Hains Point

First of all, Hains Point is WAY longer than you may think. If you’re biking there on Capital Bikeshare, the only docking station is at the north end as you enter Hains Point. You then must walk/​run past the tennis court, swimming pool, mini golf area, the real golf course, a few random things and then you’ll get to the community picnic tables. Technically, you can reserve the picnic tables online, but most people just go and use them. It’s fun because each party at the picnic tables has their own little BBQ thing going on with amazing food as they watch their kids play on the playground in the center of the picnic area. On one side of Hains Point, you have the Potomac River and Virginia and on the other, the Anacostia River and DC. In my biased opinion, the DC side looks cooler as boats sail by with historic river front homes in the background. It’s beautiful! If you haven’t been, you must go! It’s a fun break from the city and if you’re a DC resident, the swimming pool is free. Also, as you use the golf course, you get an amazing view of the Washington Monument in the background.

I’ve been riding my bike, playing golf and cooking out in Hains Point since I was a teen. Although it seems as though time has stood still with HP I still enjoy my visits and mostly bike rides around the 5k loop. HP can get really crowded at times but most of the park patrons and bike riders are nice and friendly. The waterfront location makes for a most pleasureful bike ride and meet-​up.

The park cannot be beautiful if the grass is not cut and the trash containers are overflowing with trash. A beautiful spot that my parents had picnics and it is so sad to see it not being maintained and only steps away from the many focal points of the city.

Good for a fast spin, but watch out for those buses.
The good: Flat, fast, straight-​line cycling.
The bad: Watch out for those buses! It seems like Hains Point is the staging area for tour/​school buses after they drop people off in D.C. They have no regard for other cars, pedestrians, or cyclists that are sharing the road with them. The railings that surround the entire point are often populated by numerous fisherman who are often doing more than fishing (smoking, grilling, etc.).
The U.S. Park Police patrol numerous stop signs to make sure cyclists don’t run them. They don’t, however, seem concerned by the dangerous actions of the buses or their illegal parking.
Three out of five because even those fast lines can’t make up for the buses.

I was in a «Weekend Warrior Challenge» with friends on my FitBit pedometer so my husband and I had the bright idea to walk the Tidal Basin during the last Sunday of Cherry Blossom Festival-​big mistake! It was too crowded to breathe, let alone move so we decided to veer over to Hains Point and walk the entire way around. It was nice to see all the fisherman and families gathering and it became quite an exercise!
Note: the water walk was really raggedy at points, the really horrible parts were blocked off for safety but we were forced to walk in the grass/​mud-​wear shoes you don’t care about if it’s rained recently. Also, the port-​o-​johns throughout the trail were completely unserviced (big surprise).

It was a little daunting and overwhelming walking here against the crowds and cars that found their way in and out of Hains Point.
It’s true drivers do not care about pedestrians here. I saw many speeding along, and I didn’t understand why with all the walkers, runners, and bicyclists. On top of that, there are some sketchier parts at the most southern part of Hains Point, which also appears to be littered with trash and strewn with debris.
I saw a police man dock his boat and jump over the rails to ask the fishermen for their licenses. I ended up chatting with one who told me he does catch fish but it’s more for catching, taking a picture, posting online, and talking trash. He does not advise eating what is caught because of ongoing fear of mercury levels in the Potomac.
Tennis courts were in full use as well as all of the parking lots. I saw people sitting on benches and posing for pictures near the Cherry Blossoms, some of which are different from the variety you get around the Tidal Basin.
It’s a nice place to watch planes come and go because it is across from Reagan, but be careful walking to the southern part as the walkway along the water is mostly cracked and uneven.

Nice park loop for biking, but be careful of cars. A small number of drivers don’t signal leading to potential life-​threatening injuries. These freak instances occur during high peak holidays such as Labor Day weekend when families have picnic and bbq outings. My tip: do not bike in the area on these peak holidays and if you do get there before 9am and get a good 2 hour training session before these road hazards do some damage.

Kind of the best of all worlds in terms of DC parks. Bikers/​runners, check. Waterfront, check. Picnic tables, check. Easy parking, yessir.
I’d been out here to run a few times, but today was my first time biking out here and it was pretty great. The loop gets pretty boring after a couple of rounds, but when I was leaving I found that the Jefferson Memorial isn’t far, so you could easily extend your route to more interesting views. I wish there was room for separate biking/​driving lanes though, as keeping up with the cars gets a little frustrating at some points.

Great location for biking in the evening. I will definitely try it out at different times of the day but right now weekend days around 7 are awesome!

