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Experience paddling under the Key Bridge
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city! Enjoy the sights of the Potomac River as you paddleboard or boat past the Georgetown Waterfront, Roosevelt Island, the Lincoln Memorial, and under the beautiful Key Bridge. Or, you can kayak and board your way up river to the C&O Canal for a relaxing day of tranquility.
Everyone from the knowledgeable employees to the joyful paddlers at Key Bridge Boathouse loves kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. We’re always up for sharing the fun and know you’ll love this superb water adventure.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Boating Camp for Kids (ages 9-13)
Youth Boating Day Camps are a great way to spend summer days having fun and making new friends…
All of our camps strive to teach safe boating in a fun learning environment by instructing and reinforcing boating safety and skills. Our goal is to teach campers both independence and teamwork and to promote self-confidence both on the water and off. It’s high-energy outdoor fun on the water, which includes a lot of transitioning and a variety of activities.
Our camper to camp staff ratio is 8 to 1, allowing campers and counselors to follow social distancing guidelines while still promoting safe personal interactions. Each camper is assigned a specific counselor during the weeks session. Counselors are expected to supervise campers specifically grouped with them and to keep general awareness of the activities of other counselors’ groups.
Hands-on experience is the best way to learn to paddle, so our emphasis is on learning by doing. Weather permitting, kids will be boating 90% of the time and should wear shorts, shirts, rubber-soled shoes (no flip flops), and should bring other clothing appropriate for the forecast.
All week long camps run Monday through Friday, 10am – 4pm. Extended day option is available for drop off as early as 830am Monday – Friday and pick up as late as 530pm Monday – Thursday for an additional fee.
Float Plan Agreement
All boat renters need this form at our boathouse locations and we encourage you to print and fill it out ahead of time so you have more time in the water…
River Forecasts & Safe Paddling
We take safety on the Potomac and Anacostia very seriously. Even though it may seem like a beautiful day in DC, there are times that we need to close the facility due to unsafe river conditions…
First, the water temperature must be above 60 degrees to paddle without safety equipment such as wetsuits and dry suits. For extra safety just in case anyone falls in, we also enforce a “120 rule,” making sure that air temperature + water temperature is more than 120 degrees.
The first monitoring station is upstream of the Key Bridge Boathouse. This is a good indication of water movement coming down to us. The second is a monitoring station right downstream of us at the Georgetown Waterfront Park. If the thick blue line of both stations is below the yellow, then the river is in a calm state. If one of the station’s thick blue lines is in the yellow, then there is a risk and we will make a determination of whether to open or not. If both stations’ thick blue line is in the yellow, then we will be closed.
We also hold the right to close down operations based on any safety considerations we determine could present issues for guests and/or employees.
If you are concerned with the weather or any possible hazards closing our Boathouse, please call us at (202) 337-9642 to make sure we are open.
Directions & Travel
We are located near the very end of K Street, which turns into Water Street. From Georgetown, follow Wisconsin Ave. down toward the waterfront and take a right onto K St./Water St. Please note that there is no onsite parking at our site. There is limited street parking on Water St east of 34th St. We recommend parking in the garage by the AMC Loews Movie Theatre…
DC Metro
FROM ROSSLYN METRO (3/4 MILE):
Walk across Key Bridge and take the stairs on either side down to the canal. There are footbridges across the canal that lead to stairs on Water St. Walk back toward the bridge. We are located directly below Key Bridge!
FROM FOGGY BOTTOM METRO (1 MILE):
From the rotary, walk West on K Street toward the waterfront. If you follow the waterfront park, we are located just on the other side of Key Bridge.
Request a Ride
Classes & Tours Now Available
Come out and learn on the water
Available classes at Keybridge Boathouse – Kayak Orientation, Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga, Yoga on the Docks, SUP Monuments Tour – for experience SUPers only!!
