Main Content

Great place to watch the planes at Washington Reagan National Airport

For as long as I could remember, I’ve had a fascination with planes. I could sit there for hours and just watch them take off and land. The irony of it all is that I am admittedly afraid of flying. Actually, let me re-phrase, the flying part I love. Its more the fear of crashing that bothers me.

Nonetheless, given that I do love to watch planes fly overhead, you can imagine I love to go to Air Shows. But, unfortunately, there are only so many of those in close proximity. So what do you do in between? You go to Gravelly Point Park in Arlington.

Nestled just across the end of the runway at Reagan National Airport is this little gem of a park. You can get to it from the George Washington Parkway. But be advised, it is only accessible from the NORTHbound side.

There, you can put a blanket down and sit on the grass, or under a tree or even at one of the picnic tables and watch the planes as they take off for destinations unknown. On a busy day, you can see as many as 30 planes in one hour. And, even when things are a bit slower, there is generally some activity every 8 minutes or so.

Whether you’re a child or an adult, you’ve got to admit, watching those massive tubes of steel fly so closely overhead as they retract the landing gear is pretty cool.

 And as if watching the planes wasn’t great enough, if you face away from the runway, you have a great view of the Washington Monument and the Capital. Not to mention the scenic Potomac River that runs along side of the park.

If you’re a bike rider, the Northern Virginia Bike Path also runs along this park. So, as the planes fly overhead, its not uncommon to see a line of bike riders stop along the path to watch.

The park does allow dogs. And it closes at dusk.

 
Angela Newman
Tom & Cindy and Associates
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
7027 A Manchester Blvd.
Alexandria, VA 22310
cell: 703-408-8440
Connect With Us Questions?
Connect With Us