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    Gravelly Point

    4.5 (247 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Beautiful sunset.
    Sophia S.

    One of the most fun places in the district. Perfect for a picnic date, hang with friends, or a gathering with family! Beautiful and thrilling views of planes taking off and landing alongside the gorgeous waterfront. Occasional food truck options but it's best to pack some snacks just in case! Bring a picnic blanket and some games for the ultimate afternoon.

    Salina P.

    Wow this place is a hidden gem! It's the perfect spot to come and relax read a book or have a picnic. I skimmed through the other reviews and yes parking is a bit of a hassle and the bathrooms are not very clean. However the park itself is a beautiful place to enjoy.

    Becca M.

    CALLING ALL PLANE ENTHUSIASTS, this is one of my favorite spots to plane watch, super easy and open with a beautiful view. If you come on a day when the planes are landing over the park, rather than taking off, they get sooo close. It's obviously not the huge planes like Dulles has, but I really like seeing the 737s so close. My friend and i came here because i wanted to wallow about life a little and it set the vibes perfectly because it was so peaceful and life altering a little.

    Brad H.

    This is a neat park to visit. Parking is a bit difficult but if you drive around enough you will find one eventually. The park is clean and it is neat seeing the planes take off up close. Water views are great.

    Ice cream trucks
    Georgia B.

    Such a cute date night spot! Bring dinner, a book, a large blanket, and your significant other and watch the planes land during the sunset!

    Shelly J.

    This is one of those hidden gems in the DMV. My family been coming here since we moved here from Florida. This would be a nice gathering place for family and friends, watching planes land and take off. Bathrooms are Porta pottys and I don't recommend. Dirty dirty. Plan a picnic, and come here on a nice sunny day. Plenty of parking. A few over priced food trucks. Bring bug spray and enjoy the scenery. Watch out for speed cams on 395.

    Views everywhere, this is from the parking lot
    Amanda B.

    If you or your dependents are obsessed with airplanes, this park is the best place to see and hear incoming and outgoing airplanes just 700 feet from the airport bordering the Potomac River. There is lots of space to run and play, have a picnic, and take photos. There is an abundance of parking right there, making the park and trails accessible to all mobilities. There are quite a few picnic tables available, plenty of trash cans, and port-o-potties. The space is very clean other than a bit of exposed rocky areas but those are easily avoidable.

    Cherry blossoms with no people (a view of the shut down east potomac park)
    John B.

    [Coronavirus review] Gravelly Point is a unique local flavor kind of place; the main reason people go is to watch planes take off as it's about as close as you can get, but there are big grassy areas and cross-river views of the touristy part of DC. Notably, in the present locked-down circumstance this is also about as close as you can get to our famous cherry blossoms (at least, the big concentration of them downtown; there are trees all over the city). There is a parking lot, which is only accessible from the Northbound lanes. It's a bit of a hike from the airport Metro stop, or just a convenient point for those on the Mount Vernon Trail to rest and soak in some views on the water.

    Mike R.

    This is a lovely park, right off of the GW Parkway. Next to Reagan Airport, you can get close up pictures of planes taking off or landing. It's fun to put broadcastify on your phone, and listen to the tower and pilots. Thank goodness this has been kept open. Most of the time you'll find a parking spot easily. The park area offers plane spotting, and fishing opportunities on the Potomac. Your choice, but I catch and release. There's a soccer field, and also a trail that's good for biking and hiking. This is a US Park, and admission is free. It's a family friendly place. Have been going here for years.

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    10 months ago

    If you ever want to get lost in a hike, look no further. Bring water, limited access unless in certain parts.

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    11 months ago

    It's a nice park; however, I came here to say that Kite flying is not permitted here. It is dangerous and should not be attempted.

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    If you're into aircraft then this is the place for you. Lots of DCA traffic overhead. Cool spot!!

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    Ask the Community - Gravelly Point

    Are there portable toilets?

    Are small grills allowed?

    Yes. But no littering!

    What is the best time to go to watch the most planes?

    National Airports busiest times of day are between 12pm and 6pm. This is when there are the most flights, and you'll see a take-off or landing about once every two to three minutes.

    Do many people come here to picnic and how long can you leave your car parked here if you would want to go bike riding around the area?

    no parking in the lot from 10pm to 6am. Other than that, there are no restrictions.

    I am planning to go launch a kayak from this site on the 4th of July, any suggestions on a time to arrive ? Or any tips from others that have done this?

