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Welcome to Washington, D.C., the hub of American history, politics and the Nations Capitol. It’s easy to hop aboard the Metro system from the Gangplank or James Creek and see all the city has to offer.
Most of the monuments, museums and galleries on the National Mall are free and open 360 days per year. The real draw for tourists is the memorials and monuments dedicated to great American leaders. Bicycles can be rented and there is an ever-expanding network of bike paths.
If you’re visiting in late March or early April, you may catch the famed cherry trees in bloom along the beautifully landscaped Tidal Basin waterfront, right next to the Jefferson Memorial.
Sure, it’s a long trip up the Potomac by boat, but staying aboard at any of the fine marinas in and around D.C. can be an exciting and very convenient way to enjoy all that the nation’s capital has to offer.
NATIONAL HARBOR MARINA is located five miles south of Washington D.C., along the banks of the Potomac River. The marina is part of the 350-acre National Harbor property, which has more than 150 diverse shops and boutiques, 30 dining locations and an iconic Ferris wheel, the Capital Wheel. And because of the repeal of the Maryland law requiring any vessel larger than 79 feet to have a licensed bay pilot aboard, superyachts can now navigate up the Potomac River pilot-free.
The 76-slip National Harbor Marina is managed by Island Global Yachting. The marina can accommodate vessels up to 250 feet with a dock depth of 9 feet. On-site amenities include a marina-exclusive bathhouse, laundry facility/lounge, WiFi, a fuel dock with gasoline and high-speed diesel pumps, 24-hour security with locked gates and concierge services.
"With its numerous attractions and proximity to the nation's capital, National Harbor has become even more appealing to the boating community not only from the immediate area, but throughout the entire East Coast," says Bruce Wagner, Vice President of Coastal Properties.
There's certainly no opportunity to get bored. For those who enjoy water activities, rent a kayak, paddleboard or pedal boat and take in National Harbor from the water. In the mood for a movie? During the summer, National Harbor plays date-night movies on Thursdays and family flicks on Fridays. Other popular events include the pet-friendly Yappy Hour, morning yoga, a Sunday morning farmers market and sunset concerts. There are countless walking and biking trails that wind across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Old Town Alexandria, and on-site water taxis can shuttle you to Alexandria, Georgetown, the National Mall and even the Nationals' baseball stadium. National Harbor includes an eclectic mix of eateries, from seafood spots and steakhouses to ice cream and coffee shops. The shopping is also excellent, with luxury-brand outposts and funky specialty shops -- there is truly something for everyone.
Slated to open in late 2016, the new 308-room MGM National Harbor resort will take things to the next level, with a dynamic casino, a world-class spa and salon, an entertainment theater, high-end retailers, two nightlife venues and numerous restaurants.
Says Wagner, "We are looking forward to plans which will expand the dockage and amenities at National Harbor Marina to accommodate more large vessels and superyachts, making this a world-class marina destination." This fall, be sure to put National Harbor Marina on your list.
NEW YORK CITY bagels, New England clam bake, Boston cream pies, Maine lobster rolls, maple syrup, johnnycakes, baked beans, seafood chowder, coffee milk, whoopie pies and blueberry everything who needs more reasons to spend time in the Northeast?Aside from the amazing cuisine and the obvious historical significance, there are many more incentives to visit. The diversity of culture and terrain, the changing seasons, the world's most dynamic cities surrounded by small villages striking in their simplicity all invite deeper exploration.Yachts escaping the southern heat, port-hop during the summer months between popular tourist spots and secluded anchorages along the coastline. From New York City to Bar Harbor, enjoy shopping, dining, sightseeing and breezy nights along the way.We put together an itinerary of destinations, with many top-notch marinas and facilities that can accommodate large yachts (more than 80 feet). Enjoy cruising the Northeast this summer!
The pages of a thesaurus would be worn ragged finding enough adjectives to describe New York City. It's anything and everything and no specific thing. Any description will be passé by the next day in this dynamic environment, especially when it comes to restaurants. The variation in dining is staggering, and over the last few years the restaurant scene has undergone a seismic shift as Old World giants give way to more accessible food in casual atmospheres.Dockage is available in Manhattan at MarineMax at Chelsea Pier for vessels up to 320 feet (18-foot dock depth) or North Cove Marina, offering eight megayacht berths for vessels up to 175 feet (18-foot dock depth). Across the Hudson River in Jersey City is Liberty Landing Marina, accommodating vessels up to 200 feet (12-foot dock depth), and Newport Yacht Club and Marina which offers 12 berths for vessels up to 180 feet (10-foot dock depth).
