We’ve had some questions about how to get to the conference hotel, and about how to get around in DC. Here are a few hints.
Getting to the Conference Hotel
The conference will be held in the DoubleTree Inn Silver Spring,
8727 Colesville Road,
Silver Spring, Maryland.
If You Are Driving
Silver Spring in on the northern stretch of the Washington Beltway, I-495. The hotel is inside the Beltway. The most direct route from the Beltway to the conference hotel is south along US 29, Colesville Road.
If you are coming in on a weekday, especially during rush hour, try to avoid driving on the beltway if possible. It can be very backed up 7:00-9:00 AM and 3:00-6:00 PM on weekdays.
See our parking page for info on what to do with your car when you arrive.
If You Are Flying
There are three major airports in the DC area:
- Washington National (Reagan) Airport (DCA) in downtown Washington
- Baltimore Washington International (Thurgood Marshall) Airport (BWI) halfway between Baltimore and Washington
- Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Virginia west of Washington
Airports and the Washington Metro System
You could get from any of the three airports to the conference hotel by rental car or taxi. However, you might also find it convenient to use the Washington Metro System. (See below for web access to Metro system info.) Here are comments on how well the three local airports connect with the Metro System.
Only Washington National is on the Washington Metro system. The conference hotel is about a 10 or 15 minute walk from the Silver Spring metro station. (See below for Metro info.)
From Dulles Airport, you can take the Silver Line Express Bus to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station on the Silver Line. Metro’s on line info (see below) will tell you how to navigate the Red Line Silver Spring Station.
BWI is not on the Metro System. However, BWI is on the Amtrak system, so you could take Amtrak to Washington’s Union Station, then take Metro’s Red Line up to Silver Spring. (I once got from National, where my plane landed, to BWI, where my car was parked, by taking Metro and Amtrak.) It would probably be quicker, though, to go by rental car or taxi.
If You Are Coming By Train
Take Amtrak to Union Station in downtown Washington. Then take the Washington Metro Red Line (direction Glenmont) to Silver Spring. The conference hotel is about a 10 or 15 minute walk along Colesville Road from the metro station.
Getting Around in the Washington Area
I personally prefer the metro system for visiting downtown DC. It is certainly possible to drive into and around DC, though parking can be difficult, especially near tourist sites.
Also, as in all metropolitan areas, there’s plenty of traffic on the roads. Although DC is laid out on a grid system, roads in the suburbs developed in a more haphazard way. If you’re driving in region, make sure you have good directions, a good map, or a GPS system.
The metro system goes to most of the places in DC that you’d want to visit. The Silver Spring metro station is a 10 or 15 minute walk, straight down Colesville Road from the hotel. (Just walk out the front door of the hotel and turn left.)
Washington Metro System On Line Information
For a Metro System station locations, see the Metrorail on line map.
Metro uses a fare card system to pay for rides. You can use disposable cards, or you can get a reusable SmarTrip card. For information, see the Metro Visitor Information Page.
To help you plan your trips, there is an Interactive Metrorail Trip Planner.