This distinctive waterfront site, situated just outside Washington D.C., provides a multitude of attractions for visitors to enjoy.
It even has its own outlet mall with shops, restaurants, bars, and a casino, making it more like a small town than a resort destination.
It’s home to MGM National Harbor, an upscale hotel offering accommodation with a casino and a theater, as well as plenty of shopping and dining options.
The waterfront is also home a whimsical carousel and a unique sculpture of monumental proportions, plus a ferry terminal and a marina boasting a Ferris wheel with views of the water.
National Harbor is also a hop, skip, and a jump away from the United States Capitol and The White House, as well as the world’s largest library, the Library of Congress.
Whether you’re here for the sightseeing, the carnival rides, or the casino, National Harbor will not disappoint!
Looking for more ideas? Keep reading for a comprehensive list of everything else this destination has to offer
The 98 Most Popular Things To Do In National Harbor, Maryland
98. Mount Vernon Trail
4.8 (17 reviews)
97. Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
4.2 (60 reviews)
Credit: Nils Hünerfürst, Google Maps
Location: 1318 Vermont Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 673 2402
Web Address: https://nps.gov/mamc
96. Folger Shakespeare Library
4.4 (78 reviews)
Credit: Folger Shakespeare Library, Google Maps
Location: 201 E Capitol Street SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 544 4600
Web Address: https://folger.edu/
95. Heurich House Museum
4.5 (193 reviews)
Credit: Artyom Shmatko, Google Maps
Location: 1307 New Hampshire Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 429 1894
94. Freer Gallery of Art
4.7 (196 reviews)
Credit: National star-spangled banner, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 1050 Independence Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: http://asia.si.edu/
93. Bureau of Engraving and Printing
4.0 (213 reviews)
Location: 301 14th Street SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 874 2330
Web Address: https://washington.org/visit-dc/guide-bureau-engraving-printing
92. Theodore Roosevelt Island
4.7 (233 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
91. Anacostia Community Museum
4.6 (235 reviews)
Credit: Jessica Simpson, Google Maps
Location: 1901 Fort Pl SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 4820
Web Address: http://anacostia.si.edu/
90. The Kreeger Museum
4.7 (239 reviews)
Credit: The Kreeger Museum, Google Maps
Location: 2401 Foxhall Road NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 337 3050
Web Address: http://kreegermuseum.org/
89. Old Stone House
4.3 (255 reviews)
Location: 3051 M Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6851
Web Address: https://nps.gov/places/old-stone-house.htm
88. Washington Union Station
3.8 (274 reviews)
Credit: National star-spangled banner, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 50 Massachusetts Ave NE Washington DC
Web Address: https://unionstationdc.com/
87. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
4.4 (276 reviews)
Credit: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, Google Maps
Location: 134 N Royal Street Alexandria VA
Tel: 703 746 4242
Web Address: https://alexandriava.gov/GadsbysTavern
86. Smithsonian Institution
4.5 (287 reviews)
Location: 600 Maryland Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: http://si.edu/
85. Carlyle House Historic Park
4.7 (318 reviews)
Location: 121 N Fairfax Street Alexandria VA
Tel: 703 549 2997
Web Address: https://novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park
84. The Yards
4.7 (331 reviews)
Credit: NARA record: 4588217, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 1300 First Street SE Washington DC
Web Address: http://theyardsdc.com/
83. U.S. Navy Museum
4.5 (340 reviews)
Credit: National Museum U.S., License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 736 Sicard Street SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 685 0589
Web Address: http://history.navy.mil/museums/NationalMuseum/org8-1.htm
82. Old Post Office Pavilion
4.4 (390 reviews)
Location: 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington DC
Web Address: https://nps.gov/places/000/old-post-office-tower.htm
81. Tudor Place
4.5 (404 reviews)
Credit: Tudor Place, Google Maps
Location: 1644 31st Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 965 0400
Web Address: https://tudorplace.org/
80. President Lincoln’s Cottage
4.5 (430 reviews)
Credit: Shirin Toychiyeva, Google Maps
Location: 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 829 0436
Web Address: http://lincolncottage.org/
79. Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
4.7 (457 reviews)
Credit: Samuel Martin, Google Maps
Location: 950 Independence Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 4600
Web Address: http://africa.si.edu/
78. National Children’s Museum
4.1 (464 reviews)
Credit: Ken Lund, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 844 2486
Web Address: https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/
77. Dumbarton Oaks Museum
4.7 (476 reviews)
