Activity Overview
Roosevelt Island. Just off the George Washington Parkway, over a walking bridge, is a gorgeous island “living memorial” to Teddy Roosevelt. This 88.5 acre island in the Potomac River is a National Park and has some impressive walking trails.
Things to See & Do
Easy walking paths around the island include neat ways to access the water, a boardwalk through a marsh, and several routes to the powerful statue and huge stone walls with Roosevelt quotes.
Walk around the perimeter of the island (1.3 miles) and enjoy the view of the Potomac River and the Kennedy Center. Visitors will see lots of birds and beautiful nature along the trail. The giant memorial statue is in the middle.
At a few spots, you can veer off the trails for some nice views of Georgetown and the Key Bridge.
Another way to visit the island is to rent kayaks from a place on the waterfront and took a leisurely trip over to Roosevelt Island. You can park the kayaks anywhere along the shore and walk to the Roosevelt memorial area.
Roosevelt Island Insider Tips
- The entrance is near Rosslyn (about a 10 min walk from the metro), so the park has fewer tourists, and more in-the-know locals enjoying the views.
- Part of the circuit is a boardwalk, the rest is dirt paths.
- There are about 90 parking spaces, which fill up quickly on the weekends.
- No cars or bicycles are allowed on the island; just hikers and dogs.
- The park marks the beginning of the Mount Vernon Trail, which is very popular with runners and bikers.
