This park is near the Jefferson Memorial. It dates back as far as 1912. There is a lot of free parking available nearby and there are some metered spots as well. This park is a little off of the beaten path so it is not as packed as other comparable ones. You still are able to run/bike along the water along the waterside and it is probably preferred because there is less traffic. It has a huge outdoor tennis complex with two sets of Har-Tru clay tennis courts containing about 5 courts per set. There are 4 indoor courts available as well, both of which are open to the public on a first come first served basis, but must reserved and costs a fee. One set is better maintained than the other. Either way, the courts get packed. There was not an available court while I was there. The park also touts a golf course, which I hear is half decent. It has 2 9-hole courses (Red and White) and 1 18-hole (Blue). There is also a heated olympic sized public pool at its aquatic center, that is next to the golf course. The aquatic center is currently closed until further notice due to renovations and COVID. This is a decent park that has some heavy duty activities that you cannot find at most parks, including swimming, tennis and golf. If any of those appeal to you then this is your spot. read more

This is my go to park when I want to get a nice walk/run in or picnic with a friend. The views are beautiful since it's a little peninsula with water surrounding majority of the park. The entire loop is about 4 miles I believe. There's always plenty of parking and I typically will go by the wharf side to park near the sidewalk instead of one of the lots closer to the Jefferson memorial. During the spring time you can see the cherry blossoms blooming here. When you get past the golf course the trail doesn't allow for cars so that you can freely walk or bike on the road. Highly recommend checking Hains Point/East Potomac Park out if you need a day to frolic for free.99 lol read more

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Updating the review with a plug for the refurbished mini golf course. This historic location is in the shade and fun for the whole family. read more

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I use this park mostly for running. The parking is so convenient, and I love the one way roads. It's much safer knowing exactly where cars are coming from. The loop of buckeye drive to the end of Ohio and back is about 4.77 miles, and it's entirely flat. read more

Tis a shame parking isn't free anymore. Also the pay by phone, isn't as user friendly as it could be. This used to be where to park, when visiting the parks, museums, and attractions of the nations capital. Now it's an alright park, and have to say it's missing the sculpture "The Awakening." That's been moved, and is still beloved. Now the park does have good water views of the Potomac. There's not a lot to do here. You can walk or bike. Please do be careful as traffic of drivers is a real concern. Fishing can be fun. Lots of large catfish here. Unfortunately water quality isn't ideal. It's up to you, but I wouldn't eat any fish caught here. For my family it's catch and release only. read more

East Potomac Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Entered this large park to get to Hains Point to check out the last remaining cherry blossoms that were blooming this recent spring 2025. Car friendly, bike friendly and lots of open space. read more

First of all, Hains Point is WAY longer than you may think. If you're biking there on Capital Bikeshare, the only docking station is at the north end as you enter Hains Point. You then must walk/run past the tennis court, swimming pool, mini golf area, the real golf course, a few random things and then you'll get to the community picnic tables. Technically, you can reserve the picnic tables online, but most people just go and use them. It's fun because each party at the picnic tables has their own little BBQ thing going on with amazing food as they watch their kids play on the playground in the center of the picnic area. On one side of Hains Point, you have the Potomac River and Virginia and on the other, the Anacostia River and DC. In my biased opinion, the DC side looks cooler as boats sail by with historic river front homes in the background. It's beautiful! If you haven't been, you must go! It's a fun break from the city and if you're a DC resident, the swimming pool is free. Also, as you use the golf course, you get an amazing view of the Washington Monument in the background. read more

A lot of DC parks are so crowded. East Potomac Park is an exception. It's away from tourist areas so it's usually quiet. It's still close enough to a few popular attractions. This seems to be more popular among locals. It has a nice trail on the Potomac that's nice to ride along. It often gets crowded with bikers and joggers. Most of these people are locals. It doesn't get that many tourists in this area. This is far away enough from the National Mall that most tourists won't wander this way. It has some good recreational areas. There's a few basketball and tennis courts, and there's a golf course. It even has a place to catch a boat. There's also a few playgrounds. East Potomac Park is one of the good examples of a local park. It's good if you're looking you're looking for somewhere quieter. This isn't very far from Jefferson Memorial so it's not all that hard to get to. read more

