08/03/2023
Gravelly Point Park
Also part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway is the picturesque Gravelly Point Park. Set along the west bank of the Potomac River, it is a very popular place to picnic and walk about while watching the planes land and take off from the nearby airport.
In 1746, Gravelly Point was home to Gerrard Alexander and his family with the property later being purchased by John Parke Custis, the stepson of George Washington. Although Abingdon eventually burned down in the early twentieth century, visitors can still the see site of the former plantation in front of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Most people, however, come to the park to see the planes pass between 100 and 200 feet above their heads. Asides from experiencing the rush of adrenaline as they shoot by so close overhead, you can stroll and cycle about the park or launch boats and explore the river.