Within easy access from the cacophony of Manhattan are the world-class beaches, seaside restaurants and upscale atmosphere of Long Island's Hamptons. En route, Brewer Capri Marina (can accommodate up to 150 feet) offers a great stop-over in beautiful Port Washington on the Long Island Sound. Farther east, Hamptons villages such as Sag Harbor, Southampton, and East Hampton offer not only favorite seaside resorts but some of the most luxurious and expensive real estate properties in the nation.A historic whaling town, Sag Harbor prides itself on being unHamptons. The Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum promotes the area's rich culture. Foster Beach on Noyack Bay is a great place to unwind after a long day of fishing, clamming, or paddle-boarding in the harbor. Dockage is available at Sag Harbor Yacht Club for vessels up to 200 feet (12-foot dock depth), which is walking distance to town. There is an abundance of restaurants nearby, including the American Hotel, the Corner Bar, Dockside Bar & Grill, Nello Summertimes, and Cittanuova.
The site of world-class festivals music, seafood, tennis, polo and more. Steven Sullivan, a retired mega yacht captain and the manager of Newport Marina on Lee's Wharf, says docking in the city is a bargain given how much there is to see and do. Visit Cliff Walk, the 3.5-mile path that traces the edge of the sea, the famous mansions of the Gilded Age, and the storied Tennis Hall of Fame. Explore the Coastal Wine Trail, or visit Rhode Island's only operating rum distillery before dining on dishes made from ingredients from local farmers, foragers and fishermen at such places as Midtown Oyster Bar, Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant, Tallulah on Thames, and Pasta Beach.Dockage is available right in the heart of town at either Newport Marina accommodating vessels up to 140 feet (9-foot dock depth) or Newport Yachting Center for vessels up to 180 feet (22-foot dock depth).
Nantucket is noted for its dune-backed beaches and stunning shingled buildings. Steepled churches, designer boutiques and phenomenal eateries line the cobblestone streets and old wharves. Visiting yachts have many restaurant options, such as CRU and Slip 14.The centrally located Nantucket Boat Basin can handle boats up to 300 feet (12-foot dock depth). Grab a bicycle to explore the island or catch a cab to visit Cisco Brewers, Triple Eight Distillery and Nantucket Vineyard. Rent a 4x4 SUV for an off-road adventure along the 16 miles of sand roads and beach at Coskata Coatue Wildlife Refuge. En route to Provincetown, stop in Hyannis, Mass. at Hyannis Marina which can handle yachts up to 200 feet and is located within walking distance to town.
Located on the outermost tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown is a vibrant oceanfront community with walkable dunes and a thriving arts scene. Many stores offer exquisite, locally hand-crafted merchandise and unique finds acquired during winter buying trips. Stop for coffee and a homemade treat at the Wild Puppy, an award-winning European style espresso cafe, then head for the museum commemorating the pirate ship Whydah, which wrecked off the coast in 1717 with the riches from 50 plundered ships.In the center of town is Provincetown Marina, now open under new ownership, offering 60 slips for vessels up to 300 feet (15-foot dock depth), along with Long Point Marina accommodating vessels up to 140 feet.
Founded in 1630, Boston is a fascinating city where the historic and the futuristic are in ongoing conversations. Skyscrapers meet cobblestone streets, and the historic Freedom Trail passes trendy hotspots. The dining scene is equally eclectic, with ethnic eateries and traditional New England fare in abundance. Each neighborhood has its own unique character. Back Bay's ornate Victorian townhouses are a short distance from the college vibe of Cambridge and the narrow 17th-century North End streets, where red checkered tablecloths magically appear for Sunday sidewalk suppers.Constitution Marina on the Charles River accepts vessels up to 150 feet (20-foot dock depth), along with Charlestown Marina, handling yachts up to 500 feet (15-foot dock depth). Another option is Boston Yacht Haven, located in Boston's historic North End, which has dockage available for vessels up to 225 feet (25-foot dock depth).
Boasting more coastline than California, Maine deserves several stops over an extended period. The classic seacoast town of Portland has a cosmopolitan edge with museums, galleries, and the charming Old Port district. Historic buildings have been revitalized into boutiques, brewpubs and restaurants. Portland was recently voted America's Foodiest Small Town by Bon Appetit magazine. Try Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room, Liquid Riot Bottling Company, or David's Opus Ten. Dockage is available at DiMillo's Old Port Marina offering fuel and accommodating vessels up to 250 feet (25-foot dock depth).