East Potomac Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I like this park. It is not as gorgeous as the Tidal Basin but it is much less crowded. It is a quiet place in the middle of the city. East Potomac Park also has a lot of Kwanzan cherry trees that blooms a couple weeks after the Yoshino blooms around the Tidal Basin. It is a great place for biking since there is not as much traffic. However, the walkway along the waterfront is falling apart and it is not maintained. There is no refreshment stand so bring your own water and food or take the jitney to District Wharf where all the restaurants are. Parking and getting around: If you drive, there are NPS parking lots that were free but NPS started to charge for them a couple years ago. There are free parking spaces if you circle around the park. If you find free parking near the District Wharf jitney drop off, you can take the jitney to District Wharf. District Wharf has a free shuttle that takes you to Hirshhorn Museum and L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station. There is a DC Circulator National Mall route stop right in front of the Hirshhorn Museum. The circulator stops at all of the museums and monuments for $1 per trip, .50 for seniors. It sounds like a lot to get around with the jitney, shuttle and circulator but all of these services are frequent and short trips. Do check the jitney schedule though. It does not run year round. read more

This is the space for tennis and golf, but I'm not into paying for tennis courts and I don't play golf. Both look nice and are probably excellent venues. This area also has the distinction of being one of the largest sources of free parking in the area (up to 3 hours and not in a DC zone). The path that runs around the entire park is is really a problem. It's literally sinking into the river and falling apart in places, and parts have been blocked off. That means that you have people running in the street instead of on the path, which is annoying and dangerous. Hains Point is a good view, but the playground there has suffered the indignity of losing its statue to National Harbor, and the remaining facility isn't as good as it was when I was playground-aged. The path really needs to be rebuilt, but given what an enormous and expensive undertaking it would be, I doubt it'll happen anytime soon. read more

Why am I reviewing this? Thanks yelp, my "next review awaits" I've never come here just to run or ride a bike but it's completely flat so I could imagine it's a nice place to work out. Once I did play golf here but that's not exactly my game hah. I do play softball in the "3-letter-department-agencies-league" at Hains Point which is always fun. I've played all over DC - the mall, West Potomac, but playing here is nice. Nice view of the water, the occasional airplane views flying into Reagan. Anyway, this review is probably the least helpful thing ever but East Potomac Park is a nice place to work on your athletic prowess =) read more

East Potomac Park is another nice spot to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July. Although the park doesn't provide as great a view of the fireworks/National Mall as does Lady Bird Johnson Park, the area provides nice spots to fire up the grill and kick back. What gives this place a three out of five is the fact that the view is a bit limited (although you can still see about 90%-95% of the fireworks) because I-395 is looking you right in the face. Even if you were to move up a bit, there's still another bridge obstructing your view. All in all, this place is OK. Oh, and while you're waiting for the fireworks to start feel free to feed the ducks and cast your line in the Washington Channel. I saw this guy catch two fairly big fish. I wouldn't trust their edibility though. read more

East Potomac Park - Where to face to see the fireworks - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This park is great! Not many people but sprinkled with cherry blossoms. The paths were a bit muddy though, and it wasn't the cleanest as there was a lot of trash at the south tip. There are benches and tables for barbecuing along the waterfront, and there were a lot of people fishing as well. It was a great walk, very calm and peaceful except for the occasional airplane overhead which was really noisy. Definitely would recommend if you need a break from the crowd at the Tidal Basin! read more

I must say, when my husband first drove up to this place, I really wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this experience too much, however I was pleasantly surprised! (Other than some of the pavement having a few "bumps & lumps",) this is really a cool, laid back place to spend an afternoon or even evening. Although the trees & plants hadn't fully bloomed, I could tell that in just a month or so, the landscape would be simply beautiful. ~AND~ If you are a runner, this seems like a great (paved) place to get a jog in! I think next time, I may bring my skates! read more

East Potomac Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Beautiful Park to come for a run/walk or enjoy a swim. Even a round of golf, or mini-golf if that's your thing. They even got tennis court. There's something for everyone here. The cherry blossoms trees adorn the road around the park. It's really beautiful. My favorite thing to do while here is to plane-watch. I love watching different aircrafts takeoff and land at DCA. I love all-things airplanes so East Potomac Park provides a beautiful panoramic view of DCA and the Potomac River. The visual river approach is quite a sight, whether departure or arriving: a thrill not to be missed. Bring your camera and be amazed! read more

