Fletcher’s Boat House

2016 has seen an almost 300% increase in the rental prices due to new management! Last year it was approximately $ 30 for the day, now it’s $ 80! This was the last place in the DC area that I could afford to rent a canoe and take my kids out for a day on the river. I stopped going to the Key Bridge Boathouse years ago when the same thing happened there. Very disappointed :-(

It is a beautiful spot, and very relaxing! However, there is one particular staff that spoke of his customers very very poorly. I was actually astonished to overhear him call them «stupid pieces of shit.» So, if you are inexperienced or can’t battle the strong currents, do not come here or they will call you these awful names.

Everyone goes to the boat house in Key Bridge, but silly, avoid that mess, come here and get a kayak a lot faster. Also, you can go upriver and explore stuff like the waterfall that’s just right off the river before Chain Bridge. At least I think it’s before Chain Bridge. I guess you just have to go explore and find it on your own, the good ol fashioned way.
You can take the capital crescent trail from Georgetown if you’re on your bike, otherwise they have a huge parking lot you can hit up.
I work in McPherson Square, so sometimes for a workout/​ride I go there to the boathouse, grab a gatorade, turn around and come back to DC.
It’s beyond great to have this place so close to DC, yet when you go there, you feel you’re away from it.
Go here to getaway, especially when you need to be able to quickly get back, nawmean?

I have been coming here to go kayaking for several years now. We have always had good service and been pleased. I like the location and the fact that you can rent a kayak, canoe, row boat (the cheapest) or a bicycle. I have not had any problems or seen anyone be rude. We went yesterday and everything was kosher!

Renting the row boat fishing was a lot of fun but rowing it was not easy if you haven’t done it before :) we caught a lot of blue catfish and small bass on this trip. The bass were all too small but the catfish offered a lot of fighting fun on light tackle with 8 – 10 pounds line. The driveway from Canal Rd is very narrow, be careful, only one car at a time.

Rude guy at the entrance with long hair, had a bit of a smart mouth when I was just asking for help. He was mad because It was 10 minutes to 5 pm and I wasn’t sure of the hours to rent a boat. I give it a 2 star because there could have been a better way to talk to a customer who could have became faithful to their services. At the end he noticed it wasn’t the time to deny me the adventure of rowing a boat so thats how I met Chris.

We went for an early morning kayak adventure. Only fishing boats were allowed in the river so we went in the canal. It was amazing. We saw a variety of birds, turtles, deer, and big carp jumping out of the water. The staff were polite and friendly.

You can rent different types of boats (kayaks, canoes, row boats) and bikes, by the hour or for the day. All in pretty good condition though the life vests haven’t been washed in a while.
People are friendly and laid back. Please be aware that no one will show you how to paddle. I went with someone who never canoed before and no one would even check which paddle she should choose. You’re pretty much on your own.
Bring some cash to tip the guys who help you onto the boat.
There’s a picnic area and some grills.
Free parking is awesome!

Decided last minute to go to Fletchers Labor Day morning. I called at 1030 and was told the kayaks were first come first serve and it costs around $ 14 for an hour.
Driving there is interesting– we crossed over and took a left on m st. Then there is a tiny one way road you go down, easy to pass, we did and u turning is not easy on this road.
Once we were there we got two kayaks, life vests and oars. It was a beautiful day and the two guys running the dock told us the best ways to go and how long it traditionally takes. Perfect way to spend the weekend– 100% recommend it.

We came here for a photo shoot and rented two boats. The workers here have been great both over the phone and in person. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous– we are surprised that we didn’t know about this place before! It’s a great place for a date, family outing, and for recreation (saw some people fishing). We will be back again! Note: the entrance is super easy to miss. It’s a sharp u-​turn to get in the drive way and then pass the first parking lot on the left down into the tunnel and park in the large parking area. There you’ll find the spot to purchase boat rentals, etc.

It’s a great place to enjoy the outdoor. The service and environment are great except for the location itself. Finding the entrance is hard especially right off cabin John parkway. But I’ll definitely come back again for the beautiful nature sight!

Rented a couple of canoes and kayaks here for my birthday… this place is great! The staff was really chill and helpful, the boats were in reasonably good condition, and while, as others have remarked, the Potomac is disgusting, we had a lot of fun kayaking out to Chain Bridge.
I’ve also been here for free kayaking lessons taught by the park service in the summer… not sure if they still run those? The lessons took place on the canal, which was far more boring than the river itself, but hey, for free, who cares? They used to have potluck picnics after each one as well.
You really would never believe you’re still in Washington… if you bike there on the Capital Crescent, then rent boats for a few hours, it makes for a wonderful outdoorsy excursion. :)

I think it’s pretty incredible that one can kayak on the Potomac River. So naturally, I had to try it before the kayaking ends this month and doesn’t resume until next April.
Fletcher’s is kind of hidden. As you’re driving down Canal Road, you want to veer towards your left at a fork and drive down the ramp towards a small dock. The boat house is over a bridge and across a creek.
We got there at about 4:45pm, which left us with not much time to kayak. Kayaks must be in by 6pm. Luckily, the guy helping us didn’t charge us for the extra 15 minutes– that was very generous of him.
Took us about 5 minutes to get us situated into the kayak and off we went.
Unlike Thompson’s or Jack’s, this location is further upstream so it’s a bit more country. No views of Georgetown or the Capitol. Just nature: mallards, a stork, and deer. Beautiful weather. Slight breeze. No glaring sun. Perfect kayaking weather. And, the lady and I both had an amazing time.
All in all, this is a great activity to do. Can’t wait to do this next Spring!