With its stunning rocky coastline and quaint seaside village, Boothbay Harbor characterizes Maine's mid-coast. An abundance of mom-and-pop style stores and restaurants preserve the destination's small town charm. Discover excellent clam chowder, lobster stew, ice cream, chocolate oose (yes, moose) and salt water taffy. Some of the best can be found at the Lobster Dock.Hop on a harbor tour to explore nearby islands and have close encounters with puffins, seals and whales, or take to the water by kayak. The Maine State Aquarium and Boothbay Railway Village are both crowd pleasers.Located on the quiet side of the harbor within walking distance of downtown, Hodgdon Marina provides 750 linear feet of space on their new pier, (8 to 18-foot dock depth). Their service yard can haul boats up to 170 feet.
The mountains truly do meet the sea at Mt. Desert Island (MDI), one of the most spectacular settings on the entire East Coast. It's best known for Acadia National Park, the second most-visited national park in the U.S., with a landscape marked by woodlands, rocky beaches and glacierscoured granite peaks. Bar Harbor is the center of activity for visitors with its myriad shops and taverns. Check out Cabbage Island Clambakes, Bet's Famous Fish Fry, and Dunton's Doghouse.Dockage is available at Harborside Hotel, Spa and Marina for vessels up to 165 feet (9-foot dock depth). Northeast Harbor is a quiet enclave of the rich and famous and home to Northeast Harbor Marina (12-foot dock depth). Southwest Harbor, a town on the quiet side of the island, has maintained its maritime heritage and is home to Dysart's Great Harbor Marina, with slips for vessels up to 180 feet (15-foot dock depth). mlService Centers for Large Yachts
With many pleasure boaters planning trips around interests like top-flight golf courses, gourmet restaurants and dazzling fall foliage, is it so far fetched that, for some, craft brews and breweries can be a destination unto themselves? Not in our book. Here are 11 sudstastic towns to add to your personal booze cruise itinerary. Just remember to enjoy responsibly.
Already known for its classic New England water-town feel and fresh-as it-gets seafood, Portland is making a case as a must for traveling libationists. Its D.L. Geary Brewing was founded in 1983, when there were only a handful of microbreweries in the U.S. Since that time, 13 startups have joined the local ranks. Take a tour and quaff a pint at Allagash Brewing Company, which favors a Belgian style, or venture into Portland's historic Old Port and visit Sebago Brewing Co. or Shipyard Brewing. Rising Tide Brewing Company in the East Bayside neighborhood produces Daymark American Pale Ale, recently named one of the Great Beers You've Never Heard Of by Men's Journal. Dock at DiMillos Old Port Marina.
With so much else to see and do here, it would be easy to dismiss New York as a humdrum craft beer destination. That would be a mistake. The Big Apple is home to some of the best beer bars drop in at the Blind Tiger or Rattle N Hum for amazing pours from around the world and also has some champion breweries. Brooklyn Brewery didn't just capitalize on a name; it's brewed right in the borough, so you can visit for a tour and a taste. Sixpoint Brewery is nearby, canning four core beers in addition to a series of super-rare brews that are made one time only. Ale addicts flock to Bronx Brewery's backyard on warm days to enjoy four year-round and four seasonal beers. Dock at MarineMax at Chelsea Piers, North Cove Marina at Brookfield Place or in Jersey City at Liberty Landing Marina.
The second largest seaport in the Mid-Atlantic, and at one time a major manufacturing center, Baltimore has always been a hardworking town. Many of the microbreweries here reflect that history and character in their names Union Craft Brewing, Heavy Seas Brewery, Public Works Ale and manifest the idea that first you work hard, then play hard. Full Tilt Brewing has the mouth-watering Berger Cookie Chocolate Stout and Patterson Pumpkin. (It's website asks: Why do something half-assed when you can go Full Tilt?) Stillwater Artisanal seems to agree, offering bold creations like Rauchstar Scandinavian Smoked Ale, Classique Postmodern Beer and Gose Gone Wild Sour Wheat Ale. Dock at Crescent Marina at Fells Point, Henderson's Wharf Marina, Harbor East Marina or at any of the Baltimore Marine Centers.
Ideally positioned at the confluence of the St. Johns River, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean,with 22 miles of white-sand beaches, Jacksonville is already a boater's dream come true. So, what if I told you there was also this thing called the Jax Ale Trail? Bingo! Pick up your brewery passport at any of the participating locations and wineither a koozie or a t-shirt by getting stamps at four or all eight of the designated stops. Breweries include Aardwolf Brewing Company, Bold City Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing Co., Green Room Brewing, Intuition Ale Works, Pinglehead Brewing Company, Veterans United Craft Brewery and Zeta Brewing Company. Visit the local Budweiser Brewery, one of only five in the country, for extra credit. Dock at Fort George Island Marina, or River City Brewing.
