The impressive Lincoln Memorial looks out over the Arlington Memorial Bridge, which is widely known as the most beautiful bridge in Washington DC. I normally paddle on the DC side of the island so I can enjoy the city landscape, which includes the famous Watergate complex and the John F. The island itself is a memorial to the 26th president, who was a conservation advocate. This 88-acre island stretches past the Roosevelt Bridge and is a combination of swamp, marshland, and forest. Just after passing under the Key Bridge, you’ll see Theodore Roosevelt Island. This allows for a very leisurely trip down the river. If you have transportation available for a one-way paddle, you can drop a car off at Belle Haven Marina (about 10 miles downstream on the Virginia side). Away from the bustle of traffic, I have the opportunity to pause as long as I wish to take in the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and many other national treasures. The river in this area offers a natural boundary between Virginia and Washington DC. When I launch near the Key Bridge, I most often paddle downstream by the National Mall under the majestic Roosevelt, Arlington Memorial, and 14th Street bridges. They open at 8am on weekends during the summer months and provide terrific access from Georgetown. Those who don’t have their own boats can easily rent one from the Key Bridge Boathouse. The Potomac is also impacted by tides from around Washington DC down to the Chesapeake Bay. It is not always possible to paddle safely after heavy rain or in the spring when snow melt upstream impacts water levels. The Potomac River is the fourth largest river along the Atlantic Coast, and the currents and water levels can fluctuate with the weather and seasonal changes. The river is peaceful, although it is still best to stick near the shoreline to avoid boat traffic. I’m joined on the water in the early hours by local crew teams from several universities and the occasional pleasure boat. Nature abounds on the Virginia shoreline, and gulls fly overhead as a subtle reminder that downstream sits the grand Chesapeake Bay.
It is a special time of day on the Potomac. In the Capitol Building, its dome rising out of the landscape in the distance, the laws we live by are written and signed. I know that members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and even the President himself are sleeping behind the breakwall of the river.
Tidal basin paddle boats free#
Viewing the city from inside a 40-pound shell of fiberglass could be intimidating, but instead it offers welcome perspective on this notorious icon of the free world.įrom the cockpit of my kayak, I see the natural beauty of the river, the architectural splendor of our national monuments, and the diversity of cultures that blend together to offer visitors a vast array of choices for entertainment, dining, and leisure activities. This is how Washington DC strikes me as I glide silently through the waters of the Potomac River in my kayak at dawn. Photo © Michaela Riva Gaaserud.Ī sleeping giant. Kayaking along the Potomac allows you to enjoy both the beauty of nature and the architectural splendor of the city.
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