5 Reasons to Visit National Harbor, MD

There are many reasons to visit National Harbor, located just south of Washington DC in Prince George County, MD. I recently had the opportunity to spend a day in this lively waterfront area. I thought it was a neat place! Here are a few spots worth checking out right in the harbor, in no particular order.

Reason #1 to Visit National Harbor: The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center and MGM

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is one of the reasons to visit National Harbor, MD. It is a really beautiful building, with a huge glass paneled vestibule. From the floors above you can look down onto the first floor, where you’ll find a food court and a shopping area. Light and green plants fill the beautiful space. Additionally, there is plenty of seating and a view out onto the Potomac and Capital Wheel. I visited in December and there were Christmas lights that made the whole place shimmer. 

The conference rooms are on the second floor and the hotel rooms are on the floors above. Behind the hotel there is room to walk outside and along the river if the weather cooperates. The Capital Wheel is almost directly behind the hotel.

Not far from the convention center is MGM National Harbor, a huge casino. It also contains many restaurants, a luxury hotel/resort, a theater that hosts concerts and shows, and even a huge conservatory with art exhibitions. If gambling or seeing a show interests you, consider staying at MGM during your time in National Harbor.

Reason #2 to Visit National Harbor: The Capital Wheel

The Capital Wheel is a 180 foot ride with 42 gondolas that soar over the Potomac River. It is built over a board walk out into the river so you truly have a view across the water. You can even see Washington DC and the Washington Monument from the top.

Each gondola seats four to six people, and is climate controlled so the whole family can enjoy the ride. The ride lasts about 15 minutes. There’s even a bar right next to the wheel so if you’re scared of heights and need to take the edge off before riding… just kidding 🙂 But there really is a bar.

Tickets are $18 per adult and $14.50 per child. There are also a variety of packages you can explore, and VIP experiences if you’d like to do something extra. The hours vary by season, and at the time of my visit, google did not reflect the correct hours for the ride to be open. So, definitely be sure to check the website to make sure you can be there when the wheel is running and get the latest information.

Reason #3: Food, Shopping and Art

Just walking around National Harbor is a good reason to visit the area. There are so many options for food and shopping, it was hard to choose where to go. To save time, I did all of my shopping and eating right in the convention center. But, I would highly recommend checking out all the options along the waterfront.

There was also quite a bit of art throughout the area, including sculptures that honored different Americans. For example, there was a statue of George Washington, a memorial to those who served, many displays of American and state flags, and various other examples of patriotic art.

One of my favorite pieces of art was the Awakening statue, a series of sculptures made to look like a man climbing out of the earth.  The series, sculpted by J. Seward Johnson Jr., is located quite near the Capital Wheel. It depicts a head with an intense expression on its face, a hand reaching up, and limbs. It certainly makes an interesting conversation piece and a great photo op as well.

Reason #4: Spirit Park

A walk up to this patriotic waterfront park is another reason to visit National Harbor. It contains one of the largest flags in the US, along with many smaller flags and statues of several US presidents. The park honors veterans and first responders.

I enjoyed the interesting textured sculptures of an American Bison family created by John Lopez. There is also a carousel in the park and a playground nearby, so it is definitely worth the short walk to visit if you have small children.

An amphitheater with 125 seats is used for events and concerts. Fittingly, it is also used during promotions for military and first responders.

Reason #5 to visit National Harbor: Bikes and Water Taxis

Similar to the capital and other cities, you can rent bikes for a fun and affordable way to explore the area. E-bikes cost a little over a dollar per ride or can be rented all day for about $10. You’ll find them all over the area, so it is always easy to find stations to pick them up and drop them off.

There are also water taxis available at the harbor to go across the river and visit other destinations. They will take you across the Potomac to Alexandria or 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 activities in Washington DC in this post.

It takes about 20 minutes and costs around $23 for a one-way trip and $35 for round trip, with discounts for children under 3. Find more information on this website. Some companies also offer water taxi guided tours which are longer and include monument sightseeing

All of these reasons make National Harbor a great place for a visit for adults and families with children. It is a fun place to spend a day or weekend, with easy access to DC and it’s nearby metropolitan areas for a more extended trip.

Looking for more fun things to do in Maryland? Find a long list of our favorite fun family attractions in Maryland at this post.