East Potomac Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The East Potomac River resides along the Potomac River and offers spectacular waterscapes and/or views of the State of Virginia (Arlington is just across the water), the 14th Street Bridge, partial view of the Ronald Reagan National Airport, the Pentagon and subsequent grounds, and the George Washington (GW) Parkway. This area includes but is not limited to, the East Potomac Park Golf course, a miniature golf course, an aquatic center, playground areas, and picnic areas. It is also the home of the National Park Service. Beautifully landscaped, there are a variety of cherry trees that are spectacular to see once in bloom. read more

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I didn't even know there were playgrounds down at Haines Point! I discovered this on one of my mommy blogs, so one Saturday morning I strapped the kids in and headed into SW. Honestly, the drive here is a real B. I hate driving in DC, but particularly SW...lots of bikers and pedestrians to almost kill on the way there so enjoy that. Fortunately (and surprisingly) there's a small parking lot that feeds into this park. That was a nice touch; usually parking in DC gives me anxiety. When we arrived, there was a birthday party going on which is usually the norm for Saturday afternoons. No worries. My kids split to the playground and I found a picnic table under the shade, as it was an unusually hot day in September. About 5 minutes after sitting there, a park ranger approached me and asked me to move, as ALL picnic tables in the entire park were reserved for the King family birthday party. Come again? So every single picnic table, flanking both sides of the playgrounds, were to be "saved" for this birthday party? There were so many unoccupied tables that this request was ridiculous. She literally advised that I go find a shady spot to sit in the grass. I moved to the other side of the park to a picnic table no one was sitting at. I'm not sitting on the ground, thanks. Aside from that, I think the real fail of this park is that there are only 2 small playground structures. After being here about 25 min, the kids were bored with the lack of options. No swings, turn table, seasaw, nothing. We ended up just walking along the harbor and looking at the boats and such, which the kids had much more fun doing. I appreciated the beautiful views and the fact that they had restrooms, but for their weird picnic table rule and uneventful playgrounds, I'm not sure it's worth the trip. read more

East Potomac Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great place to relax. One of my favorite ways to de-stress after a long week was to stop by the park on my way home from work and have a picnic. With blanket, food, and drink on hand I would lay out by the water and wait for the sun to set. Picture perfect! There are many bikers, runners, boaters, and people fishing if you like to people watch. It's not too crowded but has a lot of activity. Great place to go for a chill day at the park. read more

Beautiful waterfront park that is in a sad state of disrepair with dangerously crumbling infrastructure. There are numerous gaping holes in the sidewalks where someone could easily get hurt. Large sections of sidewalk are sunken and flooded. Hope the National Park Service will pursue and devote the necessary resources to fix and maintain this otherwise beautiful park. read more

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This is a nice park very close to downtown DC. My wife and I went on a Saturday morning for a nice walk. The park definitely has potential. The scenery is beautiful. It's convenient. We were there at 6:30am, so it wasn't slammed with people yet. The issue we had was that the sidewalk along the water around the park is in a bad state of repair. In some places it was completely under water. That forced us to walk along the road. That wasn't too bad, except that there were cars using the road. Right before we left, it was getting crowded with joggers, walkers, and bikers...all using the road. I can see where it could become dangerous at busy times. It would be great to see the perimeter sidewalk fixed! read more

