Kayaks and paddleboards on the Washington Channel at The Wharf
On the Water

Water Sports & Boat Rentals at The Wharf

The Wharf turned the Washington Channel into the one part of DC where you can actually get on the water without leaving the city — kayaks and paddleboards by the hour, self-drive electric boats for a group, or a sightseeing cruise if you'd rather someone else handle the steering.

Local's Take

Most visitors never realize DC has a real waterfront scene until they're standing at The Wharf looking at kayaks going by. If it's a nice afternoon and you've already done the monuments, this is the single best way to see the city from an angle almost no other tourist gets.

Kayaks, Paddleboards, and Canoes: The Wharf Boathouse

The Wharf Boathouse, on Recreation Pier, is the easiest way onto the water here — walk-ups are welcome and gear goes out first-come, first-served, though tours and classes are worth booking ahead. Rates run around $24/hour for a single kayak or a stand-up paddleboard, and $34/hour for a double kayak or a canoe. It's a seasonal operation, typically running April through October, so check current hours before you head down in shoulder-season months.

The Washington Channel here is genuinely calm and protected — it's the strip of water between The Wharf and East Potomac Park, not the open Potomac — which makes it a forgiving spot for a first-time paddler.

Electric picnic boat cruising the Washington Channel at sunset

Prefer a Class? Potomac Paddle Club

Potomac Paddle Club operates out of The Wharf alongside the standard rental setup, running stand-up paddleboard yoga and fitness classes in addition to regular SUP rentals. It's a good pick if you want structure — a set start time and an instructor — rather than just grabbing a board and going.

Drive Your Own Electric Boat: GoBoat

GoBoat (formerly Float DC) rents fully electric, self-captained picnic boats that seat up to 8 people, starting around $150 per boat per hour. You don't need a boating license — just be 21 or older with a valid driver's license — and you steer it yourself up and down the Channel. Each boat comes with a cooler, Bluetooth speaker, USB outlets, and life vests, and you're welcome to bring your own food and drinks aboard (red wine is the one thing they ask you to skip, for obvious reasons). It runs roughly 8am-6pm, April through October.

This is the move for a group that wants the water without anyone needing to actually captain a boat — it splits well across 6-8 people and ends up cheaper per person than most cruise tickets.

Prefer Someone Else Drives? Sightseeing and Dinner Cruises

City Cruises runs the Spirit of Washington and Odyssey out of The Wharf, with sightseeing cruises departing from Transit Pier and dinner/brunch/lunch cruises from Pier 4 — full buffet, DJ, monument views from the water. DC Sail runs Sunset Sails on the schooner American Spirit roughly every other Friday from May through October, open to the public including kids, around $75 per person for the three-hour sail.

There's also a water jitney that shuttles across the Channel to East Potomac Park, useful if you're pairing a Wharf afternoon with the mini golf or the golf course over there instead of walking or driving around.

Let Someone Else Drive

Sightseeing and Dinner Cruises on the Potomac

If self-driving a boat or paddling isn't your speed, these cruises cover the same waterfront from the comfort of a full-size vessel — dinner, drinks, and monument views included.

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Frequently Asked Questions