Credit: Dumbarton Oaks Museum, Google Maps
Location: 1703 32nd Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 339 6401
Web Address: http://doaks.org/
76. Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
4.7 (491 reviews)
Location: 321 Sherman Dr Fort Myer VA
Tel: 703 235 1530
Web Address: https://nps.gov/arho/index.htm
75. Tidal Basin
4.8 (493 reviews)
74. Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building
4.5 (631 reviews)
Location: 900 Jefferson Dr SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://aib.si.edu/
73. African American Civil War Museum
4.7 (654 reviews)
Location: 1925 Vermont Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 667 2667
Web Address: http://afroamcivilwar.org/
72. National Archives Research Center
4.5 (701 reviews)
Credit: John Williams, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington DC
Tel: 866 272 6272
Web Address: https://archives.gov/dc
71. Supreme Court of the United States
4.1 (752 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
Location: 1 First Street NE Washington DC
Tel: 202 479 3000
Web Address: https://supremecourt.gov/
70. The Mansion on O & O Street Museum
4.7 (757 reviews)
Credit: The Mansion on O & O Street Museum, Google Maps
Location: 2020 O Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 496 2020
Web Address: http://omansion.com/
69. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
4.8 (813 reviews)
Credit: Becky Shorey, Google Maps
Location: 1411 W Street SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 5961
Web Address: http://nps.gov/frdo/index.htm
68. Smithsonian Castle
4.5 (837 reviews)
Location: 1000 Jefferson Dr SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://si.edu/museums/smithsonian-institution-building
67. National Gallery of Art – Sculpture Garden
4.7 (907 reviews)
Credit: National Gallery of Art – Sculpture Garden, Google Maps
Location: Constitution Ave NW & 7th Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 289 3360
Web Address: http://nga.gov/
66. National Museum of Asian Art
4.7 (1,040 reviews)
Credit: Evan Guthrie, Google Maps
Location: 1050 Independence Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: http://asia.si.edu/
65. The George Washington Masonic National Memorial
4.6 (1,198 reviews)
Location: 101 Callahan Dr Alexandria VA
Tel: 703 683 2007
Web Address: http://gwmemorial.org/
64. National Museum of Women in the Arts
4.6 (1,205 reviews)
Credit: Luda Golob, Google Maps
Location: 1250 New York Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 783 5000
Web Address: https://nmwa.org/
63. Fort Washington Park
4.6 (1,261 reviews)
Credit: National star-spangled banner, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 13551 Fort Washington Road Fort Washington MD
Tel: 301 763 4600
Web Address: http://nps.gov/fowa/index.htm
62. Anacostia Park
4.4 (1,349 reviews)
Credit: terrance savitsky, Google Maps
Location: 1900 Anacostia Dr Washington DC
Web Address: https://nps.gov/anac/index.htm
61. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
4.8 (1,446 reviews)
Credit: Austin Graff, Google Maps
Location: 4155 Linnean Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 686 5807
Web Address: http://hillwoodmuseum.org/
60. The Phillips Collection
4.7 (1,455 reviews)
Location: 1600 21st Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 387 2151
Web Address: https://phillipscollection.org/
59. Huntley Meadows Park
4.7 (1,585 reviews)
Location: 3701 Lockheed Blvd Alexandria VA
Tel: 703 768 2525
Web Address: http://fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/
58. Constitution Gardens
4.8 (1,803 reviews)
Location: Constitution Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: http://nps.gov/coga/index.htm
57. Korean War Veterans Memorial
4.8 (1,852 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
Location: 900 Ohio Dr SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: http://nps.gov/kowa/index.htm
56. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
4.8 (1,898 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
Location: 5 Henry Bacon Dr NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: https://nps.gov/vive/index.htm/
55. Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
4.7 (1,915 reviews)
Credit: Chris Devers, License, Flickr
Location: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: http://nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool.htm
54. Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
4.6 (1,930 reviews)
Location: 1550 Anacostia Ave NE Washington DC
Tel: 202 692 6080
Web Address: https://nps.gov/keaq/
53. Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum
4.6 (2,210 reviews)
Location: 2 Massachusetts Ave NE Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 5555
Web Address: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/
52. Lafayette Square
4.5 (2,249 reviews)
Credit: dbking, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: Pennsylvania Ave NW & 16th Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 619 6344
51. Air Force Memorial
4.8 (2,342 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
Location: 1 Air Force Memorial Dr Arlington VA
Tel: 703 979 0674
