Photo courtesy of National Park Service
Belle Haven Marina
For all its cobblestones and history, Alexandria is fundamentally a river town — and the best seat in the city is out on the Potomac itself. As the season winds down and the water turns glassy in the long evening light, there's no better time to get out on it. From rent-a-kayak afternoons to guided monument cruises and a brand-new water taxi to Mount Vernon, here's your guide to the city from the water up.
Rent a board or a boat
Daingerfield Island, along the George Washington Memorial Parkway
The city's one-stop shop for getting on the water under your own power. Just north of Old Town, the marina rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards by the hour and offers sailboat rentals and lessons for those who'd rather catch the wind. Its sheltered cove is calm enough for first-timers, and the trailhead location means you can pair a paddle with a ride on the Mount Vernon Trail.
Launch your own
Bringing your own kayak, canoe, or board? Alexandria has free public put-ins that connect to the regional Potomac Water Trail.
Four Mile Run Park, 3700 Commonwealth Avenue
The city's newest access point is also its most welcoming: an ADA-compliant launch with a raised boardwalk ramp, floating dock, wheelchair transfer platform, and roller entry system, opening onto the calm, shallow waters of a tidal Potomac tributary. It's built for beginners, solo paddlers, and anyone who's found other launches out of reach.
Beneath the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, south Old Town
A canoe and kayak launch tucked under the bridge puts you on the water at Alexandria's historic southern tip, within sight of the 1855 lighthouse. Fishing piers and a marsh trail make it easy to linger before or after you paddle.
The closest and primary marina serving the Fort Hunt area of Fairfax County is the Belle Haven Marina, located at 6401 George Washington Memorial Parkway in Alexandria. It sits just north of the Fort Hunt community along the Potomac River, offering wet slips, rack storage, boat rentals (sailboats and kayaks), and a launch ramp.
Let someone else steer
City Cruises (formerly Potomac Riverboat Company)
Alexandria Marina, 105 North Union St.
The Old Town waterfront's longtime fleet offers narrated sightseeing and monument cruises, canine-friendly excursions, and a scenic water taxi that turns a night out into a voyage — with regular runs linking Alexandria to The Wharf, Georgetown, Navy Yard, and National Harbor. It's the effortless way to see the river when you'd rather hold a drink than a paddle.
New this season: paddle-free passage to Mount Vernon. City Cruises has added water taxi service connecting Old Town Alexandria directly to George Washington's estate, letting you arrive at Mount Vernon by river much as visitors once did — with tickets that bundle the boat ride and estate admission. It's the first direct water route to the estate for Northern Virginians in memory. (Our own report on the new service has the details; check the operator for current schedules and fares.)
Before you shove off
The Potomac is tidal and busier than it looks — wear a life jacket, check the wind and current before you launch, and give the wake of larger boats a wide berth. Rentals and cruise schedules shift with the season, so confirm hours with each operator before you go. Then push off, look back at the skyline and squeeze one more golden afternoon out of the river.
