5 Reasons to Visit National Harbor, MD

I recently had the opportunity to spend a day in National Harbor, MD, in Prince George’s County.  It was a neat place!  Here are a few spots worth checking out right in the harbor.

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center

This is a really beautiful building, with a huge glass paneled vestibule – you can look down onto the first floor where there are trees with Christmas lights on them and a whole food court/shopping area with plenty of seating and a view out onto the Potomac and Capital Wheel.  The conference rooms were on the second floor and the hotel rooms up from there. You could walk out the back and along the river if the weather cooperates. 

The Capital Wheel

I was disappointed to find it closed despite google telling me it was open, though I checked a few times during the day it never did open.  Apparently you can see across the Potomac to get a good view of the capital and Washington monument, which I’m sure I would have enjoyed. 

Food, Shopping and Art

Just walking around the national harbor area is enjoyable.  There were many options for food and shopping, and there was the Awakening statue – sculptures made to look like a man climbing out of the earth.  There were also various sculptures to honor different Americans – George Washington, those who serve, many American and state flags, etc. 

Spirit Park

Walk up to Spirit Park and take a look at the interesting textured sculptures of an American Bison family and flags. It is worth the short walk to enjoy this small, patriotic park.

Bikes and Water Taxis

There are bikes you can rent just like in the capital for a fun and affordable way to explore. There are also water taxis available at the harbor to go visit the capital. They will take you across the Potomac to the Georgetown area of DC, and of course from there you can find endless things to do. You can find a few of our favorite DC destinations in this post.