The only thing I remember about East Potomac Park (aka Hains Point), while I was a Gallaudet student, was "The Awakening" statue. The statue has since been relocated to the National Harbor. Anyways, I was told about the public pools at EPP. So, I drove there with my partner to meet a friend there. Wow, what a big park with lots to do. There are golf courses, miniature golf (putt putt), swimming pools and tennis courts. I'm not sure if they're free or if you have to pay a fee. I went yesterday to go swimming. No one was at the front to charge fees or check ID's. (Oh, it is called the Bath House. Er, for gay men, that has an entirely different meaning.) The changing room is decent. Locker cubicles with keys for 50 cents. A small changing area. Small number of urinals and bathroom stalls. A small room of "open" showers. There are mesh bags with hangers that you can stuff your towels, books and whatnots and you can carry it with you to the pool. As you go out to the pool, you're forced to go through a row of showers before you can get in the pool. So, hold your mesh bag over your head. Wow! The pools are Olympic-sized. And the temperature is great! I highly suggest that you go as soon as it opens because later, the rowdy brats come out to swim. Ugh! Isn't there like a 1-foot swimming pool for them like on the other side? Huh? Huh? At least, the lifeguards got on their case. Yay! Anyways, I enjoyed swimming there and will definitely come back! Hours: M, T, Th, F: 1pm to 7pm W: closed S & Sat: Noon to 6pm read more

What more could people ask for than a massive park that extends out into the potomac providing guests with 3 golf courses, mini-putt, driving range, tennis courts (including an INDOOR tennis court), swimming pool, barbecue ranges, and plenty of road for cyclists and rollerbladers to speed through? Not many urban areas can offer so much variety in such a small location - where's Central Park's golf course? Huh, New York? Huh?! A great place to go to get some exercise, play around, toss a frisbee, or just lay out on a blanket with that special someone and watch planes fly, boats cruise, and people at play. Can't really go wrong with East Potomac Park....hop the Circulator for $1 and get there for a day of fun in the sun! read more

Poor Hains Point. It's the bane of every DC runner's training schedule. That little bit of land south of the Jefferson Memorial that juts into the Potomac. Ohio Dr. SW takes you down one side of the point, and it takes you back in the other direction too. Sort of symbolic of the tedium that is running the point. It's less than 4 miles all the way around from old T.J., but it feels like so. much. farther. But Hains Point isn't all bad. In the spring, the cherry blossoms line the road, but it is not as crowded as other blossom peeping spots. And on the weekends you can run on the road since it is blocked off to traffic past a certain point. This is especially welcome since the path is cracked and uneven or sometimes under water if the river is high. Ever since I saw a map that showed what parts of DC will be permanently under water in the near-ish future, I have felt like I needed to cut Hains Point some slack. It's days are numbered. Plus, there are bathrooms and water fountains right off the road heading out AND coming back. And despite the tedium, despite the fact that every runner you talk to will tell you it is their least favorite place in the city to run...somehow you never seem to be alone out there. I just wish that the Awakening statute that used to sit right at the tip of the point was still there! The old giant, struggling to break free from the earth, was a nice landmark at the half way point that I would look forward to. But he finally broke free, and moved to National Harbor a few years ago. Not where I would go, but I don't think he had much say in the matter. read more

This park is beautiful. It was really nice to just sit and relax and watch the boats from the harbor coming in and out on the Potomac. It really is a nice little city get away if you just want to relax for a little while without the stresses of listening to the highway even though it is close near by. read more

This park is beautiful! It is a nice place to relax, have a picnic. You will encounter mang people fishing, bike riding, or walking. It is a nice place to come and hang out and just relax. It is also nice that you can get a view and see all the airplanes arriving and departing from the Ronald Reagan Airport. read more

East Potomac Park - Grass area with tables - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We're here at night and its nice the parking seems 2 b free too

This ratted 3 stars because it was something I remember when I coming up. Family wood walk from the title base over the Hanes Point. Walking by the public park house. Walking around the broken walk way seeing park wash away were water run under the sidewalk. After a storm you can see were the water wash on to the grass and fish and dead wood and more from the platonic river. Like the yelper said. Area being blocked for people safe. They had a ship for people come on board and open three days a week. You get to see where they sleep and eat. But after time they move it up to Baltimore Harbor. Even I still like this place. Place to seat and eat under the summer day. Golf house with a food stand. Restroom. Now I don't have my parents. I still come once a blue moon. walking of the member from my child hood. Summer time crazy in parking. One time me and family came down for a BBQ for lunch. Even I told my father the disposable BBQ pit. But my father didn't what to listen. During the cooking on the picnic table. First started around the pit. Yes I had to use my Dr Pepper to put it out. We end up cooking on the floor the rest of the time. We still enjoy the meal. But it the moment that count. I still come here again. read more