    The 4th of July is very busy at this boat launch. You should plan to arrive early in the day (before noon) for the best chances of finding a place to park after putting your boat in.

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    Review Highlights - Gravelly Point

    I also learned you can take Mount Vernon trail and bike here along the way to the other spots.

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    Hayes Park

    Hayes Park

    4.0(4 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    Nice little spray ground and park with a fairly good variety of play equipment and options (in…read moreaddition to the spray ground on the left side of the entrance, there's also a large sand pit/play area, a couple swing sets, several other smallish but adequate climbing structures, open grass spaces, covered picnic table area, and other elements I can't quite remember at the moment. None of these are particularly amazing or updated like the fancy new stuff at many other playgrounds in the area, but all work perfectly well for kids (and parents) looking for a place to simply run and play. The area is fenced and gated (with a relatively child proof or at least child resistant locking mechanism) which I like a lot and wish all parks offered. I did not walk all the around to the back of the grassy area on the other side of the picnic structure to check to see if the fence went all the way around the entire park though, so I can't speak to the full "security" of the park overall, but it definitely seems securely fenced on the street side where all or most of the actual playground equipment is located, and I was able to watch my three kids play in different areas on either side fairly easily from my vantage point at the central picnic structure. It's not my kids' first choice of park in the area, given so many other nearby options like Quincy, Oak Grove, Woodstock, Woodlawn, Mosaic Park, Madison Manor and others, but it's a perfectly nice neighborhood park with a number of enticing elements like the spray ground, sand pit play area, covered picnic shelter, and several tennis and basketball courts. Particularly good park choice for birthday parties, btw.

    This is a little park tucked into North Arlington across from the Arlington Science Focus School…read more There is a small parking lot or street parking is available. This is definitely for the 5 and under crowd IMO. There are no big slides, no extensive climbing apparatuses. There's 2 baby swings and 2 big swings. There's a large sand pit that includes an excavator for digging and a play kitchen. There is a 3 person seesaw and a tiny pirate ship. There are two small slides. The centerpiece is supposed to be a solar system themed spray park. Currently you can climb on the "planets". Water fountains are working. There are tennis courts and a small bike circle. If you have bigger kids, go elsewhere but this is perfect for toddlers!

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    Hayes Park
    Hayes Park
    Hayes Park

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    Lady Bird Johnson Park

    Lady Bird Johnson Park

    4.4(7 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Lady Bird Johnson Park is a small park that takes up most of Columbia Island in the Potomac River…read morecreated in honor of the work the former First Lady did around urban beautification. Here's why it's worth a visit: 1) Park: It's a larger park with lots of trees, flowers and picnic tables in shade for family getaways. There are trails throughout the park including one that leads to a pedestrian bridge to the Pentagon. 2) Parking: There's a free three-hour parking lot near the marina. 3) Memorial: In the middle of the park is a memorial for Lady Bird's husband, President Johnson. 4) Views: The views from the park are stunning. You can see the entire National Mall from across the river. If you need a park with fewer people and lots of shade, go here!

    Took a wrong turn and that's an easy thing to do in this part of town, trust me. Entering this park…read moreturned out to be a pleasant surprise. Decided to get out of the car and start walking down the trail and this turned out to be peaceful as all get out. A few yards into the tree line and you hear birds singing and insects chirping and the city washes away. The tall trees provide plenty of shade and relief from the afternoon sun. A few hundred yards down the trail you come to a clearing with a giant rock formation in the center. This is the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac. There's a whole backstory to this memorial grove told by Lady Bird Johnson herself. Just press the button and listen to the recordings. From here facing east you can see the Potomac River and it's a beautiful spot. It's easy to see why President Johnson chose this location. He used to come here when he wanted to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the White House. The Mount Vernon Trail passes through the park so watch out for joggers and cyclists. You can find restrooms and trash cans close to the parking lot and snacks are available at the Columbia Island Marina.

