Capital Wheel, Ferris wheel in National Harbor, United States

The Capital Wheel is a 180-foot (54.9 m) Ferris wheel standing on a 770-foot pier over the Potomac River at National Harbor. Its 165-foot-diameter wheel carries 42 glass-enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas seating eight each, plus one VIP gondola. The structure weighs about 320 tons, and its eight legs support a 95-foot axle.

The Capital Wheel was conceived by National Harbor developer Milton Peterson, inspired by the Roue de Paris, and built by Chance Rides of Wichita, Kansas. It opened on May 23, 2014. Its components reached the site on February 18, 2014, carried from Baltimore by two Cianbro barges pushed by the tug The Rising Sun through the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River.

The wheel's 42 gondolas are Swiss-made by CWA Construction, and one is a VIP cabin rented for weddings and celebrations. At the base, seasonal concessions come from the Wolfgang Puck restaurant chain. The ride was conceived by National Harbor developer Milton Peterson, who took the Roue de Paris as his model.

The wheel stands on a 770-foot pier reached from National Harbor's waterfront. As of June 2023 it runs 4–10 P.M. Monday to Thursday and 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. Friday to Sunday. Each ride lasts 12–15 minutes at 1.5 rotations per minute; the 42 gondolas are climate-controlled and hold eight people each.

The wheel's 42 gondolas were made by CWA Construction of Switzerland and attached four at a time, with a 90-degree rotation between each batch. Each cabin weighs about 1,500 pounds and has two-way communication with the operator; the doors open toward the harbor for an unobstructed view.