Been meaning to write a review for a while. We were here during the summer and the kids had a good swim. The water was a little dirty. Some rocks, sticks, leaves but nice view and ambiance for adults. There was a waterfall at one end too. The water isn't deep at all so nice for little kids to play and parents to follow. Another highlight is that there is a Philz coffee near by. If you haven't tried you won't regret it. read more

The Yards Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What a lovely location next to the Anacostia River in the up and coming Navy Yard area in SE DC! I have yet to see the actual park in the daylight, but I went to a really fun event here in the evening- Sideyards- and can not only recommend the event itself but also, I can confirm this is an awesome location for events in general. It's location is next to Ice Cream Jubilee as a point of reference. Surrounded by numerous eating establishments for partaking in before or after an event, and only a stone's throw away from the Navy Yard metro, this was perfect for Sideyards (and I'm sure things like evening concerts and festivals too). The actual event we went to was awesome and free (save alcohol and Agua 301 food booth) as long as you RSVP'd in advance. It was basically a mixed act side show- fire jugglers, sword swallowers, a guy walking around with snakes! Fortune telling, face painting, balloon artists, live music, a cute photo booth with costumes. It billed itself as family friendly, and I think this was true- for the first 90 minutes. Once the burlesque started (which was pretty interesting to say the least) and the jokes got a little raunchier by the performers, most people had their kids out of there- which was a good thing. The event was partially tented, the beer garden was under one of the tents. Drinks were kinda pricy- $9 margaritas, $8 wine, $8 beer. Margaritas were strong and wine pours were big though. I didn't try Agua 301, but Nandos was there for a bit with free stuff- wings, wrap samples, sandwich samples, nuts. You could spin their wheel and get free stuff too- I got a free bottle of peri sauce and my BF got a free 1/4 chicken. The event was 6-10 and we stayed until about 8:30 and were occupied the whole 2.5 hours. I would definitely return for this event next year and to view the park in the daytime. read more

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It's so fun, relaxing, and beautiful here! The area is very well kept and is family and dog friendly. I don't have any complaints but would love to see two improvements: a larger dog park, or add a water source; an outdoor exercise equipment area! It's an inspiring place to go for a run or evening yoga sesh and could be that much better with an added pull-up bar. I love all the outdoor programming and can't believe it took me 2 years to find out about how great this little neighborhood is! Moved from NW to here and haven't looked back yet. read more

Visited for the first time today and my son had a blast! There is a paid parking lot about a half block away and it's about $5 for 3 hours on the weekend. Not bad for DC parking. Adjacent to the pool is lots of green space and some tables with seats. A nice place for the kids to splash and have fun (for free-that's right admission is free) and for a family picnic. A word of caution-the area around the pool gets very slippery when wet so please, please, please advise and remind the kiddos not to run. I saw four kids wipe out today and hit the backs of their heads on the ground because they were running. Play it safe, walk, wade, and splash away! read more

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Yards Park is a fancy newish water front park in DC. With views of the Anacostia river, a few restaurants on the waterfront, and a wading pool, it's a really cool little neighborhood asset with some nice paved paths to walk on. On some evenings, there is live music and free outdoor movies! Lots of activities take place down here, and it's also nice and close to the Navy Yard metro! read more

Adorable little grass-tiered park abutting the waterline right next to the Yards Marina and running behind a number of trendy new restaurants (Osteria Morini, District Winery) that have sprung up in the SE over the past few years along the waterfront near the Navy Yard. read more

I enjoyed visiting this area of DC. It was the day after the Caps won the Stanley Cup as well as PRIDE weekend. Despite all of the celebrations the Yards Park wasn't overwhelmingly crowded. There was a great free concert and friendly people all around enjoying the music and camaraderie. We had to wait 30 min for a restaurant table and the wait in between drink and meal was a bit long... but that doesn't effect my 5 stars for the Yards Park in general. It was really pretty there. Beautiful night. Beautiful people. I love the reflection of the lights on the water. (The part of the water without the sticks and muck and trash haha.) oh! And the little kids playing around in the splash area were adorable. read more

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This is what urban living is supposed to be. Seriously, this park is like out of a magazine, or at least from an architecture design school. Sprawled out along the river in south D.C., you have dining, lounging and swimming/wading options (summer) for kids. Dogs must be on leash, understandable. Many benches and areas with shade for just sitting and enjoying a breeze and watching boats sail by on the Anacostia. There is a marina for docking, but not sure of specifics like fees or times. We will sure be back for events and maybe for splashing around next summer. Very excited to have discovered the park. Highly recommend! read more

I attended the Riverfront Fest on 10/9/10 and was very impressed with the park area. There's still quite a bit of work to be done as far as getting the surrounding area together - but I think once it's all complete - IF people take advantage - it could be great. And why not? It's next to Nats stadium, overlooks the water, and is metro accessible! The developers/builders definitely need to do better on getting the word out about this area though. The festival was very poorly attended, and most folks who I talked to hadn't heard about it. read more

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We had a few hours to spare on our trip to DC and found this beautiful park just blocks away from our hotel. Great location by the water with its own little "wading pool" and fountains to play in (we have a 2 year old). Great restaurants and ice cream shop nearby as well. Would definitely visit again! Only downside is no playground... read more

I just love The Yard Park. I had an outside movie night last week Thursday and it was so much fun to just relax and enjoy the view. I think The Yards Park has one of thee best views. read more

The Yards Park - Thursday Movie Night - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love area but am disappointed that the wading pool has not been open! No water; no opportunity for kids and families to enjoy.

Who knew this had a Yelp page! The BID(?) does a great job with having fun events and I hope they keep it going. They sell some food and drinks, depending on the event, but are strict on you bringing in your own alcohol. I'm not sure if I can hold that against them but still wish they didn't care. read more

One of my fave spaces in the city and particularly because I live right around the corner. I love that they hosted the DC Jazz Fest previously unfortunately not returning this year. As a Photographer I love using as a backdrop for photo shoots or just to hang out. Lots of events year round and places to dine. And even at night it's cool. Vida is one of my faves and even when grocery shopping is needed, there is a Whole Foods right there. Good to have nearby options. read more

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No. This park is completely overrated. First and foremost, while I understand that previous history had shown the Nationals to be completely irrelevant by the month of September, it was poor planning to schedule an event at the exact same time as a Nationals game. Perhaps the people who walked or took the metro did not think this was a big deal, but finding parking was an unnecessarily cumbersome task that could have been completely avoided by 1) a cursory review of events in the general vicinity or 2) at least picking a more centrally located park to throw an event that was supposed to appeal to all of DC and its surrounding areas. If the only problem had been an event issue, that would have been fine. But there is absolutely nothing beautiful about this park. Where are the trees? Where are the benches? Where are any shaded areas for that matter? Apparently, there is one near the pool. Great. Not really helping when I'm here for an outdoor event though. I solemnly ate with my friends at some makeshift glass tables that were in direct view of the sun. If I was a pale person, I would have been shaking my now blistery red fist at the event organizers. Maybe - and I stress MAYBE - this would be fine if you just wanted to take your child out to the park. I certainly would be less inclined to go to an event that is thrown at this park based on my last experience. read more

We live in the Navy Yard neighborhood and we love the access to the Yards Park. They have almost something going on every weekend, especially in the summer. Our most favorite part about the park is the Friday night concerts. We like to bring a blanket and a picnic basket of snacks or even order a pizza from Nicoletta's pizza (which is right beside the park) and hang out and watch the concert. It is very family friendly. It is also near many shops and restaurants. So when it is done, you could go get a drink with your friends or take your family to get ice cream. It is a fun and affordable option for friends, couples, or family weekend activities. read more

Yesterday my going out guru and I decided to check out the newly gentrified Southwest Waterfront. We've spent past couple of years Sunday brunching and cocktail hopping on 8th street and Penn Ave. It's been lovely, as several of my bartender friends from my previous life currently work or own saloons in that hub. So we've never felt the need to branch out to the construction laden Main Ave. Thankfully we easily found parking even with a pending Nat's game. I was surprised to see a few people walking around in swimsuits. Maybe I was missing something, but last time I checked there weren't any beaches or public pools in this area - only the polluted Patomic . So, I had to investigate! A short walk down the street revealed dozens of families picnicking on lush green lawns under pretty green trees, and little red cheeked children adorned with colorful floaties splashing and running about. Then, there they were - little sparkling fountains of CLEAN water gurgling from the cement overlooking a large rectangular wading pool! We shimmied down the steps, carefully avoiding a couple of children dripping watery shadows of themselves on the dry concrete as they jostle by. I was immediately drawn to a waterfall underpass and couldn't resist walking under it with my newborn swaddled close to my chest (momentarily wishing he were a toddler who could enjoy this experience). We sauntered across pristine foot bridges dotted with signs touting the DC clean rivers project. The park is cleverly planned with hidden seated areas for couples or families. And despite the area being heavily populated, it didn't feel crowded. I had to pinch myself several times to see if I was dreaming. This is nothing like the DC I know lol. Ok, enough with the novel; I'm sure your eyes are exhausted of you were able to get this far. All in all, the Southwest Waterfront is a beautifully planned family friendly section of DC. I'll be visiting much more frequently now in know it exists. It saddens me that developers couldn't figure out how to gentrify this area without destroying DC landmarks such as Captain White's. I have so many childhood memories of The Wharf. read more

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All Hail the Gentrification Gods! Really, I promise not to go on that rant. Anyone, new or local, just-moved-in or displaced, 2002 DCist or 2012 Washingtonian, can come down here and enjoy the park, if they want. So fresh, and so clean, clean... well, except for the part of the river closest to the building structures, bridges and walkways. I mean, I just want to imagine that my 5-cent-saving-collection of uber-earth-friendly-yet-trendy cloth bags have done some help. I really don't mind looking down and seeing muddy waters... but, bottles and plastic trays.... sigh. Anyway, yes the Yards Park is very spacious and scenic. Nature is coming back (wink)... in a big way. There are new restaurants set to open in the coming months, live concerts, etc. It's metro-friendly (just walk a few blocks from the Navy Yard metro, past the USDOT building and you're there). There is ample parking, but time is limited. You don't think you can quickly spend three hours just being outside, but, yeah you can. Good mixture of people... yuppies on lunch break, play-date groups with kiddies in the fountain, couples out sight-seeing. Pictures: all kinds... professional, selfies, 35 mm, mental... Yeah, just... whatever you want or need, it's here. It's oxygen. It's water. It's green. read more

Can't believe I've been working here for over 2 years and have never been here until today. Nice. Beautifully done. Definitely improves the quality of life here. read more

I love Yards Park! The park hosts tons of free events all year long. They host free yoga, free concerts, and other community events. It's also located directly overlooking the Anacostia River, which is so lovely. There are tons of restaurants and bars surrounding yards park that welcome park visitors to come in and use their restrooms. There's also a few fountains that kids can run through to stay cool in the summer. The park is also very family and dog friendly. read more

DC has added one more great waterfront space to the list. Yards Park is a great place to eat, shop or hang out - even if you don't live or work here. We drive further to come to this Harris Teeter because I love the pharmacy, but also to enjoy the area. We'll walk along the river, play in the fountain, grab a drink at Blue Jacket, a taco at Takorean or some ice cream at Jubilee, and do a little grocery shopping on the side. In the summer there are free waterfront concerts on Fridays plus additional free events throughout the year. 2015 events have included New Belgium's Tour de Fat, Laser Cat and the winter-themed Ice Yards. The events are varied, and the event organizers seem to be getter better each time at planning how to deal with the crowds and some of the unique challenges of this location. Well done! read more

Yards Park is a great family-friend spot that puts on a free concert series during the summer and turns on the fountains for kids to play in. They have a bunch of great bands come and play; we saw White Ford Bronco (90s covers) and Crowded Streets (DMB covers). Per mayoral order, they also allow BYOB, which is fantastic. It can get pretty crowded and btwn your kids running back and forth from the fountains to the stage, it can be frustrating keeping an eye on them. But they do have a bunch of security guards roaming (one may have found my child) so I am grateful for that. They also usually have vendors selling food and beer and even doing face painting for the kids. Parking is a nightmare, per usual down there, so try to get there around 6 to grab a spot on the street. Overall, beautiful venue right on the harbor and nice family-friendly events. read more

The Yards Park - Night time water play. - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Walked along the river trail which is quite lovely and happened upon the Yards Park. There is a green space and a dog park. There are cute little benches and trees for shade. There are resturants (nothing stood out as super vegan friendly, but I wasnt looking too hard). There is an awesome water wasing pool. Filled with kids!! Everyone was having so much fun. There is a little waterfall too and above there are other water sprayers. Loads of people. Fun little spot to hang out. read more

My daughter and I decided to go to an event at The Yards and I'm glad we did. This place is beautiful, serene and just a nice relaxation kinda spot. The event we attended is called Day of Dead which happens the day after Halloween AND general admission was FREE! The location was very easy to find. Plenty of street parking. Parking lot within 3 min of walking with minimal cost. We were there about 3 hours and parking cost $6. The event itself was free to get in. They had two heated tents. One with a "beer garden" for the adults to enjoy. I didn't personally check it out because I didn't go to drink...this time ;-) I was there with my babygirl so I was looking for family friendly activities. I could see that they had a live band, dance floor, wine and beer. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. I would love to check this out next time! Kudos to the organizer for thinking about heating the tents because it was cold as a freezer box that night! Across from the beer garden was the "family friendly tent" with a few activities. Face painting (free), a fortune teller (free), picture booth area (free), contortionist walking around bending herself in all kinds of weird shapes, an illusionist who kept everyone mystified with his sword swallowing and breaking free from a rope trick. Entertainers on stilts twisting balloons and singing for all to enjoy. Mariachi band. It was lively to say the least. My daughter wanted to get her face painted. We stood in line for a little over an hour! There were 2 face painters and plenty of kids so that ratio wasn't balanced to well. But babygirl wanted her face painted so I waited...and waited...anddddd waited. FINALLY she is in the chair with a big smile on her face waiting to get her face painted. The face painters had 2 different styles of painting but they were both good. My favorite was the one dressed up as a kitty. Her name is Queen and I heard she does face paintings for The White House, big church events, etc. It was clear in her work and her pace (her line was moving faster than the other) that she was experienced and enjoyed her work. My daughter painting came out beautifully (pictures in gallery) and I plan to hire her for babygirl 16th birthday next year. We were pretty much worn out after standing in line so we decided to walk around the Yards and scope out some of the cool scenery before leaving. It was cold but I'm glad we did. The bridge going over the water is so picturesque! They have a wading pool for the little ones to run through when the weather permits and a water fall that you can walk under. There are some awesome photos ops at this spot. I plan to go back when it is warm so I can really check out all The Yards has to offer. Things I would suggest to do differently next year: Have bigger tents. The family tent was pretty packed and at times made it hard to move around. More face painters. If you are gearing towards keeping kids occupied the last thing you want is a 4 year old standing in line for hours. Also, maybe you want to put a face painter in the beer garden just for the adults because it was quite a few adults getting there face painted ESPECIALLY AFTER the drinks started flowing. Entertain inside the family tent more often. There were huge gaps of time while we were standing in line (for over an hour) and some of the little kids were not happy at all and made EVERYONE know that they weren't happy. Which caused for an uncomfortable environment. Have a visible tip jar for your painters, fortune teller, etc. They worked hard, long and made everyone happy but there was no way of knowing if we should or shouldn't tip. Every once in a while I would see some slide the face painter a few dollars but I think it would be nice if they had a tip jar OR a discreet sign that says "tips accepted". Put up ropes or designate "areas" to help keep a little order to the line. There were 2 face painters and 3 or 4 lines. It took a while for everyone to "come up with their own line system" and then inform EVERY PERSON THAT walked up and said "Is this the line for face painting". So I guess the bottom line suggestion to this is take a moment and think through how you want to organize your stations and your line flows. I understand that this is the 2nd time they are having this event at this location so hopefully next year they would've worked out a lot of the kinks. Overall, I did enjoy myself and this event is definitely worth attending again next year. read more

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Southeast DC, I LOVE what you've done with the place! I've made so many wonderful memories here in the past year alone. Indulging in scrumptious pasta and rich desserts at Osteria Morini with friends, introducing people to Bon Chon Chicken for the first time, talking late into the night over burrito bowls at Takorean, trying out new flavors at Ice Cream Jubilee, cramming my homework at the free wi-fi section of Harris Teeter, and sharing romantic walks along the waterfront. It's my favorite place in DC during the spring and summer. Can't wait to go back to make more happy memories now that it's warm outside again. read more

This place is SO cool! But more so when they have the water going, which they didn't when we went a couple of weekends ago. But I love going there! They finished the boardwalk section all the way down to the navy side now so that's cool...would be nice if it lead right up to the ship sitting there. *hint, hint* The garden with the seats are so neat! People seem to always take pics there...heh heh. I love the underlighting in the seating areas...it's so cool when the sun is setting. =] read more

i love this park for it has given me soooo much joy & opportunity to advance my career!! :-) the design of the park is incredible & the view from every angle of the park is beautiful... you cans tand at any point in the park & you see DC in a totally different way. plus i love the free events that go on in the park. And the pool is so cool & relaxing but the most important thing is the spirit that park invokes inside of you :-) read more

The Yards Park - my team and i at the park winning a team compettion - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The park was a good venue for the First Annual Taste of Belgium it was held at the Yard Park right next to the Trapeze building. The event was well-organized except for the bad weather and 70% of the event was in the open. Entrance was free but people had to buy food and beer tickets to eat or drink. Most of the people stay in the tents. There was a Mussels competition for the Belgian restaurants located in DC I tasted all of them it was a close competition! There were Stella Artois, Leffe and Hoegarden beer. Wished the weather was nicer! read more

I realize that there is other stuff at The Yards Parks, but I want to focus on the water. Wow. This is an amazing pool for toddlers, but don't tell too many people - it might get too busy. This is a set of fountains and a foot deep pool that is PERFECT for toddlers. We had such a good time here. read more

Whoever designed this I would like to buy you your favorite extra large pizza and deliver it to you with a smile and a song. By far the highlight of this DC extravaganza for both the kids in my family. they came they saw they splashed then they sat out on the lawn drying out with some fried chicken and top that off with a razor scooter ride over a bridge it was pretty fantastic thank you so much for this beautiful little Park! read more

Yards Park is a nice place to escape the hustle and bustle of DC. Nice views of the water, just ignore the grotesque industrial buildings across the river and pay no mind to the water pollution in the Anacostia river. The park has a water area that parents let their children loose in in the summer time, plenty of benches and grassy areas to sit and enjoy the view, people watch, and take in the sounds of the waterfalls. There's even some nearby restaurants. One of my favorite things to do at Yards Park is their Jazz at Yards Park Friday evenings- so much more laidback than the more hectic and crowded Jazz in the Garden at the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden. Jazz in Yards Park is great- casual, BYOB, food trucks, surrounding eateries selling food to go and beer (yay Blue Jacket), great vibes. Also recommend to check their calendar as they often host bootcamps, deck yoga at sunrise/sunset. Just nice. Of course if you want to go and chill, maybe picnic, that's A-Ok too! Parking can be tricky if it's crowded and depending on what's going on in the area, the parking lots can be hit or miss with prices. Example: if there is Nats game, forget it- parking is $20+ so metro in. But Friday night Jazz, no nats game $5 parking is much more tolerable. read more

Nice play area for little ones, beautiful views, ample seating & food if you get hungry. There was a lot of debris in the water but I went later on in the day so that might be why. read more

Apparently, this park has more to offer that I've seen, but for some reason I didn't see the set of fountains around here. It's prolly because I came here for a catered work event and it was raining every now and then. Since I don't live close to SE though, I am not sure if I'd come here just for the park, but if you're in the area, then you should check it out. read more

This park is beautiful. It is so beautifully tucked away from everything else. I could not believe it was so close to the Navy Yard metro station. I felt like I had gotten away from DC and was in a new place. I enjoyed the little outing I had here with some friends :). read more

I love Yards Park. From the green grass to the special events to the restaurants that now call it home. I have worked in the area for the last 5 years and watching it turned from an urban wasteland to a pristine park where families and everyone can hang out is wonderful. I highly recommend coming for the Friday night concerts or the movies! read more

This addition to the Navy Yard waterfront is amazing. Such a nice area to just unwind take in the weather and relax. I've been coming here for Vida's Get Fit For Summer Workouts and the area is perfect for it. Plenty of space for a group class, and still not in the way of taking in the area if you're just coming by for a quick stroll. There's also a wade pool for the kids of you want to bring them down for a little bit of water fun without breaking the bank at Kings Dominion.The area also has some restaurants there that are worth checking out! read more

The Yards Park - View from the benches - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Another win for moms with little ones! :) Sooo, it's July... HOTT! Decided to take my 3 yr old out early before the air quality became too poor. This place is really tucked away, and that's part of the treasure. I drove here so it took me a minute to find a parking space, but not too bad. We got there a little after 11 on a weekday and there were a few people there. The play fountain was so much fun for my little one, and once he saw the large wading pool below...he was too through! We went down and took a dip. The water is at just the right height for safety for the kids and mommy(or daddy) doesn't have to get too drenched in the process:) This is another area right out in the sun without much shade, so bring your sunscreen and brimmed hat for a hot sunny day. Although there are tables and chairs in a shaded area near the pool and also a shaded area near the fountain but if you plan on being close to your child in the water, you'll need the sun protection. I'll definitely be back to see what more is offered in the park beyond the pool or during an evening. read more

What a gorgeous place! Come here at night and see the entire place lit up :D I was fortunate enough to come for the giant inflated bunny exhibition and was really impressed with the work and park. There was also a live DJ at the event. read more

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I so love WHATS come of this area. Grew up around here and enjoyed watching it development thanks to the Nats and Mayor Gray! Cool Sunday after church hang out. read more

The Yards Park - My daughters enjoying the day at the Yards and looking for cool weekend summer gigs - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I came here for DC Veg Fest and thought it was a great spot! There's a little area with chairs/tables near the water and plenty of space to walk around. We found a nice spot to throw our frisbee around too. There was a large grassy area that was filled with families/kids having a great time. It looks like there's alot of construction going on nearby and new apartments, etc. coming soon. read more