The Story
Gravelly Point is just north of Washington National Airport, there’s a small grassy park where people gather to watch planes. Lots of couples picnic here and people play sports. It's also right off the Mount Vernon trail. It's the perfect place to see transportation modes converge. Cars, boats, planes, metro, and bikes. Gravelly Point has it all. I recommend not to drive on the weekend, it can be very packed.
On the other side of the river is Washington D.C. The National Moment is clearly visible. Behind us, you can see Rosslyn's skyline.
Originally, this area was where Captain John Alexander built a home called Abingdon in 1746. Abingdon was purchased in 1778 by John Parke Custis, the adopted stepson of President George Washington. It was the birthplace of Washington's beloved granddaughter, Eleanor Parke Custis. Abingdon was destroyed by fire in 1930 and the ruins stabilized. In 1998, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority preserved the site and created an exhibit of artifacts in Terminal A of the airport.