I realize parks aren’t supposed to entertain you by setting off motion-​sensor pyrotechnics as you stroll through ‘em (although that would be pretty awesome, now that I think of it), but Hains Point is a little ho-​hum. It’s a modest waterfront mini-​park within a larger, more activities-​driven park (East Potomac, with it’s par three course, mini-​golf, swimming pool, tennis courts, etc.). Being at the tip of the island, Hains Point is a bit more elusive, so you and some friends can crack open a bushel of crabs on a picnic table without a crowd of randos circling you, sure, but then the people-​watching potential’s pretty low.
Again, it’s always nice being by the water, even if the views here are nothing spectacular. The grass is well kept. Wish I could say the same for the bathrooms. Still, if it’s some peace and quiet from the DC hustle you seek, then Hains Point serves its purpose — providing a place to relax, run, bike, fish, and/​or picnic, in relative isolation. Can’t hate too hard on some greenspace in a city.

Why do reviews have to be so long. Either you love something or you hate it right? I’ve never been one of the ehh that was kind of okay two stars. Or that was kind of great four stars. But whatever that’s just me.
If you want to train with real athletes. Mon-​fri afternoon 12 – 1 go down and witness the «power hour» That is all.

I’m not a huge fan. Though it is nice to be down by the waterfront overlooking the Potomac, the park itself isn’t well kept. It is extremely dirty with suspicious activity going on at night assuming not in the legal manner. I feel if it was more patrolled by police and preserved that it could have more of a draw for it scenery than the activities that occupy the area such as the golfing and tennis courts.

Basically the same thing I said about East Potomac Park, as this is the point of said Park. It has potential but it looks like it has seen better days and could use some care and some cleanup from all the litter the fishermen, etc. leave behind. The sidewalks leading to here from either side are not the safest and need repair. If this park sees significant changes, it is easily a 4 star park or better as the views are great.

The end of east potomac park. Used to be known for its statue, which was shamefully taken by National Harbor, and not replaced by anything of note. The point itself is largely fenced off and is gradually sinking into the river. It’s a great place to take in some wind and sun and watch planes, but there isn’t much to do.

A good place to walk, jog, cycle and chill-​out. There’s always something to see at Hains Point, so you can add people-​watching to that list as well. When the weather is nice, the kids can enjoy the playground, while the adults set up shop in the picnic areas. Parking your car and gazing at the water is nice, too. You’ll see plenty of people there alone. It’s a good place to get some peace of mind.
Warning: When it’s high tide, you have no choice but to walk in the street; and since some drivers are jerks, they will purposely drive too close to pedestrians. (I usually just flip the bird and keep walking.)

I ran Hains Point for the Nations Tri and for the Cherry Blossom 10-​miler. It’s…soooo boring. If you like water, then maybe you’ll like it. Otherwise, skip it.

This place to one of my «go-​to» spots to run. I consider it to be a a darling watefront park which is a peninsula that is between the Washington Channel and the Potomac River. As I am running, I notice that there is a golf course, a mini-​golf course, a playground, an outdoor pool, and tennis courts. Even on hot summer days, there is plenty of shade and a cool breeze coming from the water. The views of Washington DC and Virginia are nice.
As a runner, I like the relatively flat 3 mile course, and it has three restrooms (yay!). In the spring time, the cherry blossoms are the most beautiful sights. It creates a tranquil scenery for running. The downside is that as you are exiting the park (running), there isn’t a sidewalk. The space between the runner and the car is very narrow, so I would seriously suggest paying attention and wearing reflective gear.
If in the Washington DC area and need beautiful spot to have picnics or just a scenic walk, Hains Point is the place. It boasts a tranquil setting that boldly contrasts with the hustle and bustle of the city.

This is a nice little waterfront park. A good spot for a picnic. The downside is that it is VERY hard to make the turn using GPS. Every time I try to come here, it takes me 3 times to make the exit. And now the Awakening statue has been moved to National Harbor in Maryland, so there’s less of a reason to visit.

Let me first start by saying the Awakening Statue is no longer here! We had seen some articles that the statue was moving to Maryland and honestly didn’t know they were old articles and it had already happened. So if you’re looking for the statue, you’ll find it in Maryland at the National Harbor.
The park is very nice and located between the Washington Channel and Potomac River just down from where the cherry blossom trees bloom along the tidal basin. We took our newborn out for a stroll last weekend starting from the golf course and walking down to the point itself. We started off walking alongside the Potomac on the walking path, which I must say is not the greatest for strollers as it is not kept up very well at all. The road proved to be much better and a smoother ride for our little one. It’s actually a really nice walk, with runners and bikers sharing the road and the occasional car but no heavy traffic. It’s a great walk if you just want to get outside away from the hustle and bustle of DC.

This lovely park is in between the Washington Channel and the Potomac River. In the summer, it is a popular spot to canoe or kayak. In the spring, there are a bunch of cherry trees that bloom here. So, it is a point on a route that most runners take when training for the Marine Corp– they’ll run from Ohio Drive, to the Inlet bridge, then along the Tidal Basin to the FDR Memorial to another bridge which leads to the Jefferson and then end up here.
It is also a popular spot for biking and picnicking. and to see and climb on the Awakening statue. Hains Point is named after an Army General and engineer who designed the Morris Lighthouse and more importantly was the chief engineer on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers as well as the Tidal Basin.