Potomac Riverboat Company, Old Town Alexandria, Virginia September 2026 Living in Old Town, Alexandria for 15 years I've learned to appreciate the multiple ways of getting around the DMV. When the Anthem opened not too many years ago, I discovered the Potomac Riverboat Company and its Water Taxi. It proved to be the perfect way to get from Old Town Alexandria to the Anthem on the Wharf, where Sara Bareilles was performing in mid-September 2026. The Anthem is an outstanding venue - seating maybe 6,000 and hosting performances by the likes of the Killers, Sarah McLachlan, Dark Star Orchestra, and the Indigo Girls. And, on nights where the Anthem is hosting a performance, the Water Taxi offers a $2 discount to concert-goers using the taxi to get to the show. (Note that except for special events like baseball games, the last returning taxi from the Wharf to Old Town departs around 8 p.m., ruling out using the taxi to return after an evening concert.) The 6:30 p.m. taxi to the Wharf left right on time from a dock that is easy to spot once you know where to look . . . but if it's your first time you might want to consult with the folks in the ticket-selling kiosk across from Blackwall Hitch. Once in line an attendant scanned the QR code on my phone and I was on my way. It cost $19 for the one-way senior/military rate, less the $2 discount I got for using the code showing I would be going to the Anthem. It's a scenic and relaxing 30-minute ride, taking you past the Naval Research Facility, with its huge outdoor golfball-looking spheres sheltering its radar facilities, and Fort McNair, a United States Army post located on the tip of Buzzard Point that's also historically known as the Washington Arsenal. The taxi offers an inside cabin with ample seating, and an upper-deck that has seating and offers outstanding views of the Potomac River shorefront. There's a marine toilet that operates like those on airplanes, and a snack bar with alcohol and non-alcohol offerings. This is the kind of transit option that makes living in the DMV a real pleasure. read more

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Entire experience was nice on evening trips. Excellent sunset! Staff were super friendly and helpful. Nothing fancy but was well with it!!

Absolutely Beautiful and Relaxing!! Great for Family Special Occasions!!!! Have dinner and a cocktail,,,,,!!!!! Enjoy a Beautiful evening . The Penachio's from Boston read more

If you're spending time in National Harbor the water taxi to Old Town Alexandria is a great way to spend the day. When traffic is backed up on the bridge you can just wave as you sail on by. My only complaint is that it was pouring down rain and someone had locked the lounge, making everyone stand outside getting soaked. The blame belongs with the harbor staff, however. The water taxi staff were all polite and hard working. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Alexandria Waterfront - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Cool way to explore by water taxi between national harbor and Alexandria. It's $8 one way. And the inside of the boat has AC, bathroom, and a water station. Ride is pretty long and slow but it's a cool tourisy way to explore. Wish I could have taken it in the day time. If you're in National Harbor, take it to go eat in Alexandria. read more

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Chartered dinner cruise for the convention I attended. The Cherry Blossom took us up the Potomac from Alexandria and I found it to be extremely peaceful and enjoyable. The food was good, the drinks were flowing, and the band was talented. I loved standing at the front of the boat (ship?) and feeling the wind blow through my hair, as I watched planes land at DCA. What a wonderful evening. read more

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One of my favorite parts of our trip! We headed to the wharf by Alexandria to snag water taxi tickets for a night on the town. The next available water taxi was in an hour, so each got a drink and enjoyed the view of the water while we waited. Tickets were $12.50, which isn't cheap, but was completely worth it for the (roughly) 25 minute boat ride that overlooked Washington DC, all lit up in the night sky. It made our trip feel like vacation, with the nice weather, fun views, and surrounding water. The taxis are big boats, with an open roof full of seats, as well as an outdoor area on the main level. Definitely take part while you're visiting! Best way to cross the river! read more

Took the boat cruise from the Wharf to Old town Alexandria to National Harbor round trip tonight. We checked in about 30 min ahead of time like our tickets stated and then waited for our boat to arrive. Since it was on the later side, the boat was no crowded which was nice. We did round trip from Wharf to Alexandria to National Harbor and back again. You can get off if you want of course. I think the round trip ticket was $18 but was included in our hop on-hop off bus ticket. Nice relaxing way to end the evening. read more