Beer Advocate magazine lists a dozen breweries in the Tampa area, adding to an array of enviable local attractions such as world-class beaches, seafood, sunshine and citrus. Cigar City Brewing is probably the most well known in town, with five Great American Beer Festival medals to its name. It also offers fresh rolled cigars for a great one-two punch. Tampa Bay Brewing Company has an open-air patio and house beers that include Red Eye Amber Ale, a Best Florida Beer Championships Gold Medal Winner in 2015. Other popular suds purveyors include Dunedin Brewery, the oldest microbrewery in Florida, and Three Palms Brewing, which brews 82 beers throughout the year. Dock at Tampa Harbour or Tampa Marriott Waterside Resort & Marina.
The Big Easy is a city bursting at the seams with heat and flavor, and a cold brew here goes down effortlessly, almost magically. The largest, and arguably best, homegrown label is Abita. Abita Brew Pub lets you sample draught versions of all its offerings Amber, Turbodog, Jockamo IPA, Purple Haze and more as well as select seasonal batches. Other breweries are up and coming after the town's long tradition of beer brewing almost died out after Prohibition. Covington Brewhouse specializes in Bavarian styles. NOLA Brewing Company offers a selection of lagers and ales. Crescent City Brewhouse is the sole French Quarter microbrewery. Dock at Orleans Marina or Seabrook Harbor & Marine.
If you like your India Pale Ale (IPA), and we do, then this Southern California hop spot is for you. San Diego boasts more than 50 breweries, and has been a haven for grog guzzlers since Prohibition, thanks to its proximity to Tijuana, Mexico, where booze was legal. These days, it has its own style of beer the San Diego Pale Ale; a local twist on the IPA as well as some great Belgians. You can get your drink on at nautical-sounding places like 32 North Brewing Co., Ballast Point Brewing, Green Flash Brewing and Oceanside Ale Works. Brewery Tours of San Diego offers daily excursions showcasing some of the award-winning beers produced locally. Dock at Cabrillo Isle Marina or Kona Kai Marina.
The multitude of breweries dotting the map in the Puget Sound area is staggering even before you start imbibing. So why not leave the planning and transportation to the knowledgeable guides of Road Dog's Seattle Brewery Tour? Book one or more seats on a three-hour join-in and visit breweries in downtown Seattle, as well as neighboring communities, such as Ballard, Fremont, SODO and West Seattle. Each tour stops at three locations, including places like Bad Jimmy's Brewing Company, aptly named because it only brews intense ales; nothing less than 6% alcohol by volume, Georgetown Brewing Company, the second most productive in the state, and Hales Ales Brewery, one of the true granddaddies of craft beer. Dock at Bell Harbor Marina or Shilshole Bay Marina.
Move over bourbon, there's a new favorite drink in town. Not only does this river city have 10 breweries 12 if you count two more right across the Ohio in Jeffersonville, Indiana it will be adding four more in 2015, according to the devotee website LouisvilleBeer.com. Falls City Beer has been a Louisville tradition since 1905, when the brewery first opened. After closing its doors in 1978, the brand was revived in 2010 with a craft-brewed English Pale Ale. Cumberland Brews has a beer list that includes Red Ale, Cream Ale, Nitro Porter, Meade and Pale Ale, plus rotating small-batch beers. New Albanian Brewing Company is noteworthy for its innovative brews as well as its distinct names and label artwork such as, Bonfire of the Valkyries Smoked Black Lager. Dock at RiverPark Place Marina.
As the song goes, Cleveland rocks! And we think that nothing goes better with rock than a nice cold local brew. Nationally respected Great Lakes Brewing produces close to 100 beers, from stout to porter, weizen to bitter, bock to rye, and pilsner to ale. Nano Brew Cleveland and Market Garden Brewery are also highlights, with Fat Head's Brewery serving up its award-winning Head Hunter Indian Pale Ale alongside munchies, sandwiches and pizza. Cleveland Brew Bus will pick you up and drop you off after tastings at three or four stops, all the while filling your head with fun facts about craft beer styles, Cleveland brewing history and background on the breweries you visit. Dock at Olde River Yacht Club.
Microbreweries in this metropolis used to be hard to come by, but the success of the labels Mill Street and Steam Whistle has led to a thriving craft beer culture. Fans of diverse flavors flock to Great Lakes Brewery, the oldest independent brewer in town. It produces five year-round lagers and ales, plus more than a dozen limited release beers, from Saison Dupump to Long Dong Pilsner. Black Oak Brewing Co. offers four perennial brews Pale Ale, Nut Brown Ale and Ten Bitter Years Imperial IPA all of which have won Canadian Brewing Awards. Indie Ale House in The Junction neighborhood serves hard-to-find ales like Belgian Sour and Double IPA, for the true beeroisseur. Dock at Island Yacht Club or Toronto Island Marina.