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Arlington County’s 55+ summer lineup offers older adults a busy mix of recreation, classes, social gatherings and day trips. The county’s 55+ Centers will be closed Thursday, June 19, for Juneteenth.
Most activities take place in person at a 55+ Center. Participation generally requires a 55+ Pass, with annual fees starting at $25. To join or register, call 703-228-4747.
Ongoing recreation and social activities
Coffee or Tea and Thee meets Mondays and Thursdays from 9 to 10 a.m. at Lubber Run 55+ Center, offering a drop-in opportunity to socialize.
Volleyball welcomes all skill levels from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Langston-Brown 55+ Center and from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays at Lubber Run. Both sessions are drop-in.
Volunteer Suzie Pratts leads a beginner line-dancing class Fridays at Aurora Hills 55+ Center. Drop-in participants can learn the box step, quarter turn and grapevine.
Cribbage players meet from 10 a.m. to noon Fridays at Walter Reed 55+ Center. The drop-in card game is challenging but accessible to newcomers.
Water walking and lap swimming are available from 8 to 10 a.m. Mondays and 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays at Long Bridge Aquatics Center, 333 Long Bridge Drive. The sessions do not include instruction. Participants need a center membership or must pay the daily admission fee.
Experienced volunteers host Tai Chi practice without formal instruction from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Mondays at Aurora Hills and from 1 to 2:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays at Walter Reed. All sessions are drop-in.
Adults 55 and older can ice-skate from 8:40 to 9:40 a.m. Mondays at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, accessible through the roof-level parking area at Ballston Quarter. Skate rental costs $1, and advance registration is required through the iceplex’s Senior Public Skate program.
Pickleball is offered at Walter Reed from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, 12:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2:15 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays. Arlington Mill hosts pickleball from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The sessions are drop-in, but a 55+ Pass is required.
Women’s drop-in basketball takes place from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. Wednesdays at Langston-Brown.
Late June and early July
Artist Sushmita Mazumdar will teach simple origami and bookmaking as a calming creative activity at 6 p.m. Wednesdays from June 25 through July 30 at Arlington Mill. Registration number: 914310-06.
An Independence Day Quiz Bowl at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, at Lubber Run will cover the holiday’s history, notable presidents and major events in U.S. history. Registration number: 914600-16.
Volunteer Hanni Cordes will introduce the basics of line dancing at 10:15 a.m. July 2 at Walter Reed. The music-filled session is drop-in.
At 1:30 p.m. July 2, Lubber Run’s opera appreciation group will discuss and watch a video of “Götterdämmerung,” the final opera in Wagner’s Ring Cycle. George Cecchetti will provide professional commentary. Registration number: 914300-03.
A virtual history discussion led by Dwight Rodgers of Encore Learning begins at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Registration number: 914402-07.
Walter Reed will host a drop-in Memory Café at 1:30 p.m. July 3 for people with dementia and their caregivers to participate in meaningful activities together.
A coed volleyball session for beginners and experienced players begins at 2 p.m. July 3 at Lubber Run. No registration is needed.
Musicians can bring banjos, guitars, fiddles, mandolins and dulcimers to an old-time and string-band jam at 5 p.m. July 3 at Lubber Run. The pre-bluegrass session welcomes every skill level. Registration number: 914304-16.
Programs beginning July 7
A seated video exercise class focused on flexibility and circulation starts at 10:15 a.m. Monday, July 7, at Aurora Hills. It is open for drop-in participation.
Attorney Alison Lambeth will present Estate Planning 101 at 1:30 p.m. July 7 at Aurora Hills, covering wills, trusts and asset protection. Registration number: 914404-02.
Registration for the 2025 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics opens Monday, July 7, and closes Friday, Aug. 29. The games begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Thomas Jefferson Community Center.
On Tuesday, July 8, the 55+ Travel group will visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester for “Jacob Lawrence: 3 Series of Prints,” an exhibition featuring 31 works by the renowned African American artist. Participants should bring lunch. The trip costs $27 for Arlington residents and $31 for nonresidents. Registration number: 902507-02.
A financial-scam prevention session begins at 10 a.m. July 8 at Lubber Run. Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Financial Education Volunteers will offer protective tips. Registration number: 914400-05.
Genealogist Eileen Bogdanoff will lead Genealogy 101 at 11:30 a.m. July 8 at Lubber Run, introducing participants to primary resources for researching family history. Registration number: 914402-02.
A virtual panel at 1:30 p.m. July 8 will explain the continuum of care, including home health services, skilled nursing, rehabilitation and senior residential living. Registration number: 914404-03.
Walter Reed’s Reader’s Theater will stage vintage radio plays with sound effects—but without sets or costumes—at 5:30 p.m. July 8. Registration number: 914301-08.
A virtual history roundtable at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, July 9, will examine the French and Indian War of 1754–1763. Registration number: 914402-05.
Madison Community Center will provide a fitness-equipment orientation for 55+ participants from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Thursday, July 10. Registration number: 914100-20.
Arlington County Police will discuss scams targeting the 55+ community and ways to recognize fraud during a virtual presentation at 3 p.m. July 10. Registration number: 914400-06.
Lubber Run will hold a book exchange from 6 to 7 p.m. July 10. Participants should bring only books in good condition. Registration number: 914801-04.
The travel group will tour the Maryland State House in Annapolis on Friday, July 11. A photo ID is required, and participants will dine on their own after the tour. The cost is $15 for Arlington residents and $17 for nonresidents. Registration number: 902507-03.
At 1 p.m. July 11, 55+ Operations Supervisor Cory Cox will lead a post-Independence Day puzzle-painting activity at Aurora Hills. Supplies are included. Registration number: 914310-07.
Walter Reed’s Bunco Bunch meets at 1:30 p.m. July 11 for a dice game requiring no previous experience. Registration number: 914600-10.
Mid-July events and excursions
A cancer-prevention presentation at noon Tuesday, July 15, at Lubber Run will explore the American Institute for Cancer Research’s 10-step preventive approach. Blanca Cali of Virginia Hospital Center, who holds MASM and CDP credentials, will lead the program. Registration number: 914500-03.
Mary Dempsey, author of “Finding Love after Loss: A Relationship Road Map for Widows,” will lead a candid conversation about widowhood at 1 p.m. July 15 at Arlington Mill. Registration number: 914400-13.
Also on July 15, the travel group will head to Luray for a tour of Luray Caverns. Participants may bring a picnic or eat at the café. The site is not wheelchair accessible. The trip costs $45 for Arlington residents and $52 for nonresidents. Registration number: 902507-04.
A beginner lesson in Euchre, the classic trick-taking card game, starts at 5 p.m. July 15 at Walter Reed. Registration number: 914600-18.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Food Volunteers will demonstrate cooking with tomatoes at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, at Arlington Mill. Registration number: 914501-06.
Eileen Bogdanoff will lead a session on collecting information for a family tree at 10 a.m. July 16 at Langston-Brown. Registration number: 914400-15.
A second drop-in Memory Café begins at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at Walter Reed. People with dementia and their family caregivers can take part in dementia-friendly activities together. Adult Services Librarian Zoe Mann can provide more information at 703-228-5193.
Lubber Run Director Ashley Gomez will present a virtual tour of Bolivia at 1 p.m. July 17, covering the country’s history, culture, geography, politics and travel destinations. Registration number: 914400-30.
Dwight Rodgers’ weekly virtual history discussion group also meets at 1 p.m. July 17. Registration number: 914402-09.
At 3 p.m. July 17, Animal Welfare League of Arlington staff will offer a virtual presentation on keeping pets safe, hydrated and comfortable during hot weather. Registration number: 914400-23.
Walter Reed will host Summer Songs and Sips at 1 p.m. Friday, July 18, featuring root beer floats, sing-alongs and games. Registration number: 914899-07.
On Saturday, July 19, the travel group will cruise the Chesapeake Bay to St. Michaels, spend three hours exploring the historic village, return to Annapolis by boat and tour the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The trip costs $137 for Arlington residents and $158 for nonresidents. Registration number: 902507-05.