This park is pretty interesting. It's more like a half-block wide street median with greenery and sculptures. I love it. The northern most end has the most park vibe to it. There's grass and pretty flowers and an interesting water feature that I wish I saw a sign to describe/explain it. The middle section is more pretty flowers and some grass, with more sculptures (and people LARP-ing if you're interested in watching them.) The southern most section is less of a park and more of a large in ground fountain/water feature with seating and places to eat. Our hotel was a minute walk away, so we walked through Canal Park a lot and we really enjoyed the simple respite from city life. read more

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At ice skating rink lady with brown curly hair was very nice, she let my kids go on the ice 10 minutes before closing,when we left she was making sure we didn't leave so she could go home, she was making sure they just didn't want to skate anymore. i would leave 10 stars but i can only leave 5, highly recommended this place read more

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Canal Park is a good place for fun in Navy Yard. It has year round activities. There always seems to be concerts and music. It has a beautiful fountain in the middle of it. The winter months have ice skating. It's not so much of a park. It's more of a plaza. There isn't all that much green space. In the middle is a pizza place of all things, so it feels more like a shopping center. This is still a nice place because of all the activities going on. In the summer it usually has a concert. There's a stage where the concerts take place. In the middle is also a fountain. This is a good place for kids to play and stay cool in the summer. In the winter an ice skating rink is built around the restaurant. The park also has really cool lighting so it's fun to go to at night and it's all lit up. Bathrooms are inside the pizza place. It has some places to sit outside. The park also has wifi. read more

Canal Park DC - Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Canal Park is a little segment inland next to the Metro (the park next to the riverside is separate). It has some nice things going on; a lot of greenery and water collection infrastructure, a centrally placed restaurant, and its well-known fountain with glowy lights. It's a fun place to stop. There are a couple of restrooms inside the same building as the restaurants; I can't recall ever finding water fountains outside. The structures seem to promise more events than I've ever actually seen here, and it always feels like this is just a quick stop on the way to the river, but I like that something in this increasingly built up neighborhood has been developed for public use. read more

Canal Park DC - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Canal Park attracts a certain crowd- families. It's a small park centrally located in Navy Yard. Here's why it's perfect for families: 1) Splash park: Enough said. 2) Pizza restaurant in the park. 3) Ice skating rink: In the winter, the space around the pizza restaurant turns into a ice rink where you can rent ice skates and enjoy DC's winter. 4) Green space: Plenty of green space, benches, and flowers. 5) Water: There are fun fountains. 6) Concerts/events: There's a small stage in the center of the park where concerts will perform on weekends. During the day, there's programming from work outs to yoga. If you need a place for your children to run free, come to Canal Park. read more

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Bottom Line: A small urban green space that gives a nod to the canal that used to be nearby. Canal Park is probably best known for its winter ice skating rink but I like it because its one of a few reminders that there used to be canals in DC. I also like that the park gives a nod to the district's canals through two water features - the ice rink and a kid friendly summer fountain. The park is small at three acres but is a nice urban green space nevertheless. About those canals . . . Before the iron horse was invented goods were transported via ship so L'Enfant planned for canals in the federal city. George Washington gave the idea a thumbs up and eventually the canal was built and put into service. Over time lots of silt collected in the Washington City Canal and it became too shallow to be navigable. Plus, it was basically an open sewer and it was made obsolete by the railway. Eventually the canals were filled in and lost, mostly, to history. read more

Canal Park DC - A map of the three acre park. - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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With Canal Park, nature becomes your office! All of their benches are equipped with outlets so you can charge and recharge your phone, laptop, fax machine, printer, scanner, and whatever technology you need at the park! The plug-in feature may not be of interest to most people but as someone who works from home, I thought it was pretty amazing. The park is LEED certified and has geothermal heating/cooling and a water collection and reuse system that is used for the site's fountain features. In the winter they have an ice skating rink and in the summer they host lots of free activities such as yoga and movies in the park! They just opened up a bistro on the premises (Park Tavern) with a patio so you can imbibe, dine, and get your vitamin D on all in one place. read more

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Love the new park in navy yard. It's 3 acres of treehugging fun! As an Ecofriendly park its geothermal design helps to heat its indoor cafe with valves under the ice rink. The park is fun for the whole family with an ice rink, small grounds to walk and a second level with a small event stage over looking the rest of the park. You can ice skate at this park for only $8.00 and rent ice hockey or figure skate for $3.00 a pop. Great for dates or a fun night with the kids. The park transforms from day to night with beautiful lighting effects that draw on its unique architectural design. It's a beautiful example of modern architecture. Nice job dc and canal park project office! read more

