The Yards Park

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 ¼ 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.

Wish I could have gone this year. I would suggest all will enjoy the wide variety of food and vendors. Please continue this

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.

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 8^th 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.

Yard’s Park is awesome. I go for a nice stroll but it seems like a great place for families with children! I haven’t been to the concerts or any special events there, but I kind of don’t want to because I like the quiet, relaxed atmosphere on a breezy Saturday morning.

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 :-)

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!

I attended the D.C. Jazz Fest here courtesy of Unilocal Elite (it pays to be elite) and I was very impressed with this lovely riverfront park surrounded by restaurants. Can’t wait to visit again.

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!

It is a pretty park area. The waterfalls and wading pool are nice for young kids, and the landscaping and bridge structure are pretty cool. The park is not very large, but if you go definitely check out the nearby Ice Cream place. It is a little pricey but worth it.

This is such a beautiful and welcoming park! I recently took part in the Multiple Sclerosis 5k and it was held here. It was the perfect location to have this event. I haven’t been to this area in years and they really have improved upon it. Plenty of wide open space to explore, with water fountain displays, tables and chairs to eat and relax at, views of the Anacostia River, green grassy areas and plenty of restaurants to chose from. It was clean and since tons of people showed up to END MS FOREVER, the space accommodated all of the participants and the various vendors. While going through the 5k course, we were able to tour the newly revamped area in SE, Washington DC. Nice area!
After we finished the 5k, we were treated to lunch by some of the vendors and were able to sit at some tables overlooking the Anacostia. It was rather cold that day, but we still enjoyed the view and the experience.
We took the subway, but they do have some street parking available. How lucky are the employees in the office buildings adjacent to the park to work next to such a beautiful park?!? I’m glad I don’t work near it because you could never get me to come inside.
DC RISING!

I love taking my dogs for a walk there. I think it’s that Anacostia River is right there that brings tranquility in the air. (Sometimes the trash are found in water are disgusting), but I think they do pretty good job cleaning.
There are several events taken there: concert on Fridays, yoga in the park, boot camp, etc… during the summer. I’ll be going there once again :)
Not only that, there are restaurants, ice cream shop, architecture structures, etc to visit.

Modern architecture park in the Navy Yard area. It is cute and offers a lot of green space with a nice panoramic view of the Anacostia River. There is a small wading pool for kids to enjoy during the warmer months, and a manmade waterfall that is a great backdrop for photo ops. The bridge is a neat add to the place. I haven’t been to any events here.
This park is surrounded by tons of restaurants and within walking distance of Navy Yard. Parking is limited, but not totally unavaiable when coming here for an afternoon when there is not an event going on such as a Nats game or other events that may be taking place in the park itself.
Overall very quaint. Nothing historic or special about it that draws me to want to come back over and over, but it does provide a quiet space away from the madness of the city if that is what you seek.

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 16^th 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 2^nd 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.

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.

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 über-​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.

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!

What an absolutely beautiful space! With restaurants and cafes nearby, and a plethora of newly built colorful town homes… all within eyes shot of Nats Park.
The DC Jazz Festival was here and was just perfect. The concert stage was set right in front of the water so the audience was facing the Anacostia River.
The parking lot was close, pricey (20 dollars for events).
Everything seems so new and nice.
The large patio area at the park would be perfect for a wedding. The interesting architecture of the bridge also just screams for photos.
Looking forward to attending future events in this space.

Oh this has been an amazing day! I highly recommend the Jazzfest for all music lovers.
Really fantastic musicians. I loved that you can bring in your own food and drinks. Always a perk for me.
Bring a lawn chair, nice sunhat and jusy get ready for a chill afternoon. Great diverse crowd, all loving the vibes. Ample seating both on the grass and under shade. Beautiful view of the waterfront (made me wish I had a boat!)
We did order a lemonade with sugarcane and it was so great!
I can’t wait for the next event.

And Navy Yard just keeps on getting better.
My husband — who was been in DC since ’03 — was in complete awe when we came here today. We don’t really come down to this area at all except to go to Nats games, and with that, we just hop on and off the Metro and don’t explore around the area. Seriously, it is a crying shame we didn’t invest in some real estate in that neighborhood a decade ago — talk about a real estate boom! Years and years ago, the hubs used to come down to the Navy Yard facility to play indoor soccer, and remembers the wasteland that this neighborhood used to be. And now — voila! — the Yards Park is some kind of gorgeous urban oasis, totally family-​friendly and catering to every whim and appetite of today’s DC dweller. (Side note: WHO financed this behemoth of a project?! The city? A developer? A combination? Whoever it was, they’ve done good.)
I had read up on the Yards Park and thought it would be the perfect way to spend a sunny summer afternoon with our little girl who loves being around people, loves being outdoors, and loves WATER. So the toddler-​friendly pool was obviously our top priority. The pool is awesome. There is a waterfall (which you can walk behind) on the north end, and a large grassy hill to the west side. There were lots of families there enjoying the day as their children splashed about. Very peaceful (unless you were the unfortunate casualty of a mis-​directed water gun spray attack). The water is not super deep, so we could walk our year old daughter around and she felt totally confident the entire time. The dark black bottom of the pool makes it feel deceptively deeper than it is — don’t worry — adults will only get a bit of their calves wet.
The area is new and so of course there is that kind of fake feeling that envelops any new development, but it feels so right for this part of the city. Gorgeously manicured areas, neat architectural and design details, and fun features in a prime location make the Yards Park a great place to visit. Bring your dog, your friend, your kid, or your bike, and enjoy this newly revitalized part of the District.