As noted, Fletcher’s is not easy to find. But, once you can locate it, everything is easy and fun! Here, you can rent kayaks and canoes. We rented a double kayak for a very reasonable rate of $ 17/​hour. The weather was absolutely fantastic for this experience, so I was very thankful. They close at 6 P.M., so from experience, I’d suggest getting there by 3 P.M. at the latest if you want to take your time. There isn’t too much to see and that’s why I would recommend Thompson’s, which I believe would give you a Georgetown view.
Regardless, I had a fantastic time. I would recommend bringing a change of clothes. I did not and regretted it, but luckily, I did dry off in time for dinner in the city. I can’t wait to do this again.

I’ve been here twice before, both times to rent a bike to bike on their trail. The first time I went was probably a 2 – 3 years ago and they actually rented out mountain bikes. It was a fun ride with my buds. Seeing as how I had a great time, I decided to go back there with my girlfriend this time, only to find out they no longer have mountain bikes for rent. They only have these one speed retro-​looking bikes. I guess that was fine until the chain on my bike decided to bust out when I was going uphill on a ramp. After finagling with it for awhile, I managed to get it back on and was able to go on for a little bit more.
Then there’s another uphill ramp, and low and behold, it comes undone yet again. At this point, I was like dude. WTF? The problem with one speed bikes is that once the chain becomes undone, you can’t pedal but the worst thing is, that you can’t BRAKE! It’s quite dangerous because there are no brake handles as it relies on the biker to actually step on the pedals backwards to apply the brake. The chains became undone several more times after that on flat ground and I basically had it. I ended up walking the bike back to the shop and asked for my money back which they were nice enough to credit back both rentals.
I still like this place because I think the trail is nice and if the chain didn’t break on me, it would’ve been a great bike ride. The people over there were also helpful and understanding. They also have kayaks for rent so it’s not just bike renting. You should check it out, but just be careful with the bikes.

This place was awesome. I would have never known it existed if my coworker didn’t tell me. It seems like a place that’s not very well-​known, and that makes it better I think.
I, of course, got lost going here and ended up in Arlington. The place is very discreet, the only direction I would say is look for the busted sign hanging from a house/​building. I was scared outta my mind trying to get to the picnic tables going through that crazy tunnel.
But the area is pretty cool. My coworkers and I had a fourth of July bbq here. I think there are few grills, we brought our own. There weren’t many other groups here and it didn’t get crowded or loud at all. You definitely have space for blankets and chairs and games without bothering any other group that may be there. Lots of trees and the bugs were killing, so make sure you bring your repellent!
I’ll definitely be back to the cove!

If you are looking for a spot to gather with friends and grill under the shade of big trees right by the river then this is the spot for you. The boathouse has affordable kayak, canoe, rowboat and bike rental which just ads to the outdoor fun.
Bear in mind though that if you are going by car, you will need to do your homework on directions and expect some very hidden and counter intuitive turns off canal road to get there.

Great activity spot in Washington DC. The staff is very competent, laid back, and attentive. The price is reasonable, and the equipment provided is great.
The only issue is the entrance driveway, which is in an akward spot of the main road, and makes it a pain to drive there (while avoiding speeding cars).

Coming here with the boy has proven one thing… I’m not a very good team player and I have no sense of direction.
Instead of grabbing two kayaks I thought it would be «fun» to get a double. The boy in the front and me in the back. I tried to paddle the same time as the boy and steer but I think my right side got more push than my left. We ended up going in circles for about half an hour: p in the end I was banned from rowing and just to steer.
Minus the shenanigans this place is great fun for couples or just a mini adventure away from the jungle city but I recommend getting two separate kayaks to prevent drama. Unlike Thompson’s boat house this part of the river is more secluded and doesn’t really show signs of a city too near by. The staff here are really friendly but be sure to keep track of time they will charge you for overtime (although both times I came they gave us an extra 15 or so minutes for us to get ready to set sail).

I took my brand new bicycle on its inaugural ride along the Capital Crescent Trail and stopped at the Boat House for an ice cream sandwich. It was $ 1, which seemed fair. There are picnic tables here should you need to take a load off.
Fletcher’s Boat House is open from early March through the Fall, and offers rental boats, canoes and bicycles, and sale of bait, tackle and refreshments like hot dogs, Gatorade, and ice cream novelties.
I should warn you, though, the bathrooms here are nasty.