Whales put on show at National Harbor

Visitors to National Harbor in Prince George's County received quite a treat yesterday. A pod of humpback whales put on a show in front of the Capital Wheel, breaching several times and sending huge plumes of water into the air.

Whales rarely venture into the Potomac River, and never this far north.

“I was flabbergasted! They were magnificent, remarkable and so graceful,” exclaimed Gaylord Resort guest Chrissie Watkins.

“That was a once in a lifetime experience, and I'm not talking about my royal flush,” said MGM Casino winner Larry Vaughn.

If you wish you had seen the National Harbor humpbacks, it's not too late. The whales will be performing three shows daily through next Thursday to kick off MGM Resorts' “Whale of a Winner” campaign. 

“We're bringing together the summer's biggest jackpots and the world's biggest mammals for a whale of a celebration,” MGM President Matt Hooper said.

The travelling humpback performers are fresh off a 3-month winter residency at MGM Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island in the Gulf of America. National Harbor is the first stop on an east coast summer tour where whales will wow crowds at MGM resorts in Atlantic City, Boston and the Catskills, before wrapping up in Nova Scotia, Canada.

In addition to their water routine, the whales perform comedy sketches between numbers. “Come on down, enjoy the show, and check out the unlimited buffet. I'm here all week, try the krill!” a humpback performer quipped.