In the past, Washington DC wasn’t the wealthy city it is now. We all know its reputation as the former Murder Capital of the USA. Although DC is still a high crime city, it is much different than what it was before. And this change came about fairly quickly, with many parts of the city gentrifying even in my short ten years in DC.
So DC has two waterfronts now. The South West Waterfront, with the overarching business mark called the ‘Wharf,’ is new, opening to the public only five years ago. And already pushing out old-time landmarks like the Maine Ave Fish Market, the longest open-air fish market in the country (est. 1805).
The other waterfront is the Washington Harbor. The name makes its past status very plain. Constructed in 1986, this place had been the go-to place for visitors and locals alike to enjoy the restaurants and see the serene river. Both developments are excellent, but I prefer the Georgetown one.
Every weekend, boats of all different sizes tie up to the public dock and party, adding to the ambience. Perhaps you could catch a sight of the beautiful Moksha, the fanciest, biggest motor yacht based out of DC.
Fiola Mare and Sequoia are two fine-dining experiences that are often talked about. Many of my local guests on my boats rave about their experiences at the establishments. Guapo’s of Georgetown has a more casual experience, but the cocktails and food there are quite good as well, and I really enjoy the service there.
On the same development is the Embassy of Sweden. A bit further west is the Consulate and Defense attaché of Thailand (fun fact: I grew up partially in Thailand). All along the shopping areas north and west of the development are some excellent, more affordable food stops. My personal favorite is George’s King of Falafel, though much of the locals like Bluefin Sushi.
Just downstream of the river is the Thompson Boathouse. If you would like to get a little workout, you can rent kayaks and stand up paddleboards there for a very affordable price. And for a similarly low fee, you can unload your portable watercraft (in my case, it was a 10 foot inflatable boat) at the convenient cul-de-sac there, and launch it at the well maintained boats.
Of course, take a short hike north and west and there is the beautiful and historic Georgetown University campus. See if you can spot the ‘Exorcist Steps,’ featured in the cult-classic horror movie, Exorcist. Go the other way, and the Watergate Complex and the Kennedy Center wait for you.
The great part about all of this is that it is all in walking distance. It is a bit hard to get to the area, but don’t despair. Like most parts of DC, if you look hard enough, there is always street parking. If not, there are several parking garages in the area. Sorry, there is no metro here.