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Chill public park. For once not fenced off and self-ingratiated by local neighbors. Metal art display. Rooftop seats. Rebel review: 4 read more

Small concrete jungle park across from the Dept of Transportation and Navy Yard. I attended the 202 Music and Arts Festival to see George Clinton and Parliament. The park was packed with fans grooving to that old school funk. Definitely enough space for everyone. Dancing, singing, drinking (non-alcoholic drinks, of course ). I only wish they played for longer than an hour and fifteen minutes. Anyway, decent park to sit and have lunch if you work nearby. Five Guys and Subway next door and a few more places to eat across the street. Or, bring your own food and drink and enjoy your on a nice cool day. read more

Canal Park DC - George Clinton & Parliament - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

While this is a small park next to Navy Yard metro, you should still check it out. They have lots of programming here with Capitol Riverfront BID, including concerts, kids programs, etc. I took my son to a morning singalong (Tuesday 10:30-11:30) and had a fun time. Lots of daycare groups and nannies here. I was probably among less than a handful of people here with their own child but I also am school- based so I have off until late July. That being said, I didn't like how I had to park my stroller but multiple random children were crawling all over it. The straps became very twisted and were a pain to unravel. Daycare centers control your kiddos! Honestly my son was more interested in sticking his toys in his mouth than the music but toddlers seemed to dig it. The spray park was intimidating. Way, way too many wild kids and since my son is only sitting not mobile I didn't think it'd be a good idea to subject him to all that. Luckily he fell asleep anyways. While he slept I ordered a couple slices at Wiseguys and really enjoyed them (separate review). They do have public restrooms but there will definitely be a wait if you Visit during child programming. Given metro proximity, I will check the schedule and return for kid-friendly events as I am able! read more

Canal Park DC - Wednesday morning music - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Canal Park just opened up their ice rink a couple weeks ago, and as I am a sucker for green gentrification initiatives, I had to stop by. (Sustainability info here: http://canalparkdc.org/about/sustainability) Admission is $8, plus $3 for skate rental. Location is right next to the Navy Yard metro. There are multiple bikeshare stations nearby, plenty of bike parking, and a decent amount of street parking. They don't have lockers that lock, so bring a cross body bag, a wallet, or risk your stuff in the communal lockers and cubbies. Since I haven't ice skated in five years, and I have been training to roller skate for derby, I thought I'd have a decent shot of not making a fool of myself. Wrong! Apparently quad skating does not translate well to ice skating. However, I had a blast despite klutzing out a few times. I went on a Thursday night at 6pm, and it was pretty quiet until 7pm when all of the hipsters and couples came out of the woodwork. There is plenty of lighting at night, and I could see this being a really fun date place or night out with friends. We opted out of the Icercise class that was going on, and I found out that they offer ice skating lesson packages to all levels. However, not sure how this would get done since the rink is setup as a figure 8, with not that much clear space in the middle. Also, I was a bit bummed that the cafe wasn't open, as some hot chocolate or a bite to eat down in slowly gentrifying SW would have been nice. And I totally wanted to see the observation deck! I can attest that the bathrooms are pretty nice at this point since they just opened. Overall, had a fun time at Canal Park! read more

Canal Park DC - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've walked past here hundreds of times and I can't believe I never thought to write a review for this place yet. I really REALLY love what they've done with this place. Back, back in they day, it used to be a canal, then filled it in to be a parking lot, then turned into a grassy area, and now...a nice ecological, family friendly respite from the ghetto-ness that otherwise surrounds SE DC (or SW for that matter). Thanks Nationals for giving people a reason to come here. This was not an area you wanted to be in after sundown 10 years ago. Now it's a great place to catch a nice evening summer outdoor movie or sprint around the rink on ice skates during the winter. The water fountain here inexplicably draws kids here like moths to a flame, even though the "water feature" at the Yards Park (along the River Walk) is much cooler in my opinion. It's essentially a big knee-deep pool that you can splash around in. Anyway kids are always here, and now the food trucks have been a permanent feature here too. They even have electric stations you can plug your electric vehicle into. Though this immediate area is nice and relatively safe, there's still the riffraff from the adjacent neighborhoods that requires you to still be on guard. For example I caught this bike thief stealing a bike from a bike post (that I've used in the past) at high noon right in front of my building as hoards of people were passing by. While his bike helmet threw everyone off, his tattered clothes were a clue...but the dead give away was that he was using a hammer to twist off a wire/chain lock. I asked him what he was doing and he responded, "I lost my key". "SUUUUuuure you did...why don't you explain that to building security." I turned around to get security, but just then he managed to get the lock off and high-tailed it out of there and I gave chase by foot. He got away but I'd be surprised if he does that again from the same location! read more