Web Address: https://afdw.af.mil/afmemorial/utm_source/washingtonorg/utm_medium/referral/
50. The Pentagon
4.0 (2,393 reviews)
Credit: Fort McHenry Social, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: Washington DC
Tel: 703 697 1776
Web Address: https://pentagontours.osd.mil/Tours/
49. Arlington National Cemetery
4.8 (2,526 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
Location: Arlington VA
Tel: 877 907 8585
Web Address: https://arlingtoncemetery.mil/#/
48. National Geographic Museum
4.3 (2,633 reviews)
Credit: White House Photographic, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 1145 17th Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 857 7700
Web Address: https://nationalgeographic.org/society/visit-our-museum/
47. Smithsonian American Art Museum
4.8 (2,674 reviews)
Location: G St Northwest & 8th St NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://americanart.si.edu/
46. Meridian Hill Park
4.5 (2,766 reviews)
Location: 16th Street NW & W Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 895 6000
Web Address: https://nps.gov/places/meridian-hill-park.htm
45. National Archives Museum
4.7 (2,797 reviews)
Credit: National Museum U.S., License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 701 Constitution Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 357 5000
Web Address: https://museum.archives.gov/
44. National Building Museum
4.3 (3,237 reviews)
Credit: Veggies, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 401 F Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 272 2448
Web Address: https://nbm.org/
43. ARTECHOUSE DC
4.1 (3,339 reviews)
Credit: ARTECHOUSE DC, Google Maps
Location: 1238 Maryland Ave SW Washington DC
Web Address: http://artechouse.com/location/dc
42. Rock Creek Park
4.7 (3,460 reviews)
Location: 5200 Glover Road NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 895 6000
Web Address: http://nps.gov/rocr
41. 9:30 Club
4.6 (3,519 reviews)
Credit: Brad Durandetta, Google Maps
40. Eastern Market
4.5 (3,742 reviews)
Location: 225 7th Street SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 698 5253
Web Address: http://easternmarket-dc.org/
39. US Marine Corps War Memorial
4.9 (3,908 reviews)
Location: Arlington VA
Tel: 703 289 2500
Web Address: https://nps.gov/gwmp/learn/historyculture/usmcwarmemorial.htm
38. Torpedo Factory Art Center
4.6 (3,944 reviews)
Credit: Ron Cogswell, License, Flickr
Location: 105 N Union Street Alexandria VA
Tel: 703 746 4570
Web Address: https://torpedofactory.org/
37. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
4.9 (3,963 reviews)
Location: 400 Michigan Ave NE Washington DC
Tel: 202 526 8300
Web Address: https://nationalshrine.org/
36. Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
4.7 (4,034 reviews)
Credit: Constantine Yefimov, Google Maps
Location: 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NW #1 Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 7970
Web Address: https://americanart.si.edu/visit/renwick
35. Washington National Cathedral
4.7 (4,622 reviews)
Credit: National star-spangled banner, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 537 6200
Web Address: https://cathedral.org/
34. Hirshhorn Museum
4.5 (4,698 reviews)
Location: Independence Ave SW & 7th Street SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://hirshhorn.si.edu/
33. United States National Arboretum
4.7 (4,960 reviews)
Location: 3501 New York Ave NE Washington DC
Tel: 202 245 2726
Web Address: https://usna.usda.gov/
32. Ford’s Theatre
4.7 (5,583 reviews)
Location: 511 10th Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 347 4833
Web Address: https://fords.org/visit/welcome-back/
31. Union Market
4.5 (5,682 reviews)
Credit: Union Market, Google Maps
Location: 1309 5th Street NE Washington DC
Web Address: http://unionmarketdc.com/
30. Georgetown Waterfront Park
4.7 (6,299 reviews)
Location: 3303 Water Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 895 6000
Web Address: https://nps.gov/places/georgetown-waterfront-park.htm
29. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
4.8 (6,776 reviews)
Location: 1964 Independence Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: https://nps.gov/mlkm/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm
28. National Museum of the American Indian
4.5 (7,790 reviews)
Location: 4th Street SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://americanindian.si.edu/
27. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
4.8 (8,345 reviews)
Location: 16 E Basin Dr SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: http://nps.gov/thje/index.htm
26. Museum of the Bible
4.7 (9,159 reviews)
Credit: Matt Harton, Google Maps
Location: 400 4th Street SW Washington DC
Tel: 866 430 6682
Web Address: http://museumofthebible.org/
25. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
4.8 (10,224 reviews)
Location: 2700 F Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 467 4600
Web Address: http://kennedy-center.org/
24. National Portrait Gallery
4.8 (10,453 reviews)
Credit: License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 8th Street NW & G Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 8300
Web Address: https://npg.si.edu/
