Washington, DC

Location

Region: Chesapeake Bay
Latitude: 38.8796° N
Longitude: -77.0296° W
Waterway Guide: Washington, DC

Destination: Washington, DC

Washington, DC, a frequently missed stop on the run up the Chesapeake, is a great place to visit by boat!

The Potomac River trip is an easy two—to three-day run with several great stops along the way. We especially enjoyed Prince William Marina in Occuquan, VA, about halfway up the Potomac to Washington. The staff and Yacht Club members there made us feel very welcome, and it was an excellent facility, complete with a pool. Colonial Beach also has two very nice marinas: Colonial Beach Yacht Center, which has docking and fuel, and The Boat House Marina, which has docking and an excellent service facility with a travel lift. The town of Colonial Beach is a great little stop and is walking or biking distance from either marina with lots of shops and restaurants.

As you approach Washington, you will pass Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home high on a bluff overlooking the river. No public docking is available for larger boats, but you can visit either by anchoring out in the bay in front (watch your depths; it’s pretty shallow) and taking your dinghy in or on one of the tour boats from the Washington waterfront. From there, you will pass Alexandria, Virginia, another historic town and easily accessible from Washington by water taxi. Just before you turn up the Washington Channel, the Ronald Regan National Airport will be on your port side, and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling on your Starboard. This is the home of the President’s Marine One Helicopter group, a bunch of Apache Attack Helicopters, and a surface-to-air missile installation! Please stay in the channel.

The best place to stay with your boat is in the Washington Channel. This is a side channel off the Potomac River with a large park protecting you from the main river channel and the noise of Washington National Airport, just across the river.

However, you will get plenty of air traffic as the Washington Channel is also the air corridor for the Marine and Military Helicopters that patrol Washington. While there, we saw several of the Marine Helicopters that carry the President fly just a couple hundred feet above the boats—close enough to see the pilots! It’s quite the air show.

The area around the marinas in the Washington Channel is referred to as The Wharf. This newly redeveloped area has many shops, restaurants, and activities. In the evenings, there are frequently live bands on the Wharf stage and lots of activity on the Recreation Pier. This area also provides easy access to all of the Washington attractions. It is just a half mile to the Washington Mall, and the Washington Monument is visible above the buildings from the docks.

Two marinas serve the area: the Capital Yacht Club and the Wharf Marina DC. Mooring balls are also available from the Wharf Marina. During our stay, we also saw boats in an area called the Market Docks, which The Wharf Marina also runs. While many are for day use, there are a few transient slips available. I would avoid them as they are right next to the music stage and can be quite loud.

During our stay, we docked at The Capital Yacht Club. This excellent facility has secure gated access, and you can use the Yacht Club clubhouse, which has bathrooms, showers, and a great bar and grill on the second floor. We met a few boaters who were docked at The Wharf Marina, which also had very nice facilities. Each day at sunset, the staff wheel a small cannon to the end of the dock and fire off a shot as they lower the flag.

Washington has endless opportunities for sightseeing and dining. We stayed seven days and hardly scratched the surface!

For Loopers, this is an excellent side trip to see the nation’s Capital if you get into the Chesapeake early in the season and need to kill some time before you head up the Hudson River. If you are on the normal schedule, you may want to plan a return to the Chesapeake Bay to see Washington, as you will probably want to spend at least 3-5 days minimum to see the sights. Most Loopers only see a small portion of the many beautiful stops in the Bay, and you can easily spend an entire season there.

We visited Washington, DC, in August 2022 when we returned to the Chesapeake between our First and Second Loop trips. We spent two months touring around, visiting places that we had skipped when we came through on our first Loop. We highly recommend it!

Where To Eat

There are just too many places to list! In the Wharf Area, within easy walking distance of the marinas, we enjoyed Kirwan’s Pub & Restaurant and The Grill, both within sight of the marinas. While we were there, Gordon Ramsey’s Fish & Chips was just getting ready to open, so that would be another place to check out. The Wharf Municipal Fish Market sells all sorts of steamed and fried fresh seafood and is extremely popular. For breakfast, District Doughnut and Milk & Honey, both also right in the Wharf area, are great choices.