Canal Park is a new, modern park for DC that is located near the Navy Yard metro stop. There is street parking around the park. The main attracttion of the park is currently the iceskating rink that is setup. The rink is outdoors and flows through the park, has music, and is set aside a bar and observation deck that also broadcasts video of skaters on a large white box. It's difficult to describe so check out the photos. The bar is currently not yet open. The rest of the park is divided in two. There are several green areas for kids to play. These areas are small and are surrounded by benches. There is a third area nearest the DC government building. This third area is basically a green field for dogs. It also has a lighted box that looks pretty cool at night. The park is basically open at sun-up and closes at 10pm. One of the special things about the park is that it has some neat food options nearby. There is a FiveGuys and a Subway. But the coolest is the Lot38 coffeeshop. This shop has limited hours, but it serves great Illy coffee and if you sit upstairs you have a beautiful view of the park. Altogether, this is a very relaxing scene and is great for the whole family. For instance, it would be fun to get five guys and then go sit outside in the park to eat. Or, it would be nice to grab a coffee and sit in the park. Usually the park is quiet, even with the iceskating. However, sometimes music is played. I have to be honest, the music is almost always terrible. But it's not enough to scare me off! I think this modern park is a hidden gem in DC. It doesn't have many water features like some of the other parks, but it's a great little place to hang out and it's ultra modern lights and layout make it a very interesting place to visit, particularly if you take advantage of the food options nearby. read more

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Summer movies have begun in Canal Park! This is a fairly intimate (can I say that about an outdoor movie) space for a summer movie, and it's a great place to be on a Thursday night. Dogs welcome! Wine welcome! I don't need much else! Thursdays at sundown all summer long... A free activity in my neighboorhood! read more

CANAL PARK IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET/OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE IN SE CAPITOL HILL! We pass by the park all the time when driving on M St, but you don't really know what you're missing until you actually walk through it. Tons of outdoor grassy areas, benches, flowers, picnic tables, the colored fountain, the ice rink in the winter, and the "Green Roof" on top of the Park Tavern restaurant. Parking is easy, metro accessible, close to Nats Stadium and Barracks Row - SO many uses and just beautiful! WE HELD OUR WEDDING CEREMONY HERE after being displaced during the government shutdown in October 2013 (original venue was supposed to be on the Mall) -- and we are so grateful! The Canal Park staff were terrific and accommodated us during a stressful time. The ceremony was held on the Green Roof and was absolutely perfect. The views of the city and the outdoor garden feel really impressed our families and friends. Highly recommend Canal Park for your future outdoor events!! read more

Canal Park is beautiful! During the holidays, the park sets up a ice skating rank that is delightfully fun. Priced similarly to many of the other DC ice skating ranks, the Canal Park rank tends to be less populated and easier on the beginner skater. (I taught my boyfriend how to ice skate here!) I really enjoy that it's set up in a figure eight, so not to feel like a hamster just running in circles. As Navy Yard is becoming one of DC's newest epicenters of urban activity, Canal Park is a small green oasis fit for any Washingtonian. read more

I'll have to come back in the summer time, but I didn't enjoy my time at the Canal Park skating rink. Staff seemed annoyed at checkout and annoyed when I asked if it was better to size up or down in skates if I was a half size. The figure 8 shaped rink is tiny and if the weather isn't below freezing then there will be some slush patches which make for treacherous skating. The park surroundings were nice and when they did turn on the music I was surprised by the sound quality. I imagine this would be a great park to stop to sit on the bench and watch the fountains in the spring. Or if you have little kids this is the perfect size rink for them. I don't know if I'll be back to skate, but will definitely check it out again. I hope the staff is in a better mood next time! read more