If you're hanging out in Old Town, you might as well hop on the water taxi and visit The National Harbor as well, or vice versa. A nice way to take in being out on he water. Takes about 30-40 mins or so. Not too long. You can sit indoors or outside. Limited seating outside. If you're sensitive to the cold or traveling with someone older, I highly recommend they bring a jacket or shawl to stay warm since there is a breeze. $8 one way, $16 roundtrip. I've taken the water taxi about 6 times in total. Yes, you can drive, but there's something fun about being on the water! read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The Potomac Riverboat Company offers a wide range of services from private parties to water taxi service between Georgetown and Alexandria to tours of Mount Vernon and even Architectural tours of the Washington Monuments. I used their water taxi service between the Gaylord Resort and Old Town Alexandria ($16.00 for a round trip) which was great. Efficient, quick (about 20 minutes) and the easiest and cheapest way to get over to Oldtown. As a comparison- a cab is going to run you about $17 one way but takes about 5 minutes less. 4 stars for sure. As for their tours of the Washington monuments-if you haven't been to Washington DC before- this is not the best way to see the sights of our nation's capital. Take a bus tour where you can get off and walk through the various monuments and learn about the history of them. But if you are just looking to be out in the sun and take an hour boat cruise up the Potomac or need transportation between the shopping in Alexandria and Georgetown- then it should be fine. While there is a recorded tour on the boat along with a map that points out the various points of interest- you really cannot see any of the monuments (except the backs or sides of them) and the Washington Monument (tall enough to see from anywhere) And know that the promise of a "snack bar" on board is some old popcorn from the last trip, and soda and beer served out of coolers. The round trip ticket between Alexandria and Georgetown will run you $32 and it doesn't matter which side of the boat you sit on as if you do the round trip- you will get the full tour as some of the sights are only talked about in one direction. The entire round trip takes about two hours. The crew of the boats are efficient although not particularly engaging or personable which I expected given they are in a tourist business. My suggestion? Use the Potomac Riverboat Company for transport only (they are great at it!) and leave the tours to those companies that can get you front and center with all there is to see in our nation's capital. read more

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If you're visiting, don't have a car, are on foot and want to sight see this boat ride is worth the $30ish per person ticket. About 45 minutes to an hour you can get a guided sight seeing your that cuts straight down the Potomac with both sides of DC right there for you to see and enjoy. The covered boat keeps you cool from the hot sun, and they do sell snacks and drinks on board too if you want. It's a nice break, and you learn a lot! read more

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Looking for something to do outdoors and that's local? Highly recommend this Potomac boat tour!! I went to the location in Old Town Alexandria. Try to come about 15 mins before departure because the boat leaves right on time and you don't want to be left behind! All the ship mates and captain are so friendly and gave us tips about the city. Even if you grew up here, you'll learn something new from their guided tour and get a fun history lesson at the same time. Plus, it's beautiful and sight for sore eyes! Renews your love for the city with such a simple tour. My boat headed toward the Georgetown waterfront. Some tours also go to National Harbor. We passed by the Washington and Lincoln monuments, and went under a few bridges (thrilling to hear the back stories!). I never felt rushed and it was the perfect amount of time. Everyone had enough room on the boat and 2-level decks to distance from one another. read more

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HANDS DOWN THE BEST WAY TO GET TO A NATS GAME Took this slightly bougie, fully worth it, mode of transportation to get to a 7pm game and it was perfect! The staff is friendly and clear about pick up/drop off details, the views on your trip are incredible, AND THEY SELL YUENGLING ON BOARD A+ read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Baseball taxi views - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The Water Taxi Service is new and their modern aluminum boats are pretty nice; and, air conditioned. Took a ride from Old Town Alexandria to the new Wharf district of SW DC and enjoyed a new way of getting to a few points along the Potomac River of a huge metropolitan area. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Meh I would not use this for travel to the Nationals Park First I think it was expensive at $32 round trip. Group of 4 at $128. You are locked into travel time. If you want to arrive at the stadium early not on the boat. If you want to leave the game early not on the boat. The travel itself was fine. read more

We recently celebrated our wedding upon the Cherry Blossom and had such an amazing time. The boat is lovely and with three decks we were able to provide 3 distinct experiences for our guests! Maykayla provided great assistance getting the boat booked and everything lined up for our big day! The boat staff were friendly and got the boat looking awesome. The boat sailed north towards DC and our guests loved the great views from all decks as we enjoyed great September Fall weather! We had 60 guests on board and while the boat could accommodate many more (during non-Covid times) we felt this was a perfect size to not feel too crowded! There were special Covid-19 restrictions in place, but a a great time was had by all even though dancing and standard mingling were not allowed! We opted for the premium bar package and while it was sufficient and we had the choice to customize for additional cost and chose not to, if we had another event on the boat we would definitely expand upon our beer & wine selections. We would highly recommend taking a sail on the Cherry Blossom!!! read more

