Driving Directions to the Regattas
TC Crew competes in regattas up and down the east coast, and even into Canada. Always allow yourself plenty of time to get to a regatta. Traffic is heavy on weekends, and you don't want to arrive at the race course after your son or daughter's race. Car pooling is always a good idea
Click here for a printable copy.
Alexandria
Races on our part of the Potomac launch from the Dee Campbell Rowing Center. That's also a good spot to view the race, because the finish line is at the Boathouse.
Bull Run Marina
Bull Run Marina is located on Occoquan River near Clifton, Virginia at 12619 Old Yates Ford Road.
Directions: From Alexandria, take I-495W/I-95S toward Richmond, then take exit 163 for VA-642 toward Lorton. Turn right at Lorton Rd/VA-600/VA-642. Continue onto Furnace Rd. Turn right at VA-123 N/Ox Rd. Turn left at VA-643/Henderson Rd. Turn left to stay on VA-643/Henderson Rd. Sharp left at Old Yates Ford Rd. Turn right.
St. Andrew's School
St. Andrew's, in Middletown, Delaware, is a beautiful place to
spend an afternoon and watch the regatta and races on Noxontown
Pond.
Directions:
From Alexandria, take the Wilson Bridge, 495/95 towards Baltimore,
then take US Route 50 east towards Annapolis. Continue on
Route 50 past Annapolis and cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Bear
left on Route 301 North when it splits off Route 50 and follow 301
for an hour to Middletown, DE. At Middletown, exit right on
299 east, which is East Main Street in Middletown. Cross the
railroad tracks and in one or two blocks, turn right on South Broad
Street. Pass St. Annes Church Cemetary on your right and start
looking for Noxontown Road to your left. Turn left on Noxontown
Road. Continue on Noxontown Road past St. Andrew's School on your
right, continue around the bend in the road and on your right you
will see Noxontown Pond, the race course, and then a fenced field
with buses, tents, racing shells and parked cars. Turn right into
the race and parking area at the break in the fence. Drive along the
dirt road or across the field and look for the TC Crew Boosters blue
and white striped tent located on the edge of the pond and park
where you can.
Travel Time: approx. 2 hours & 15 minutes
Race Course:
• Lane 6 is closest to the visiting crews’ launching area and lane 1
is closest to the St. Andrew’s campus. The race goes from left to
right, with the boats coming in sight for the last half of the race.
Here's a link to the St. Andrew's School website.
Georgetown
The Georgetown waterfront is the home of nearly 20
high school and college crews, centered on Thompson Boat Center.
Directions: Thompson's is located a short walk from the Kennedy Center and Watergate, and the Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro station. The parking lot is at the end of Virginia Avenue, across the Rock Creek Parkway, but for most regattas it will be reserved for boat trailers. To drive there, travel Virginia Avenue to the end at Rock Creek Parkway. Park anywhere you can find a spot in the Watergate neighborhood or in Georgetown under the Whitehurst Freeway across from the Washington Harbour center. There is a short road that leads from there to Thompson's boathouse. Spectators can view from the boathouse or the esplanade and park just west of the boathouse.
Race course: Most boats launch from Thompson's dock, and the race course begins upriver from Key Bridge. The course is farther from shore than at some other venues - in fact, the closest viewing is from the shore of Roosevelt Island. This part of the river is accustomed to recreational and commercial boating and it is not unusual for motorized craft and the occasional kayaker to venture onto the race course.
There are more details on the Thompson Boat Center website.
Occoquan
Sandy Run Park, on the Occoquan Reservoir in Fairfax, is home to most of the crews in Northern Virginia, and the site of the VASRA championship events. Sandy Run is a pretty area with good facilities, run by the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority. But the finish line is quite a distance from the parking areas, and you need to be prepared for a lengthy hike once you get there.
Directions: Take I-395 South to I-95. Continue south about 15 miles. Just after crossing the Occoquan River take Exit 160 (Route 123 North - Occoquan/Lakeridge) and proceed on Rt 123 approximately 3 miles to Hampton Road. Turn left at the light onto Hampton Road and go approximately 1 mile to Van Thompson Road and turn left. Follow Van Thompson to parking lots.
Travel time: approx. 25 minutes (See note above)
TIP #1: You'll have to pay for parking. Expect to pay at least $10
per car. Have the money ready for the attendants on Van Thompson
Road. There are two lots close to the launch site, and another
almost a mile back up the road at the intersection of Van Thompson and
Hampton Roads. Shuttle bus service (free) is provided from the Van
Thompson lot beginning at 9:00 am.
Share a ride to Sandy Run. If everyone car pooled,
parking would be less of a challenge.
TIP #2: Even the closest parking lot is distant from the grandstand
area, which is near the finish line and is the only place to watch the
race. You get there by walking the well-marked, hilly path through the
woods or by waiting in line for the van, which will take you to the
grandstand area for a nominal fee.
TIP #3: Wear comfortable shoes. The trails can be rocky, both from the
parking lot to the park, and from the park to the grandstand (if you
don't take the shuttles).
TIP #4: Always plan to arrive well ahead of the races you want to
watch, allowing plenty of time to get from the lots to the park and
grandstand area.
Philadelphia
You’re on your way to the best venue on the TC Crew
schedule. It is the home of the Schuylkill Navy and picturesque
Boathouse Row. If you know how to get to Philly you can skip some of
the next stuff and just take your usual route.
Directions: Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway north from
Washington. Once you get into Baltimore, take the exit for
I-95 north. Go through the Ft. McHenry Tunnel, and head north
to Philadelphia on I-95.
It will take about 90 minutes to get to the Maryland House rest area
from Alexandria. Keep heading north until you see a sign for I-95 to
Wilmington and Philadelphia, staying in the left lanes as the
highway splits. (If you go to the right you’ll end up at the
Delaware Memorial Bridge, which is all right if a weekend in the
Garden State is what you want.) Still on I-95, in the neighborhood
of the Philadelphia International Airport follow signs for I-76
West. Watch for a left hand turn at a light on to I-76 West.
Eventually you’ll be on an expressway along the Schuylkill River.
Take the Girard Avenue/Zoo exit. At the end of the exit turn right
onto Girard Avenue and cross the bridge over the river.
At the end of the bridge, take a right turn onto Sedgely and drive
down through the park. You’ll come a statue on a traffic island.
Bear right onto Kelly Drive and you’ll move past the boathouses of
Philadelphia’s famous Boathouse Row. Follow the drive along the
river and you’ll eventually be directed by Philadelphia police to
detour to the right and up to where parking is provided. There will
be a charge for parking. The police or attendants can direct you to
the path to the regatta site, which is a bit of a walk. Look for the
red TC Crew trailer parked next to our tent, which is usually
situated in the treeless area roughly half-way along the course.
Race Course: Lane 1 is closest to the Kelly Drive Shore.
TIP: Parking immediately at the regatta site is for pass-holders
only. Those who have passes have to enter the regatta site from the
opposite end of the drive. Putting aside the issue of parking, one
of the best things about the Stotesbury Cup is the location. It is a
lovely open park all along the race course. Unlike most regatta
sites you can follow practically the entire race from the river
bank. Some folks bring bicycles and in-line skates since you can do
a lot of walking from the launch area near the vendor tents to the
finish line where there is a large, partly roofed grandstand.