For such a dog-friendly neighborhood, you would think the public park would be more canine friendly. Instead you have a tiny, dusty, gravel area that typically smells like urine. Calling this area a "dog park" is generous. On an afternoon while no one else was in the park, my dog and I were playing fetch outside of this area in the grass and were reprimanded by the staff. I will say the man was polite and understanding when I explained that no one was around and the dog area was muddy and smelled like dog waste. Rules are rules I suppose, so I put my dog back on the leash. He mentioned that they were trying to expand the dog area, so I hope that happens. Every apartment complex in this neighborhood allows dogs, so it's a huge loss that the park doesn't do more to accommodate residents with four-legged family members. The boardwalk area by the river is nice when there aren't unruly teens almost running you over with their skateboards. read more

Recently went to Canal Park ice skating rink and it was a pleasant experience! It's located in a clean and quiet neighborhood of DC. Plenty of street parking available. It's not your typical round rink; it loops around so it kind of makes it more unique and fun :) Went on a Saturday afternoon and it was not crowded/busy. It was pretty awesome haha. Price is $9 for adult plus skate rentals for $4. They have these blue plastic walkers that you can hold onto while skating ;) What made the experience even more fun and memorable was the music that they played :) The sound quality was great and they played a lot of current upbeat songs! I would highly recommend this ice skating rink if you just want to have a chill fun time with your family and friends! read more

Beautiful park, fun ice skating. Great seeing so many people and families out in the area. Just waiting for the tavern and restaurant to open... Staff is always helpful and friendly! read more

This was my favorite ice skating rink - it opened for first time in Nov 2012. it was easy to park - free parking along canal park. Friendly staff. Unlmited skating for $11 including skate rental. i went several times though towards the last couple visits my skates were clearly getting dull - i was sliding a little too much but that doesnt detract from my enjoyment too much. i averaged 2 hr visits skating! i love skating outside and when i went during weeknights, very little crowds after 5-630 when kiddies went home. read more

The park's ice rink is well designed. There's a narrower path that loops around a sculpture and a Christmas tree while there's more room in the center to skate around. This rink is bigger than the sculpture garden rink, yet smaller than the Georgetown Waterfront rink, but also less crowded. There are plastic skate helpers that's available for those who want help balancing and skating without being bound to the bar on the edge of the rink. You push the plastic balancer in front of you as you skate like a granny stroller. It's short (kid sized), but I saw some adults hunched over to use it as well. read more

Canal Park DC - Ice rink - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The skating was fun at the time, but I got a staph infection from their skates, probably because they are not sanitizing them properly between uses. read more

I hate to give this place such a poor rating, because the concept of having a looping ice rink that tries to emulate a "canal" is a pretty nifty idea. The implementation of this is probably one of the more dangerous things I've come across lately. Think lawn darts, but thirty years later. Let me explain. Most indoor and outdoor ice rinks are essentially chop-sided ovals with boards (plastic/plexiglass or other) around the outside of them. Outdoor rinks tend to have lower boards because they're normally just for recreational skating. The way that this rink is designed, with a loop on either end surrounded either concrete (where the fountains had been) or vegetation/benches (which you aren't supposed to sit on) you might think that there would be boards on either side of these thinner, path-like areas. You would be wrong. Very, very wrong. Instead of what, for safety reasons, should be boards/rails on either side, there is a small rise just above ankle-height for you to run into, trip over, get bumped over, etc. I've been skating for years, but everybody falls at some point. You turn around for a second, clip your skate on something, get hit from behind by an unattended child and instead of just bouncing into a rail or the boards you get to go over and slam your head into some concrete or fall into a bench (depending on which end you happen to be at. Some of this wouldn't be as much of an issue, but the ice quality isn't what it could be due to the design and how hard it is to work an ice resurfacer around the whole thing. They probably would have been better off with a smaller and more maneuverable lawn tractor/towable resurfacer combo. There is also an odd spot where the rink has a noticeable slope to it, not a good thing. Aside from the inherent issues with the design of the rink there are some nifty features which they do get credit for. The cameras which rotate, take video of the area, and project it onto large screens for those around are quite cool. There is a tavern which is going to be opening up soon according to the employees there and serving a variety of microbrews. The area the rink is located in is quite charming, has great metro access, and plenty of parking. This place also has the most attentive skate guards I've seen at any of the outdoor rinks in the area. Probably a good thing given the risks with the rink design. This place has a ton of potential. If the wasn't for the easily avoidable dangers built into the rink by virtue of its design it would be quite a good idea. As it stands now I probably won't be back because all it takes is that one person falling into you from the side and "Hello, random bench!" I'm not going to risk that, doesn't matter how cool the idea is. read more

