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Major city · United States

National Harbor

Give National Harbor one night if you are here for a convention or a show; otherwise treat it as a half-day from Washington, DC or Alexandria.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (humid), late Dec–Feb (cold waterfront)
Airports
DCA · IAD · BWI
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

National Harbor is a 350-acre planned waterfront on the Maryland bank of the Potomac, built around the 2,000-room Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. It is a convention and event district, not a city: six hotels, a Ferris wheel, an outlet mall and a casino, all walkable in about 20 minutes. Most travellers come for a conference, a concert or a family afternoon, and combine it with Washington, DC or Alexandria, Virginia, both within about 30 minutes.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about National Harbor, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, main course$22–45
  • Street or quick mealCrab cake sandwich$18–28
  • BeerDraught beer at a waterfront bar$8–12
  • Budget bedBudget chain room (Alexandria or Oxon Hill), a night, per roomUS$90
  • Mid-range bedBudget chain room (Alexandria or Oxon Hill), a night, per roomUS$140
  • High-end bedBudget chain room (Alexandria or Oxon Hill), a night, per roomUS$220

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$140 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

The Capital WheelGaylord National Resort & Convention CenterMGM National HarborThe Awakening sculptureTanger Outlets
Airports
DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National (Closest airport, about 12 km; taxi or rideshare, no direct rail link) · IAD Washington Dulles International (About 57 km; mostly international and long-haul domestic) · BWI Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (About 61 km; domestic and some international)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

National Harbor: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C

−3°C

10 rd

Feb

8°C

−2°C

9 rd

Mar

13°C

2°C

10 rd

Apr

19°C

8°C

10 rd

May

24°C

13°C

11 rd

Jun

29°C

18°C

10 rd

Jul

32°C

21°C

11 rd

Aug

31°C

20°C

9 rd

Sep

27°C

16°C

8 rd

Oct

21°C

10°C

8 rd

Nov

14°C

4°C

9 rd

Dec

8°C

−1°C

10 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The waterfront is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes. The National Harbor Circulator bus loops between downtown, Gaylord National, Tanger Outlets and MGM National Harbor; hours and the all-day pass price are dated in older listings, so check the current schedule and fare before relying on it. Metrobus NH1 and NH2 link to Southern Avenue and King Street Metro stations; a water taxi runs to Alexandria, Virginia in about 25 minutes for about $16 round trip (check seasonal schedules).

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Washington, DC

go

Door to door: About 30–50 min

Drive or rideshare via I-295/I-95, or Metrobus to a Metro station then rail

Go early: the Mall museums open at 10:00 and are free.

Alexandria, Virginia

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min

Water taxi from the marina, about 25 min (check season), or drive over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge

Old Town is the better half-day of the two.

Greenbeltcaution

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive via I-95/I-495

Mostly a Metro stop and parkland; only worth it if you are heading that way.

College Park, Marylandcaution

Door to door: About 35 min

Drive via I-95/I-495

Campus and aviation museum; a car makes it easy.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Waterfront Street and National Plaza

The core: Gaylord National, Westin, Aloft, Residence Inn, Hampton Inn and most restaurants within a 10-minute walk.

MGM National Harbor and Tanger Outlets

Uphill and about 1.5 km from the waterfront; use the Circulator bus rather than walking with bags.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–100 excl. bed
Mid
$100–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Waterfront hotel double room1 × 1 night × US$240US$240
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140US$280
Circulator all-day pass2 × US$5 · checkUS$10
Water taxi to Alexandria, round trip2 × US$16US$32
Capital Wheel adult ticket2 × US$15US$30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$62
Trip total≈ US$342 per person per day, bed includedUS$684

check

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax and tips extra. Room bands are estimates to check against live rates. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Crab cake sandwich$18–28
Sit-down dinner, main course$22–45
Draught beer at a waterfront bar$8–12
Capital Wheel adult ticket$15
Kayak or paddleboard rental, per hour$15–20
Parking garage, per hour$3–10

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

The waterfront is well lit and busy until late; the main annoyances are event-night traffic, paid parking and the unlit walk up to MGM after dark. Use the Circulator or a rideshare for that leg.
  • Parking garages charge by the hour and fill on event nights: check the rate board before you enter.
  • The Circulator is the only easy link to MGM and the outlets; walking means a hill and no pavement in places.
  • Waterfront restaurants add Maryland sales tax and expect 18–22% tipping on sit-down bills.
  • Summer afternoons on the plaza are hot and shadeless; the wheel and boat rentals queue longest after 13:00.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

National HarborNational Harbor

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; most are in Washington, DC, about 30–50 min away.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Water taxi National Harbor → Alexandria: about $16 round trip, about 25 min
  • Circulator all-day pass: about $5 (check current fare)
  • Rideshare to DCA: 15–25 min; fare varies with demand (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the Circulator stop? — Where is the Circulator stop?
  • Is this seat taken? — Is this seat taken?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • The check, please. — The check, please.
  • How much is parking? — How much is parking?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for National Harbor. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (humid), late Dec–Feb (cold waterfront) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources