Great Falls
Great Falls is a series of rapids and waterfalls on the Potomac River in the state of Maryland 14 miles (23 km) upstream from Washington, D.C.
A waterfall inside Potomac
You can stay in Potomac
Great Falls is inside Potomac, which has 6 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 40 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 66–82°. When to go ↓
An airport 12 miles away
Washington Dulles (IAD) has airline service, about 12 miles from Great Falls.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Potomac. Green months are the mild ones.
Great Falls
Great Falls is a series of rapids and waterfalls on the Potomac River in the state of Maryland 14 miles (23 km) upstream from Washington, D.C. As the border between the states of Maryland and Virginia generally follows the low-water line on the Virginia side, the river and falls at Great Falls lie within Montgomery County, Maryland, which abuts Fairfax County, Virginia on the far shore.
Great Falls Park, managed as part of George Washington Memorial Parkway, is on the southern banks in Virginia, and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park parkland is along the northern banks of the river in Maryland. Both are operated by the National Park Service.
- Type
- Waterfall
- Wikipedia readers
- 12K a year
Where to stay near Great Falls
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Potomac (6) and Washington (247).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3Arlington National Cemetery
- 4United States Triumphal Arch
- 5Smithsonian Institution
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- 8Ford's Theatre
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Great Falls | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potomac | in town | — | 6 2 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 3 campgrounds | 45,902 | $1,157K | — |
| Washington | 14 mi southeast | 20 min | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 12 mi southeast | 15 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Tysons | 5 mi south | 10 min | 25 25 hotels | 28,936 | $640K | — |
| Bethesda | 7 mi east | 10 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
| Alexandria | 15 mi southeast | 25 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| North Bethesda | 8 mi east | 10 min | 13 13 hotels | 49,677 | $732K | — |
| Rockville | 8 mi northeast | 10 min | 13 12 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 67,563 | $682K | B− |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Great Falls
Other well-known places within 15 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw113 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw214 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw313 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw413 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw514 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw613 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw713 mi LandmarkTomb of the Unknown Soldier
Big draw814 mi National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a yearPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: Arlington National Cemetery, Public domain · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0
Visiting Great Falls
Is Great Falls in Potomac?
Yes. It’s inside Potomac, MD.
When is the best time to visit Great Falls?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 66–82°.
How far is Great Falls from Baltimore?
About 40 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Great Falls?
Washington Dulles (IAD), about 12 miles away.
Where should I stay near Great Falls?
Washington (14 mi, 247 places to stay), Arlington (12 mi, 58 places to stay) and Tysons (5 mi, 25 places to stay).
Tips from people in Potomac
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Potomac’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.