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    Lady Bird Johnson Park
    Lady Bird Johnson Park - Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial

    Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial

    Lady Bird Johnson Park

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    Georgetown Waterfront Park

    Georgetown Waterfront Park

    4.5(119 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Didn't know this actually had a name. Who knew! Skip the banter, the answer is YES! VISIT! Everyone…read moredoes! It's a staple landmark in DC! Story Time! I came to the Georgetown Waterfront in my Season of YES, which apparently includes saying yes to waterfront views, questionable boat dynamics, and accidental raccoon contour. My friend wanted to show me all things water for a memorable Holiday weekend, so Georgetown Waterfront was the obvious meet‑up, because this girl was NOT driving to Potomac, MD. Boats, docks... I was getting the full tour of our brown waters of the DMV. And honestly, this area is perfect: lively, scenic, and full of characters to watch. The park area has no tie‑ups, so if you want to have a picnic off your boat, the park grassy area is a short walk away. I grew up in DC and if you did too, you already know the rule: You do NOT get in the Potomac. We were raised on stories about what's in that water; dead bodies, secrets, evidence, probably a missing chapter of DC history. And no, it's not saltwater. It's Potomac, MD water: a very specific shade of brown that politely tells you to mind your business. Fast forward 25 years... Potomac still looks brown, still looks suspicious, still looks like it has a backstory it refuses to share. But here I am, floating on top of it like I'm not fully aware of its reputation. Now let's talk about the people‑watching, because THAT is the real attraction when you come to the Georgetown Waterfront. You've got the oldies but goodies, seasoned gentlemen with boats, confidence, and clearly the budget to sponsor a whole afternoon. And then you've got the young women they're "hosting," who look like they were born after the iPhone. The dynamic is... noticeable. The math is mathing. If I feel out of place with someone who is 16 years older, I can only imagine how these college girls felt. But let me give it to these girls, they laughed at the jokes and listened to stories from these men's "good ole college days"... 45 years ago. It made for GREAT entertainment. I found myself staring like, "Should I ask their ages or just assume this is a mentorship program?" I chose silence. Once a woman can be your daughter... I don't know. It's a little off‑putting. But here I am, on a boat, sharing space with someone's grandpa and someone's young college daughter. Seasoned men taking younger women out is a thing, and here I am watching the circle of life. Very interesting. I realize in this moment older men just want companionship and they will treat women to dinner and fun for the exchange. Eeeek. At one point I caught my reflection and realized the "charcoal contour" on my face. I looked like I'd done a charcoal face mask and forgot to rinse, nope, just hair dye from a hopeful silver fox. Not sure why men do this to stop the aging. Grey is in! Stop putting in dye on your beards gentlemen! It's not cool. Suddenly the college girls' side‑eyes made sense. They were trying to figure out if I was okay or if I'd just escaped from a fight. Nope ladies, it was beard paint all over my face calling me out, like, "Let's give you more attention and Racoon Eyes." Overall, the Georgetown Waterfront is beautiful, entertaining, and full of life. Great views, great energy, and always something to look at, even when you're trying not to. Best place to come, relax, picnic, tie up (if you have a boat), and enjoy the restaurants all along the water. Tip: Use the DC Wharf or National Harbor for gassing up! Georgetown lets you tie up without a fee, chaos in the best way.

    Georgetown Waterfront Park is a beautiful park along the Potomac River in the heart of Georgetown…read more It stretches along the banks of the Potomac River on K Street from 31st Street NW to the Key Bridge. It is adjacent to the restaurant district, Washington Harbor, and Lowes movie theater. There are beautiful gardens, sculptures, fountains, greenspace, and pavilions throughout. The park has long walkways for cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians. Over the years, street parking has reduced as the city has prioritized bike lanes, however, there is ample paid underground parking. Street parking is easier to come by during early morning hours and late evenings. On weekends, driving and parking a long K Street is difficult due to pedestrian traffic, so be careful. The views across the river are beautiful as you can see the Rosslyn, VA skyline, Washington D.C. Mall, The Watergate Hotel, and Key Bridge. During warm months, boaters, kayakers, and competitive sports teams use the Potomac River as their recreational space. CONS: Parking - sometimes it can feel like a disappointment not being able to park on the street. The garages don't have the best ingress and egress and seem inconveniently situated. For such a large park, the limited street parking is a concern. At one point the street parking was ample, but the reconfiguration and reduction of street parking to construct bike lanes hasn't seemed like the best use of street space considering cyclists also ride on the mixed-used paths. Rats - at night, the rats run rampant. Trashcans often overflow onto the ground, making an ideal environment for rats to thrive. Narrow sidewalks - sidewalks along K Street are unbelievably narrow. Leading up to Washington Harbor, the mixed-use pathways are incredibly narrow. It wouldn't be an issue if the paths were for walking only, but they also accommodate cyclist, runners, and skaters. Not to mention groups, strollers, and people often casually strolling. Overall, a great space for strolling and leisure.

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    Georgetown Waterfront Park - And the river runs through it

    And the river runs through it

    Georgetown Waterfront Park
    Georgetown Waterfront Park

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    Gravelly Point - parks - Updated May 2026

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