The Wharf, Anacostia & Washingtons DC Revitalisiertes Ufer
Washingtons DC Uferbereich hat seine dramatischste Transformation seit der Stadtgründung erlebt: die 3,6-Milliarden-Dollar-Wharf-Entwicklung in Southwest DC, die Revitalisierung des Anacostia Riverside und die Neugestaltung des Old Town Alexandria Ufers haben eine neue Uferkultur in der amerikanischen Hauptstadt geschaffen.
- 1
The Wharf — Southwest DC's Waterfront Revival
The Wharf (the 24-acre mixed-use waterfront development on the Washington Channel, Maine Avenue SW, opened Phase 1 in 2017, Phase 2 in 2022, the largest single development in the history of Washington DC at ¥3.5 billion investment) has 10 restaurants, 5 hotels, music venues, a public marina, and the renovated Maine Avenue Fish Market — the Anthem (901 Wharf Street SW, the 6,000-capacity concert venue that has hosted Metallica, Billie Eilish, and Radiohead, the largest purpose-built indoor concert venue in DC) and the Southwestern Waterfront marina (the 700-slip marina, the largest marina in the Chesapeake Bay system, visible from the Washington Channel waterfront) are the new development's anchors alongside the historic fish market.
- 2
Maine Avenue Fish Market — America's Oldest Open-Air Fish Market
The Maine Avenue Fish Market (1100 Maine Avenue SW, established 1805, the oldest continuously operating open-air fish market in the United States, open daily 8am–8pm, the market on the Washington Channel waterfront) sells live and cooked seafood from floating barges and shore-side stalls — the Chesapeake Bay blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus, steamed live with Old Bay Seasoning — the celery-salt and paprika Maryland spice blend that is the defining flavor of the Chesapeake Bay food tradition — ¥20–40 per dozen depending on season and size), the jumbo lump crab cakes (Maryland crab cake, 85%+ crab meat with minimal filler, the benchmark version sold at the market stalls), and the cold boiled shrimp (by the pound) are the principal purchases.
- 3
Anacostia — The Historic African American East Bank
Anacostia (the neighbourhood east of the Anacostia River, one of Washington DC's historically Black neighbourhoods and now the fastest-changing in the city, accessible by Metro Green Line Anacostia station) is home to Frederick Douglass's historic site — the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (1411 W Street SE, the Cedar Hill home where Frederick Douglass — the abolitionist, author, and statesman — lived from 1877 until his death in 1895, free, daily 9am–4:30pm, timed-entry required) and the Anacostia Community Museum (1901 Fort Place SE, the Smithsonian Institution's community museum focused on African American and urban history, free, Wednesday–Sunday 11am–4pm) represent the neighbourhood's cultural anchors.
- 4
Old Town Alexandria — The Colonial Port Town Across the Potomac
Old Town Alexandria (the city of Alexandria, Virginia, directly across the Potomac from Washington DC, accessible by Metro Blue and Yellow line King Street station or by water taxi from the Wharf, the colonial port town established 1749 that predates Washington DC and initially included it in its territory, ceded to DC in 1791 and retroceded to Virginia in 1847) preserves the finest collection of 18th- and 19th-century American townhouses in the US after Boston — the Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 North Union Street, the 1918 torpedo factory converted to 82 artist studios and galleries, free, Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm, Sunday noon–6pm, all studios open to public view) and the Gadsby's Tavern Museum (134 Royal Street, ¥8 adults, the 18th-century tavern where George Washington attended birthday balls) are the principal attractions.
- 5
Kennedy Center — The National Performing Arts Monument
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway, the marble performing arts complex on the Potomac River bank, the official living memorial to President Kennedy, designed by Edward Durell Stone 1971) offers free performances daily — the Millennium Stage (the free 6pm daily performance program, running since 1997 with 365 consecutive performances per year, the most used free performance program in the US, genres ranging from jazz to chamber music to world music to experimental theater) and the rooftop terrace (the Kennedy Center roof, free access, the terrace offering the finest panoramic view of the Potomac River and the Virginia shore available in Washington DC) are the public-access highlights.
- 6
National Harbor — The Gaming and Convention City
National Harbor (the 300-acre waterfront development in Oxon Hill, Maryland, 8 miles south of DC on the Potomac's east bank, accessible by Water Taxi from the Wharf or by car via I-295) is the most recent major development on the Washington metro Potomac — the MGM National Harbor (the casino and entertainment resort, the largest single building in Maryland, the casino floor, hotels, restaurants, and the Theatre at MGM — the 3,000-seat Broadway touring venue), the Capital Wheel (the 180-foot observation wheel on the waterfront, ¥15, the view extends to the Washington Monument 8 miles north), and the Gaylord National Resort (the 2,000-room convention hotel with the glass-enclosed atrium visible from the river) make National Harbor the most Las Vegas–adjacent experience accessible from Washington DC.