National Harbor is in Prince George's County, Maryland. Home to Marriott's Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor is a common destination for people traveling to the Washington DC area for conventions and business. Although National Harbor is known as a tourist destination, it has about 3,800 residents (2010).
Understand
The site has a convention center, six hotels, restaurants, shops, and condominiums. National Harbor hosted Cirque du Soleil in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 and features outdoor activities such as a culinary festival and outdoor concerts by military bands, an outdoor movie screen facing the river, an annual ice sculpture exhibition, and a Peeps Day with a Peeps eating contest. The national spelling bee competition is held there. The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, with 2,000 rooms, is the largest hotel between New Jersey and Florida, and the largest in the Washington area.
The site includes a beachfront walking path and a connection to a bike trail on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge that crosses into Alexandria, Virginia. Amusements include a children's carousel, and the Capital Wheelk a 175-foot Ferris wheel on a pier that extends into the Potomac River.
Get in
By car
National Harbor is just south of the intersection of I-95 and I-295. There are numerous parking garages in the area.
By bus
- Metrobus NH1 & NH3 (dead link: January 2023) operate service from/to the Branch Avenue Metro Station, where further connections can be made to Washington DC. For more information on riding the Metrorail and Metrobus, see Washington DC#Get_In.
- National Harbor Passenger Shuttle (dead link: March 2023) operates between hotels in National Harbor and the King Street Metro Station in Alexandria, Virginia. The bus is free for guests staying at a hotel in National Harbor (show your key card) or residents/employees of National Harbor and costs $10 for non-guests.
By boat
- Potomac Riverboat Company (dead link: January 2023) operates a water taxi between Alexandra, Virginia, the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center, and downtown National Harbor. Round-trip fares are $16 for adults, $8 for children and the rides lasts about 25 minutes.
- National Harbor Marina (dead link: January 2023) allows docking of private boats. Advance reservation required.
By air
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 📍 is the closest airport to National Airport, about 8 miles (12 km) away. It has mostly domestic flights and a few international flights.
- Washington Dulles International Airport 📍 has domestic flights and many international flights. It is 36 miles (57 miles) from National Harbor.
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 📍 has domestic and international flights. It is 38 miles (61 km) from National Harbor.
Get around
<mapframe latitude="38.783495" longitude="-77.013795" zoom="16" width="508" height="354" align="right" />
National Harbor is very easy to walk around, and walking around is one of the pleasures of being there. The hotels are all within a short, pleasant walk from many restaurants and shops. A few places, such as the MGM casino and the outlet mall, are further away, and are easier to reach by using the National Harbor Circulator, a bus operating 7 days a week from 11AM-4AM. It costs $5 for an all-day pass. The National Harbor Circulator bus stops at:
- Downtown National Harbor (St. George Blvd & Waterfront St bus shelters)
- Gaylord National
- Tanger Outlets (by the merchant wall on Oxon Hill Rd)
- MGM National Harbor (on Monument Dr)
See
- Awakening Sculpture, 153 National Plaza (beachfront), 38.785115°, -77.017235°. Sculpture that looks like a giant person awakening after being buried in the ground.
- Local Motors Tours. Daily noon–6PM, on the hour. Showcases the latest innovations in vehicle technology, from 3D-printed cars to autonomous vehicles 2017-02-10
Do
- Boat Rental @ Boating in D.C., 165 Waterfront St, 38.784422°, -77.016617°. Swan pedal boat, kayak, and paddleboard rentals. Also offers paddleboard lessons. Hourly rates: single kayak $15; double kayak $20; stand-up paddleboard $20; pedal boat (up to 4 adults): $25; swan or duck pedal boat (4 adults + 1 child): $30
- The Capital Wheel, 116 Waterfront St, 38.7856°, -77.0191°, +1 301-842-8650, info@iconattractions.com. M-Th noon-10PM, F Sa 10AM-11PM. 175-foot (53-km) Ferris wheel with views of the major sights of Washington D.C., and the surrounding area. Adult $15; senior $13.20; child $11.25 2019-10-05
- The Carousel at National Harbor, 137 National Plaza, 38.786191°, -77.016448°, +1 301-842-8650. Carousel with painted animals, a playground, and picnic tables near the water. Child $5
- Big Apple Circus, 238 Waterfront St, 38.781932°, -77.015233°. Frequently hosts shows in a tent at National Harbor.