I'm rating this pretty high primarily on the driving range and affordability. For where I love there isn't a cheaper alternative to play golf and the location is near unbeatable. The actual course conditions of their 2 main courses are very much meh. It's probably a less than average fairway job for most public courses with more of an open field layout then tree lined fairways. The driving range on the other hand had a lot of stalls and it's heated in many of there stalls. On a cold winter day there's no place id rather be then in one of the cozy heated stalls. Oh and while the driving range card is technically cheaper than just buying tokens everytime- make sure you check when the points expire on the card. They only last a certain amount of time so if you put a lot of money in it you could lose it all if you don't use it in time. I learned the hard way. read more

It's a nice area and the river is nice to look at but during the winter months it's a bit too cold to really enjoy the park area.

In theory, Hains Point is a terrific place to run: wide open space (when it's closed to traffic), a flat course, greenery, lovely water views, quiet. In reality, running on Hains Point sucks. First, it's insanely boring. I'm not sure why. I run in other areas without much to look at and have no problem. But Hains Point just feels...dull. The whole loop is only, what, three miles? But it feels insanely long. The larger problem is that one side of the Point is always crazy windy. Like, blowing you backwards windy. My verdict: run in the other direction. read more

Free access, plenty of parking, local favor with guys fishing for rockfish, even of it is illegal to catch. Hey a day at the park and a picnic with the family in the shade of a huge, old pin oak are pretty hard to beat. read more

East Potomac Park might be one of the best inline skating venues on the East Coast. The flat 3.2 -mile loop around Hains Point is perfect for beginners and experts alike. On summer weekends (and Tuesday and Thursday nights), some of DC's fastest inline speed skaters train here. Some times they even drop in with the cyclists who also flock to the flat, virtually car-free roads. read more

I love this park, and what can't you do here? However, I do agree to run around the 3 mile loop is boring after the first few times, but I always recommend that runners change their rout frequently anyway. My visits usually include biking and tennis. read more

2.25 stars. (I came here just to do the full 5 mile (or so) loop, I did not utilize the fields) This park has so much potential for walking and running! What a bummer that the sidewalks are crumbling making large portions of the loop dangerous, otherwise I would include this park in some of my runs. Not only are parts of it sinking into the water, but there are large holes in other areas (WARNING: Not the place to walk and talk (on the cell, etc.), not that I do such a thing. Other parts of the sidewalk are littered with (dead/barely alive) fish. Not sure if the water washes them ashore or if the plethora of fishermen just leave them there. Perhaps a combination. But if it is because of the second reason, there needs to be more enforcement. Just the same, it seems people, fishermen or otherwise, leave tons of garbage and the park is littered with trash, sadly. The Western portion of the loop is overcome with branches making the path somewhat non-passable. I think if these gripes can be fixed, you are looking at a solid 4 star or better, as the views are still really great. This park does not need any fancy ("bells and whistles") it just needs MORE CARE. read more

Mainly reviewing the driving range. This place is conveniently located if you live in DC or Arlington. Reasonably priced; get a reloadable card if you'll return as you'll get extra balls for the same price. Unfortunately the range is just hitting off of mats but I've yet to find a range nearby that has real grass. Some of the bays have heaters so you can still use it during colder weather. However, if it's really cold (near freezing) call first to make sure they're open as they may close early if they have no customers. read more

My favorite place in DC. I cycle around this several days a week to unwind. It's perfect. And the golf course is great, especially the driving range. Love the tennis center too but it's a little pricey for an hour and the indoor is overpriced. But the clay courts are awesome. Haven't been to the pool yet but that also looks great. read more

Free parking just a short walk from the national monuments? 10/10, A++, would do again

If you're a cyclist, this can be a fun place or it can be a drag, depending mainly on wind and traffic. Fierce winds can pick up along the river(s) making cycling a lot of work. But on a calm evening, riding with the group can be a lot of fun. Traffic around cherry blossom blooming time can make also be a real nuisance. Beach Drive is a much nicer (and less windy) route, but Hains Point is a good way to mix in some variety. read more

in the midle of d c a place so close to get away from it all. is just a wonderful break from the craziness. i can sit here for hours and watching the world. read more