Gorgeous historical interpretation (on the site of the old city canals from the Eastern Market to the Anacostia River) at a park in what used to be the worst part of the city. Absolutely stunning landscaping with color-changing fountains in the summer and ice skating in the winter. It has an OK restaurant onsite, with decent beer and wine selections. read more

We were at Canal Park for ice-skating on Sunday and it was beautiful with the snow falling. I really like that ice-skating here is an option and like the lay-out and the skate helpers. Unfortunately, the day we were there, it seemed it had been a while since they had sharpened the kids skates. My kids had to try on three pair before they found something acceptable though still dull. They have skate sharpening capability in house but only for skate sizes 4 and higher (i.e., not for younger skaters.) Further, they have a Zamboni but it doesn't seem like they produce good ice with it. I hope they can work on these two things because I really want this place to do well. It has a lot going for it otherwise. read more

Decided to stop past for the first time since I've been riding past it almost everyday being that i am from SW, so my daughter and i decided to play human bumper cars on ice it was soooooo fun except for the bruises that we received but it was worth it it really was !!! The staff was very friendly and helpful being as though they were young they seem to genuinely be concerned when people fell or slipped except for one girl that had a blond wig on her head she was just there wasting time really at around 9 o'clock she was skating around telling the guest that they are closing now but the sign clearly said 10 but when other people started to come she got upset and got off the ice. But other than her i will definitely go back next time im gonna show everybody that I'm supposed to be in SOCHI but i missed the bus to Russia and the Olympic committee never answered my phone calls, texts, emails, facetimes, i even tried paging them lol but i guess my talents were too good for them. Oh yeah i almost forgot while skating my daughter did trip on a little screw that was supposed to be at the bottom of the wall that we were holding on i took a pic and put it back in the hole where it belonged read more

Canal Park DC - The dreadful screw on the ice trick some tried to sabotage me - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

On the upside it was cheap because we had a group rate - $10/pp if you had 10+ people which is super reasonable for skating admission and skate rentals for an unlimited amount of time. We only skated about 15mins because it was freezing... the skates were kind of dull and the ice was thin so it wasn't the best experience all around. However the staff were super nice and we had a good time. It wasn't crowded at all - but it was 9pm on a Saturday night. read more

Nice little park amongst all the redevelopment in the Capitol Riverfront area. The park is about 3-4 blocks long, some nice "green" space. The highlight of course, is the spray park facing M Street, which becomes an ice rink in the winter. However, I prefer the various plants that run the length of the park, as well as the nice public spaces. It's a highlight of many a daily walk! read more

The lovely ice rink here is truly DC's hidden gem--longer shape (not just round & round) for the skaters, not too crowded, and very pretty! Unlike some of the other ice rink locations, parking here is very easy (also very close to Navy Yard metro). We went here for the 1st time last wkend and were very surprised how nice this place is. Great for a date, great for families! We had dinner the Tavern Park (very nice airy ambiance, gourmet pizza, good wine, great friendly service), had a romantic time and just we watch the kids and adults skate right outside the restaurant window. We'll surely be back to ice skate. read more

We took the kids skating hear yesterday, it was great! They have skating helpers the kids can push to gain confidence when learning to skate. The prices are spot on and there is a starbucks across the street! read more

Great time. The ice rink has curves and straight-aways that make it a lot of fun. I hadn't been skating in 15 years at least. When I was there the bar/cafe wasn't open yet, but it looks very promising. read more

Went on Sunday afternoon--parking was on street & seemed to be free, as the pay station wasn't there & parking garage was closed. Cost $11 for skates & wrist band for entrance. Restaurant will open end of February 2013. Loved skating there. Bathrooms also available. read more

Ice rink review: Terrific little rink in a revitalized spot in the District. Easy in and out of the rink, rentals are easy, and the venue is really slick. The best part is the peculiar shape; unlike most rinks it isn't an oval. Rather it is a sort of figure eight, where the holes in the "8" are small landscapes enclaves. The architecture both in and around the rink give you plenty to look at while twirling about the rink. The staff was very friendly and in good spirits. Be aware that this is a small rink; there's not much room for high speed runs or figure skating. However the surroundings and cool spot really make it worth a try. read more

I had no idea this cute little ice rink existed. I was in the neighborhood for a meeting, and was just charmed by the cool design and the randomness of finding a rink nestled amid government buildings. I didn't hit the ice in my office attire, but the little kid in me thought about it. read more