I am going to be driving in to DC from Baltimore Monday morning, and I want to spend a few hours walking around the national mall. Any suggestions on where to park? Should I park at a metro station further out and take the train in? Suggestions please!
Thanks,
Pash
Here’s a map of the DC Metro:
http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm
I used to park at one of the park and ride stations. If you’re really coming in from Baltimore City you could also take the MARC train to either. The Smithsonian stop is on the Blue/Orange lines between Metro Center and L’Enfant Plaza. If memory serves you can also get out at Federal Triangle and get less pedestrian traffic there.
This is, in my opinion, a lot easier than trying to find some place to park near the Mall.
I highly recommend going Metro. Come down the BW parkway and go to the Greenbelt metro station - it’s the end of the Green line. Less than half an hour to the Mall, I think, and I believe parking is free on weekends.
Forgot about Marc - good idea, Shibb!
Have fun!
You can also take Amtrak straight into Union Station from Baltimore and get around DC by foot, metro, and cab. It’s much easier than trying to find parking on a weekday. Also, parking at the Metro stops further out often is in serious short supply and at the farthest stations out, can fill up before 7:00 a.m. So yes, MARC or Amtrak it to Union Station and have fun from there!
More info - I’ll also be going to the baseball game at Nationals Park that night, so I just looked into taking MARC from Baltimore Penn Station (I’m staying near the inner harbor), but it looks like the last MARC train back to Penn Station is 11:00, which may not give me enough time.
So far I think I will follow FairyChatMom’s advice, drive to the Greenbelt station, get on the green line and transfer my way to the mall. I’ll spend the day around there, then take the metro to Nationals Park for the game (Navy Yard - also on green). After the game take the green line back to Greenbelt and my car.
What other options do I have? And how safe will my rental car be at a metro station all day (and most of the night)?
If you do decide to drive in, there is of course some possibility that you will find an open spot along the Mall somewhere. Failing that, your best bet is probably to find a parking garage in one of the office buildings a few blocks north of the Mall. You can expect to be charged $15-20 for doing so, however.
Safer than it’ll be in DC, for sure.
Park in a lighted spot and don’t leave anything in your car like a sweater, bags or anything because they’ll break the window to get at it first and ask questions later. You never know.
Where to park? Heh. Don’t. Good luck even driving anywhere. The other Dopers in the thread have hit the nail good: Find some place out of the city proper (even Baltimore might be good) then get an all day Metro card. Mucho mucho hassle-free. And enjoy your time :). DC’s a fun town.