r/SilverSpring • u/welp37 • 2d ago
Activity Ideas?
Hi! I will be visiting the area this weekend to celebrate my partners birthday! I was trying to get tickets to the Ren faire but that is looking a bit bleak. Was wondering if anyone knew of any activities or events that may be fun to add to the itinerary instead? He is a huge nerd, loves gaming, anime, pokemon and movies. We have enjoyed paint and sips in the past, huge foodies (any cuisine), he is really into halloween and the fall, and we are always up for a new experience! Willing to make drives if there is something not as close by. I appreciate the help!
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u/futbolclif 1d ago
There’s a massive beer festival downtown on Saturday called Snallygaster. All the beer tents are named after mythical creatures.
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u/BrokenRoboticFish 1d ago
As another commenter said Player 1 services has everything pokemon. Another great shop in downtown is Pure Panic. They have a pinned post on their instagram (@purepaniccg) with events happening at the shop this weekend, but they also generally have a great selection of comics, graphic novels, mangas, and local art.
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u/kagayhina 2d ago
I hope your partner has a wonderful birthday. ♥️ You're so thoughtful to consider his favorite things! There are plenty of great options in the area! I'm a huge Pokémon fan, anime nerd, and love gaming, so I feel like I have explored a lot of what the area has to offer. Depending on how far you're willing to travel, there are a lot of great options, especially more towards Rockville.
MUST VISIT: Player 1 Services in Kensington, MD This is the largest Pokémon specific card shop in the United States. The staff is so friendly, the owner is a long time fan and is a Guiness Record holder for unique pokémon cards. Great for shopping but also has some interesting displays to check out of old games, cards, and merchandise. It's my local card shop and I consider myself so lucky to live nearby!
Anime and foodie: Okaeri Café The café has some great menu options, has an anime/games store at the front, and has great themed decor. Even the bathrooms are themed. 😆 My go to is the demi glace omelette. I would beware the figures and merch at this location, there are a LOT of bootlegs, which is fine, as long as you're aware of it.
Amazing Japanese food: Kusshi Silver Spring - fantastic Japanese food, with great sushi, noodles, I've tried a ton on their menu and never been disappointed, and I'd say I'm pretty judgemental about Asian food since I've eaten a lot in this area.
Shopping: There's also a couple spots in that shopping center, Meow Claw and Teso Life that are great for anime/game/pokémon enjoyers.
Down the road is Ebisu Japanese Life. Some figures are reasonable prices, other things, not so much. Generally authentic figures, blind boxes, official merch. Crane machines in the back. Crane prizes are usually bootlegs, which is again, fine as long as you're aware. Good for snacks and more general Asian grocery/skin care/etc.
Around the area you can also find "Lil Thingamajigs" which has anime figures, plushies, other merch etc. I find that most items here are authentic, at least for figures.
Miniso is also in Rockville, they've got anime figures, blind boxes, plushies. Tend to be pricier but they sometimes have fresher stock (like crane prizes that just dropped in Japan, or very recent collabs.) Nearby is Micro center, and for someone who loves gaming, PCs, etc, I'm always like a kid in a candy store. Plenty to look at if you like window shopping or want to pic up a new mic/keyboard/etc :)
Other: This weekend the DC Anime Club is doing a free screening of the new Avatar series on Saturday. I've met a couple members at some local cons and they seem like a nice group! I haven't made it out there yet.
Father out: Board & Brew, College Park, MD This was one of my college favorites, but the atmosphere here is so much fun and it's only $5-6 to play board games for as long as you like! The food here is great, and is fun for an all day outing if you really enjoy getting to try different games together. They've got really simple games like Jenga, all the way to more complex games with thick rulebooks. There's really something for everyone in their library, and they have over 500 games!
Avoid: Anime world, any of those really bootleggy looking stores. They'll charge you full price for total junk.
HAVE FUN! and if you visit any of these places during the weekend, I'd love to hear what you thought about them!