A little farther afield, we recommend a stop at the famous Old Ebbitt Grill near the White House. It is worth the trip! Also, if you want to spend a couple of boat payments, you won’t be disappointed at The Capital Grille, near the National Gallery of Art.

Shopping Therapy

There are almost as many tourist shops and carts as there are tourists. We did most of our souvenir shopping at major attractions like the Smithsonian and Mount Vernon. There are many small boutiques around the Wharf area and, for the high-rollers, there are more downtown.

For provisioning, Safeway supermarket is within walking distance (3/4 of a mile), and Whole Foods and Harris Teeter supermarkets are about 1.5 miles away (but not next to each other).

Getting Around On Shore

The Wharf area has several public transportation options. First, the DC Metro Circulator Bus will take you around the downtown Washington Mall area. It costs $1 per ride, and there are several stops nearby. There is a DC Metro Subway stop on the Green Line about a block from The Wharf. Also, The Wharf operates a Free SW Shuttle.

Aside from public transportation, both Uber and Lyft have drivers available 24/7.

We also found that Washington has some excellent bike paths. The park just across the Channel from the Marina is a big bicycling mecca. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a very nice ride, with easy access to circle The Washington Tidal Basin with all of the monuments there.

Keeping Entertained

I won’t even try to list all the Museum and Entertainment opportunities in Washington. I’ll leave that up to Trip Advisor! Needless to say, even with a week’s stay, we didn’t see them all. A few that I’d like to point out that might not be on everyone’s list but are definitely worth visiting. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, a very well-presented display, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a stunning building and a very interesting display. Of course, no visit to Washington would be complete without stopping at least two of the many Smithsonian Museums along the National Mall.

There are tour boats that go to George Washington’s Mount Vernon. We really enjoyed the history, and the tour was excellent. There are extensive gardens to walk around with excellent views over the Potomac River.

You can also take the Water Taxi across to Alexandria, Virginia, which has some excellent museums, attractions, restaurants, and shopping. The Old Town Waterfront where the water taxi drops you off has a former Torpedo Factory turned Arts Center that has many artisans in residence.

The Water Taxi and Mont Vernon tour boats leave right from the Wharf!

Getting There

Washington, DC, is 115 miles up the Potomac River from the mouth of the Potomac River at Smith’s Point Lighthouse. You will be running upstream, and the current can run at a couple of knots after heavy rains. Also, if the river is running high, you will want to watch for sticks and logs floating in the river.

On the way up (and/or back down), we suggest stops at Colonial Beach, Virginia, about 45 miles from the mouth, and Occoquan, Virginia, about 90 miles. (See above for our marina recommendations)

Near the mouth of the Potomac is Reedville and the Reedville Marina. While staying there, you can take the Tangier Island Ferry to Tangier Island, a fascinating fishing village with its unique dialect! The ferry leaves right from the marina. We got a free night’s dockage for taking the tour.

Marinas and Anchorages

• Capital Yacht Club – Our top recommendation. It is an excellent and secure facility with great staff and amenities. (Pumpout available. No Fuel)
• The Wharf Marina-DC – Also a great location and a well-run facility. They offer Pumpout, Gas, & Diesel.
• The Market Transient Docks – Also run by The Wharf Marina, are a little farther up the channel surrounding the events stage. While cheaper, I would suggest avoiding them as they can be quite loud with the stage right there.
• Washington Channel Moorings – Mooring balls are just across from the marinas, and there is a convenient day dock. The Wharf Marina runs the Mooring Balls.
• James Creek Marina – Is at the entrance to the Washington Channel next to the National War College. It’s about 2 miles from the Washington Mall and is another good choice in the area. They also offer some Repair services as well as Gas, Diesel & Pumpout.
• The Yards Marina – Is 1.5 miles up the Anacostia River and about 2 miles from the Washington Mall. They can be less expensive than the marinas at The Wharf.

Where To Find Out More

• The Wharf Website – For information about dining, transportation, and entertainment at The Wharf complex.
• Viator – Tour information in Washington, DC
• Washington DC – The Washington DC Visitors Website
• Visit Alexandria – Alexandria, Virginia visitor information

Looking for more great Destinations? Check out our Map!

Have you been to Washington, DC, by boat?
Where did you stay?
What was your favorite sightseeing adventure?

Let us know in the comments below!

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