- MGM National Harbor, 101 MGM National Ave, 38.7948°, -77.0094°, guestservices@mgmnationalharbor.com. 2016-12-21
- Movies on the Potomac. Seasonal; check schedule for dates and times.. Outdoor movies on the waterfront. 2017-02-10
Buy
- Peeps & Company, 150 National Plaza, 38.7849°, -77.0165°, +1 301 749-5791. M-Th 10AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Candy store. 2017-02-10
- Tanger Outlets, 6800 Oxon Hill Rd, 38.794882°, -77.002541°, +1 301-567-3880. Over 85 stores, including Adidas, American Eagle, ASICS, Calvin Klein, Coach, Converse, Fossil, H&M, Hollister, Tommy Hilfiger, UGG, and Under Armour.
- {{buy
| name=Miller Farms Farmers Market | alt= | url=https://www.nationalharbor.com/miller-farms-farmers-market/ (dead link: December 2020) | email=
| address=Located on American Way by the fountain | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Every Saturday and Sunday, April 23rd – November 20th 10AM – 5PM | price=
| lastedit=2017-02-10
| content=
}}
Eat
- Bond 45 Restaurant, 149 Waterfront St, 38.7850°, -77.0163°, +1 301 839-1445. 4–11PM. New York-style Italian steak and seafood restaurant 2016-04-26
- Cadillac Ranch, 186 Fleet Street, 38.782824°, -77.015066°, +1 301 839-1100. American food 2016-04-26
- Crab Cake Cafe, 140 National Plaza, 38.785191°, -77.016442°, +1 240 766-2063. Crab cakes, sandwiches, salads, and soup. 2017-02-10
- Grace's Mandarin, 188 Waterfront St, 38.783156°, -77.017211°. East Asian restaurant.
- Nando's Peri Peri, 191 American Way, 38.783986°, -77.015171°. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. Spicy Afro-Portuguese chicken. 2017-02-10
- Old Hickory Steakhouse @ Marriott Gaylord Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St, 38.780752°, -77.017196°, +1 301 965-4000. Steak restaurant. Dress nice.
- Sauciety @ The Westin National Harbor, 171 Waterfront St, 38.783965°, -77.017087°, +1 240 766-3640. Steak and seafood with a view of the water.
- Thai Pavilion, 151 American Way, 38.784221°, -77.015589°, +1 301 749-2022. Thai restaurant.
Drink
- Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar, 172 Fleet Street, 38.783163°, -77.015498°, +1 301 602-2209.
- Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop @ National Harbor, 137 Waterfront St, 38.785321°, -77.016036°, +1 301 686-0465.
- National Pastime Sports Bar & Grill @ Marriott Gaylord Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St, 38.781194°, -77.016734°, +1 301 965-4000.
Sleep
- Aloft National Harbor, 156 Watefront Street, 38.784351°, -77.016410°, +1 301-749-9000. 190 rooms, 9-foot ceilings, large windows, modern look.
- Marriott Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St., 38.782038°, -77.016363°, +1 301-965-4000. 19 floors, 2,000 rooms, 470,000 square feet of meeting space.
- Hampton Inn & Suites National Harbor, 250 Waterfront Street, 38.782118°, -77.014960°, +1 301-567-3531. 151 rooms
- Residence Inn National Harbor, 192 Waterfront Street, 38.782786°, -77.016606°, +1 301-749-4755. 162 rooms.
- Westin National Harbor, 171 Waterfront Street, 38.784122°, -77.016934°, +1 301-567-3999. Great views of the water.
- Wyndham National Harbor, 250 Mariner Passage, 38.783552°, -77.014297°, +1 301-265-4200. 250 suites, many with multiple bedrooms.
Go next
Go next