23. International Spy Museum
4.4 (10,605 reviews)
Location: 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 393 7798
Web Address: https://spymuseum.org/
22. United States Botanic Garden
4.7 (12,310 reviews)
Credit: Chris Devers, License, Flickr
Location: 100 Maryland Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 225 8333
Web Address: https://usbg.gov/
21. George Washington’s Mount Vernon
4.7 (12,664 reviews)
Credit: James Anderson, overseer, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy Mt Vernon VA
Tel: 703 780 2000
Web Address: http://mountvernon.org/
20. Nationals Park
4.6 (12,696 reviews)
Credit: APK, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 1500 S Capitol Street SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 675 6287
Web Address: https://mlb.com/nationals/ballpark
19. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
4.8 (13,624 reviews)
Location: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 488 0400
Web Address: https://ushmm.org/
18. Capital One Arena
4.5 (14,067 reviews)
Location: 601 F Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 628 3200
Web Address: http://capitalonearena.com/
17. National Gallery of Art
4.8 (14,081 reviews)
Credit: National star-spangled banner, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: Constitution Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 737 4215
Web Address: https://nga.gov/
16. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
4.9 (14,805 reviews)
Credit: Tim Evanson, License, Flickr
Location: 1 Wilson Ave Fort Myer VA
Tel: 877 907 8585
Web Address: https://arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier
15. Washington Monument
4.7 (17,360 reviews)
Credit: Mariyum Noor, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 2 15th Street NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: https://nps.gov/wamo/index.htm
14. Smithsonian National Museum of American History
4.7 (20,276 reviews)
Location: 1300 Constitution Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://americanhistory.si.edu/
13. National Museum of African American History and Culture
4.8 (22,331 reviews)
Credit: Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture), License, Flickr
Location: 1400 Constitution Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 844 750 3012
Web Address: http://nmaahc.si.edu/
12. Smithsonian National Zoological Park
4.6 (34,772 reviews)
Location: 3001 Connecticut Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 4888
Web Address: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/
11. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
4.6 (37,035 reviews)
Credit: Chris Devers, License, Flickr
Location: 600 Independence Ave SW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 2214
Web Address: https://airandspace.si.edu/
10. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
4.8 (37,467 reviews)
Credit: Chris Devers, License, Flickr
Location: 10th Street & Constitution Ave NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 633 1000
Web Address: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/
9. Lincoln Memorial
4.8 (43,476 reviews)
Location: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 426 6841
Web Address: https://nps.gov/linc/index.htm/
Our Top picks
8. The White House
4.0 (5 reviews)
Credit: White House Photographic, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington DC
Tel: 202 456 1111
Web Address: https://whitehouse.gov/
7. The Carousel at National Harbor
4.5 (180 reviews)
Credit: jpellgen (@1179_jp), License, Flickr
Location: 137 National Plaza Suite 200 Oxon Hill MD
Tel: 301 842 8650
Web Address: https://nationalharbor.com/play-locations/the-carousel/
6. The Awakening
4.7 (355 reviews)
Credit: Ron Cogswell, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 153 National Plaza Oxon Hill MD
5. Library of Congress
4.7 (1,703 reviews)
Credit: U.S. Coast Geodetic, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 101 Independence Ave SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 707 5000
Web Address: https://loc.gov/
4. National Harbor
4.7 (1,766 reviews)
Credit: Devin Morris, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 165 Waterfront Street Oxon Hill MD
Tel: 877 628 5427
Web Address: http://nationalharbor.com/
3. The Capital Wheel
4.6 (2,929 reviews)
Credit: MamaGeek, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 141 American Way Forest Heights MD
Tel: 301 842 8650
Web Address: https://thecapitalwheel.com/
2. United States Capitol
4.6 (4,106 reviews)
Credit: Smallbones, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: First Street SE Washington DC
Tel: 202 226 8000
Web Address: https://visitthecapitol.gov/
1. MGM National Harbor
4.3 (32,247 reviews)
Credit: Duane Lempke, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 101 MGM National Ave Oxon Hill MD
Tel: 844 646 6847
Web Address: https://mgmnationalharbor.mgmresorts.com/en.html
Final Words:
Thank you for reading our list of the best things to do in National Harbor, Maryland! We hope it helped you plan the perfect itinerary for your next trip to this fantastic destination. Happy travels!
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