One of my fave weekend activity last summer in DC is rowing on the Potomac river. Rowing leisurely, either with canoe or kayak, enjoying the scenery, being under the sun really made me feel relax and calm.

If you happen to be in DC and want to go for canoeing or kayaking, go to Jack's Boat House. You could rent canoe or kayak for relatively cheap price. 1 hour $15, 2 hours $25, all day $35 for 1 canoe/kayak, including paddles and life jackets. One canoe can fit max 3 persons, while kayak 2 persons.

From starting point, go south and you can go around Roosevelt and Little island. If you row slowly like me, it will take less than 2 hours to go around the islands and come back to Jack's pier. But if you are quick, I think you can finish it in 1 hour. You could also park on Roosevelt island and take a stroll there for a while. Once I parked my kayak on the island shore under the big trees and took a nap :D

I find canoeing is easier than kayaking. I felt that canoe is more sturdy, although it is assured that either canoe or kayak wont flip out. And for me, paddling with canoe paddle is somehow easier. Canoe paddle only has one paddle, while kayak has paddle on both ends. Good thing with kayak is it has chair, so you can lean back, while on canoe, you sit on a wooden pad. From my observation, more people prefer kayaking than canoeing.

More tips:
- dont forget to use sunscreen and or wear hat
- you can bring water and snacks
- although you hardly get wet, unless you play splish splash with your buddies, you can keep your stuff in a ziplock just for precaution

I took a lot of pictures but unfortunately didnt get many nice shots as I was constantly in motion and the sun is too bright.

Further info:
http://jacksboathouse.com/