Wonderful view. Meal wasn't as appealing. Shrimp overdone, fish was really good but for the price I felt should have been better than local bar restaurants. read more

My family and I took the Monument River Cruise from Alexandria to Georgetown round trip today. We left Alexandria at 6:30 pm and our scheduled returned time was 10:30 pm but the boat never showed up. We were waiting for at least 1 hour since 9:30 pm. There was another girl who was waiting for this boat to show up. We had to come back to Alexandria, Old town in Uber ($20). We will be going to Old town tomorrow to ask for reimbursement for the entire trip (not just the return trip like the lady on the phone was offering us) because if we knew ahead of time that we were not going to be picked up... then we wouldn't have done the round trip in the first place. Update: The company contacted me this morning and were reasonable to reimburse me the entire amount of the 3 trips. I am giving them 3 stars because of the inconvenience. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Overall it was a very good, but our group wanted to extend our stay at old town Alexandria and asked the person at the counter if we can....the attendant looked at out ticket and said " Yes we can " few days later the company sneaked in an additional $ 33 to the card in file. When I chatted with customer service and asked why , I was told that its written in fine prints that changing time may result in additional charge . WELL - fine prints is one thing - Training staff at the counter to inform customers before charging is INTEGRITY AND EXCELLENCE . So in my opinion the company is miss that. It's not the money it's the Ethics. read more

This review is for the Canine Cruise only. We participated in the Canine Cruise and had a wonderful decently priced experience with an extremely friendly staff. My only complaint would be that it was slightly overcrowded. I would kindly suggest that fewer tickets be sold with some additional cruises added to the calendar. If it were just humans, it would be fine, but when people are bringing aboard 1-3 of their dogs, it was hard to turn without bumping into someone or stepping on a tail. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Canine Cruise - one happy customer! - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Attended a wedding onboard the Cherry Blossom. It was the Sunday of Veteran's Day weekend. We needed to be at the boat at 3:45 PM once onboard we were lead to the top deck where the wedding ceremony took place. It was a bit chilly for this time of the year. After the ceremony ended the boat stsrted sailing away down the Potomac. We went inside and down one deck for drinks and hors d'oeuvres that were passed around by servers. Space is not that large and we seemed a bit tight as we were a group of 100. Across from the bar area waa a self serve photo booth. The dance floor accomadated the DJ and plenty of space for every one to dance. At times when you wanted to be outside you could go and see the illuminated buildings along the route. Mostly I had seen residential areas and a few DC monuments far off in a distance. Truly to cold out and dark to see anything. The dinner was buffet style on the lowest of the three decks. It wasn't meant to be there too long more eat sit at one of the four round tables and go back up to the middle deck for drinks cutting of the wedding cake and more dancing. Total time onboard was four hours. Nice venue for wedding I couldn't imagine it could be any nicer. At times if we passed another vessel we rocked but not too bad as no one fell over. I could imagine being from South Florida that the most ideal time is Spring when it is warmer and the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom. read more

Took the taxi the Nationals game, getting there was a breeze, and very nice. Return, not so much, left right on time, much slower ride due to different boat. We arrived at Alexandria only to wait for half an hour for a slip - they need better scheduling.. Update 8/17 / they left me on the dock. I went to an Anthem concert, scheduled time to leave Anthum was 11:00, we we all out there at 11:04, but no boat - they need to schedule with Anthum like they do with the ball games; not leave people behind, to say disappointed would be an understatement. Not sure what these guys point is if they are not serving the venues ( leaving minutes before shows let out) read more

