of the venue, For drinks, I tried the Snapdragon – a cocktail made with Ketel One Grapefruit-Rose, guava, lychee, lime, and dragon fruit. It was beautifully balanced, tropical and refreshing without being too sweet. Our teens ordered the non-alcoholic version, and I was impressed by how well it translated to a mocktail – still just as vibrant and fun, served in the same glass with garnishes.
My husband went for a local IPA, which he enjoyed alongside the food. The drink menu offers a great range of beers, wines, and cocktails – with a good mix of creative and classic options – and mocktails and soft drinks for kids.
Good to Know
• Booking in advance is highly recommended, especially for daytime or early evening slots when kids are allowed.
• Kids and teens 12-17 are allowed until 6pm Sun – Fri – after that, it becomes 21+ only.
• Game sessions typically last 90 minutes, and you can order food and drinks to your oche throughout.
Overall
If you’re planning a trip to Washington, D.C. with teens or tweens and want something a little different from the usual museums and monuments, Flight Club is a must-do.
It’s rare to find something that hits that perfect sweet spot – genuinely fun for all ages, stylish enough for adults to enjoy, and interactive enough to keep teens off their phones (well, mostly). It was a fresh take on family fun that none of us expected, and it easily ranks as one of our favourite experiences of the trip.
As a family that’s tried a lot of these “social gaming” venues over the years – from Topgolf to Puttshack – we all agreed that Flight Club D.C. delivered something special. And for our teens, finally getting to try the elusive Flight Club they’d heard about back home? That was the icing on the cake.
We can only hope the UK venues follow suit and consider family-friendly daytime sessions. Until then, Flight Club D.C. remains a top reason to add Washington to your family travel list.