By Annalisa Burgos

Food-cations highlights DC area restaurants or events that offer food and experiences so unique you might forget you’re in DC.

Thinking of heading to the beach this Labor Day weekend? Why not skip the three- or four-hour drive to Virginia Beach or Ocean City, and take a trip to a beach in DC?

That’s right. The New York Avenue Beach Bar in the District’s Shaw neighborhood brings the beach to you, literally.

Opened on Memorial Day Weekend, this pop-up collaboration between The Passenger co-owner Tom Brown and business partners Karl Graham and Robert Bailey is essentially a 5,500-square-foot empty parking lot filled with 70 tons of Ocean City sand.

Add a DJ, tiki-style bar, drink stands, Adirondack chairs, picnic tables, beach balls, a food truck and a corn hole game, and you’ve got a beach party in the heart of DC.

If it doesn’t sound glamorous, it’s not meant to be. You won’t hear the crashing of waves or smell an ocean breeze. Bathrooms are basically upscale porta potties. When all’s said and done, you’re still in a parking lot between two buildings.

What you do get is a unique outdoor venue where you can wiggle your toes in the sand, sip a pina colada and dance under the stars.

Friday and Saturday nights are packed with party-minded beach goers, while the lesser-crowded weeknights offer happy hour specials 4-7 p.m, such as $3 beer, $4 rail drinks and $5 frozen drinks. To satisfy your munchies, a food truck, such as Rito Loco and Goodes Mobile Kitchen, is parked on-site and a grill is on hand should the owners decide to fire it up.

But hurry, this outdoor experience may not last long. The beach is expected to be open through Halloween.

New York Avenue Beach Bar
645 New York Avenue NW
(202) 656-9229
http://www.nyavebeachbar.com