Horrible. Zero adherence to their own schedule. Nobody knows what's going on. We got 1:40 tickets from DC to Alexandria they charged $12 a person. Its 2:15 PM now and the boat still has not arrived. The person at the booth who sold as the tickets has not said a word about boats running late. And, they dont take refunds. Looks like we are getting on 2:40. They just marinated us in line under the sun for 1.5 hours. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The water taxi is a great option except there is a HORRIBLE smell coming from the restroom that is out of order. This needs to be fixed ASAP. It made passengers sick and sadly it was a rainy day so sitting outside was not an option. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - The taxi staff gave us scented sticks to sniff on to help with the horrible smell. - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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We had wanted to do a water taxi. We purchased and explicitly told the woman in old town Alexandria what we were looking for. She sold us tickets to a boat tour for $94 tound trip for two tickets. When I realized the charge by looking at the receipt I went back to ask for a refund. The young boy said he was not allowed to as no funds. There are no signs that state their policy anywhere. It's a bait and switch. The boat is one level smelly diesel boat with limited prime seating and a recording that plays. My wife got sick from the wake of boat and diesel smell. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I heard about the Canine Cruise and decided that the Beloved Goldendoodle should go on a cruise, so off we went to get a ticket ($16 for humans, free for 4-pawed passengers). A large biscuit was offered at the ticket booth and bowls of water were provided for the (appropriate) passengers. The one hour cruise of the harbor included narration by one of the nice guys who work for PRC, and everyone who worked there was really friendly. I would say that almost every dog seemed to enjoy it with the exception of mine who got nervous about the movement (he's a sensitive little guy, I suppose); he did seem to like the nice breeze in his hair, but sat on my lap the rest of the time (all 43 lbs of him). Upon leaving, I stopped at the ticket booth to get a schedule of other cruises and he hopped up to see what was happening in the booth, tail wagging, just hoping for another treat. They offered him one, but he had reached his daily limit. For anyone who is sure their dog likes boats, this is a fun/different way to spend an hour, and I would definitely do another cruise (without the fluffy boy). read more

We took their fireworks cruise on July 4 and had a fabulous time. We did quite a bit of researching before deciding on Potomac River Boat (a lot of other companies offer fireworks cruises), but found Potomac River Boat to be the best value. Other companies charged around $150 and up (plus taxes) while Potomac River Boat was only $100. Granted, most of the other boats served dinner, but we decided that we'd just eat beforehand. They also have a concession area on board with coke, water, beer, wine, and popcorn. Everything was reasonably priced (wine, I know, was just $5). The cruise was definitely the best way to see the fireworks show - such an awesome view! From now on I can't see myself fighting the crowds at the National Mall; I'll cruise instead! read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - View of the fireworks show - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

In the olden days (well before my time thank you very much), a ferry boat was how you got from Alexandria across the Potomac to Maryland. Of course, I don't think there was much on the other side to get to anyway at that point. But, still, it's nice that a company still offers an old school water taxi from Alexandria to National Harbor because this part of Maryland is still as awful to get to sans car as it would have been in the 1800s. Plus here are few more relaxing ways to get to National Harbor than by boat anyway. Sure the ride over will have some screaming tourist children but at least the Beltway is avoided. And the climate control is very nice in a hot D.C. summer. For $8 a ride - with no discount for going both ways - and limited travel times (though they do go pretty late into the night) the boat might not be worth it as a regular route to get to National Harbor. But I do recommend trying this route at least once. The views of both Alexandria and, especially, National Harbor from the water are quite unique and photogenic. Especially in the setting sun. I was also advise getting to the boat as early as possible. The seats by the water cooler fill up fast. Toward the front of the boat, they provide the best views and, hey, if someone gets thirsty staring at the Potomac, the water is right there. Of course it's also by the bathroom. But at least that smells better than it probably did on a ferry to Maryland back in the day. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - The water taxi dock in Alexandria. - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The price was a bit steep, but it was peak season (May-Sept) so I get it. For four adults it was $72 to get from Georgetown to Alexandria, so there's easily better/faster/cheaper ways to get there. An ride-share would likely be around $20, a metro is a short walk and ~$15-20. But you don't take a water taxi for the efficiency, you take it for the experience. Buying tickets was very easy, onboarding was smooth and quick. The staff was fine, nothing special but certainly got the job done. It's one of the best ways to see the monuments, very nice views of both Rosslyn and Hanes Point. There was some good history facts given on the intercom recording. All in all, it was a good novelty experience for locals and wouldn't do it again. For tourists, it's a very good idea. Likely one of the cheapest ways to get a "cruise" on the Potomac and a great way to see the local fine dining destinations. read more

The family had a great experience taking the water taxi to and from Georgetown recently. The ticket process was easy, boarded and left on time, and were spot on in terms of arrivals/departures. Only downside was that we had a group of teens on a DC trip that were a bit rambunctious, but that's DC this time of year. The ride back was much quieter, and amazing at night. Everyone should do that at least once, regardless if you are a tourist or residence read more

We did a round trip ride at night from Georgetown to Old Town in order to see the monuments at night. The view was amazing - we were fortunate to have such a clear night. The boarding/disembarking process was a little muffled. There was no official start of a line for those of us boarding the boat. When it docked people just started popping up into an unorganized line. As people were trying to disembark, there were people already trying to board. The gate is only meant for one person and there could be serious problems if people are not guided better. There was a recording that played to tell you all about what you were looking at as the boat went down the river. I really enjoyed this - and learned so much. There was a different recording for the ride back from Old Town, so it was not redundant by any means. A quick warning - these same boat are a taxi service between the two locations. There were people on the boat who were not there for the sight seeing. There isn't assigned seating, so get a good spot as quick as possible. There is covered and uncovered seating available. I have done a Monuments tour at night before, with another company, and I highly recommend Potomac Riverboat Company. read more

