If you’ve been to National Landing, you’ve probably noticed the amazing expanse of green space at the top of Crystal Drive. Located right behind Crystal City Lofts, this incredible space is the beloved Long Bridge Park – a true urban oasis for residents of National Landing and beyond.

Long Bridge Park is an expansive recreational area spanning over 36 acres of environmentally conscious redevelopment built on the grounds of what was formerly the building site for the Pentagon amongst many other things including a brickyard dating back to the 1800s. It features attractive public green spaces, top-notch sports and recreation facilities including three full-size multisport fields, as well the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center, which is accessible to all park users. The Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center, completed in 2021, offers an inclusive membership package for all ages complete with a fitness center, a competition lap pool and a leisure pool with a large water slide and a lazy river.

Positioned at the base of the 14th Street Bridge as it crosses into Virginia, the park runs along the Potomac River and offers three illuminated, synthetic multi-sport fields, scenic walkways with views of the national monuments and a rain garden directing runoff into a lush garden of native shrubs and perennials.

The park’s esplanade stretches for nearly ¾ mile, overlooking the playing fields, monuments, Potomac River, and Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, making it a prime spot for train, plane and bird watching. The north end of the esplanade also includes outdoor fitness stations next to the trail ideal for workouts of all levels.

At the southern end of the park, you’ll find two playgrounds — one for preschoolers (ages 2-5) and the other for school-age children (ages 5-12). The playgrounds offer interactive fog areas for a unique and delightful touch during those hot summer days!

Long Bridge Park proudly exhibits three captivating works of public art, skillfully crafted by the renowned artist Doug Hollis. Among them is Wave Arbor, featuring two structures with kinetic wing-like elements that move in response to the wind, creating mesmerizing shadows. Sky Column, another piece, showcases tapered masts of stainless-steel tubing that seemingly merge with the sky, with up-lights at the base reacting to real-time wind variations.

The park’s exceptional design and offerings earned it the prestigious Best New Facility Award from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society in 2012. And with new features and activities added every year, Long Bridge Park is continuously increasing its offerings for nearby residents.

Among the many recreational activities available at Long Bridge Park, there are also annual festivals and frequent events. In celebration of the arrival of Spring and DC’s famous cherry blossom blooms, National Landing BID hosted Pink in the Park in April 2023. This community-focused event featured a lineup of local music artists as well as food trucks offering an array of cuisines, beer and wine. The National Landing BID and Dweck Properties also sponsored Nala Friday’s at the Park last summer, a free event open to all, with live music and food trucks.

Long Bridge Park is just one of the many gems that make National Landing such an incredible place to live. To learn more, visit https://nationallanding.org/go/long-bridge-park. See you there!