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The rountrip to DC was both fun and memorable. The cruise contained passed hor'dourvers and unlimited wine, beer, and lemonade. While English wasn't the staff's first language, they made up for it with attentiveness and genuine hospitality. I appreciate that the ship left on time and returned on schedule. We sailed on the Cherry Blossom boat and even though you could tell it was an older boat, it was still well maintained and very spacious. As for cost, I would assume they are reasonably price. I went with on a corporate event, so I think having not to pay is what made it even more pleasurable. If going with a significant other, I would consider this to be somewhat romantic. I would highly recommend this when my parent's come in town. read more

Bought tickets on line to Alexandria then transfer an hour later to Georgetown. We went back to the place where they dropped us and was told the boat just departed from a different place on the dock. No signage or instructions on our tickets to tell ya that! VERY DISAPPOINTING!!! And no refunds !!!!!! Find a different body tour read more

This company is a scam. They will sell you tickets and not deliver the service. Their representatives are so Rude and BS. Never ever ride this boat read more

If you are taking the boat for the "tour" aspect of the ride, then I would look elsewhere. You can barely hear the recorded voice from the speakers over the boat engine. Also very hot even in the air conditioned portion of the boat in August. Seating is comfortable, one boat is a double decker and the other is covered only. Beer and wine are served with cash or card and are kept cold. Overall, would not recommend vs another DC tour. read more

We had brunch down in Old town and then decided to hop on board for the cruise over to Alexandria. We sat outside on the top of the boat. It was a great way to see some of the monuments along the Potomac as huge passengers planes flew directly over us as they approached the runway for landing. As you approach the lower bridges, the captain asks that all passengers come down from the upper deck while the boat passes through. At first, I thought it was a bit of an overkill, however, the boat just nearly makes it under! Good thing we got out of there! We had a glass of wine (which you can purchase onboard) and enjoyed the 40 min ride/tour. There is limited seating outside/on the upper deck so be sure to meet the boat with that in mind. If you sit outside on the main deck, be forewarned that you may come off smelling like the Potomac. The water was a bit choppy so it splashed up quite a bit. I say go for it, it's inexpensive and a fun way to get around! read more

We took a roundtrip river cruise from Alexandria national harbor to Georgetown on the Potomac and back (45 minutes each way). The boat was a double-decker, with a comfortably air conditioned lower deck. It is not in the top condition, and there are popcorn bits all over the floor. They probably did not have time to clean up after the previous group. The pre-recorded audio tour was nice, with plenty of surprises along the way. The view was nice, especially around Tidal Basin, the monuments, and Georgetown. The view on the upper deck under the sky was great. There is very limited space, though, on the front and back of the ship for people to take pictures. Also, on the lower deck, there is a huge gap right under the door on the railing, and when other boats made big waves, water got onto the deck. You can get your feet and shoes wet, or slip, if you are not careful. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Lincoln Memorial from the Potomac! - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Some of us used their service from Alexandria to attend a Nationals Game recently. The staff was very professional and courteous, and the bar prices are fair. The staff was so professional, the captain even managed to get us their safely and on time despite a girl hitting on him the whole trip literally begging for his number. Not even that distraction could stop him! Other guests said it was the best cruise they've taken yet to a game! If you live near King Street, this is certainly the optimal way to attend a Nationals and/or United game. The price isn't the best, but it's equivalent to parking and it's more reliable than the Metro that has a 50% chance of catching on fire and 100% of being crowded that will be shutdown for us in NoVA for 90 days in Summer 2019. read more

Great time. Very friendly and clean. Thank you! Will be returning. All the important places of interest were seen from the water. Cruise from Alexandria to Georgetown. Perfect day read more

We got on the ferry in Old Town Alexandria. It's an 1.5 hour ride to Mt. Vernon (stopping to pick up more riders in Maryland on the way). Four hours at Mt. Vernon, then back on ferry ride to where ever you were picked up. Ferry has two levels. Nice breeze on top, air condition on bottom. Bathrooms on board. Drinks & popcorn for sale (water, soda, wine, beer). Guide gives you history of city as you pass by areas (such as forts). I think you can tailor how long you stay at Mt. Vernon. If so, four hours was too long. read more

Potomac Riverboat Company - Boat Charters Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia