Directions — Washington Spring Ball

May 12, 2018 (details) — Ballroom, Silver Spring Civic Building
Click link to view environs. Virtual Tour button: see the Ballroom (Great Hall) and other features.

view of civic center

Access: Park (free) at 801 Ellsworth Drive. Cross Ellsworth to enter the Civic Building (Map).
Do not park at the Whole Foods Lot. Enter from plaza side of the building.

The Practice Session and Ball will be held in the Ballroom.

A picture is worth a thousand words:
click for a street view of entrance to dance relative to parking garage. The Ball Room is accessed by entering the Civic Center from the plaza side of the building.

Public Transportation via METRO | Driving | Parking

Ride the METRO Red Line to Silver Spring and walk about 1/2 mi to the Civic Center at 1 Veteran's Plaza. View a map for pedestrians on Google Maps.

Driving — Via the Capital Beltway / I-495

— From the west

From the west, take exit 31B.
Travel south 1.1 mi. on MD-97 / Georgia Avenue.
Turn left onto Spring St. Travel four blocks.
Turn right onto Ellsworth Drive.
A pedestrian plaza on the right has the entrance to the Civic Building.
To Park: Turn right into parking garage at 801 Ellsworth Drive — just before the plaza on the left. (free on weekends).
The entrance to the Ball on the plaza across Ellsworth Drive, opposite the parking garage.

— From the east

Note that I-95 and I-495 are on the same roadway on the south-east and east side of DC.
From the east, take exit 30.
Travel south 1.4 mi. on US-29 / Colesville Road.
Turn left onto Spring St. Travel four blocks.
Turn right onto Ellsworth Drive.
A pedestrian plaza on the left has the entrance to the Civic Building.
To Park: Turn right before the plaza into parking garage at 801 Ellsworth Drive (free on weekends).
The entrance to the Ball on the plaza across Ellsworth Drive, opposite the parking garage.

From Downtown DC

Drive north on US-29 / Georgia Avenue
After passing the District Line and going under the railroad underpass, travel ~ 0.3 mi. (~ five blocks)
Turn right onto Wayne Avenue. Travel about three blocks
Turn left onto Fenton Street. Travel three blocks.
Turn right onto Roeder Drive.
Circle the block by making two more, immediate right turns . . .
- . . . avoiding a commonly blocked-off area on Ellsworth Dr.
Enter the parking garage on the right, at 801 Ellsworth — free on weekends.
The entrance to the Civic Center Building (and the Ball Room) is on the pedestrian plaza, opposite the parking garage on Ellsworth.

Parking

Free parking is available on weekends across the street from the Ballroom at 801 Ellsworth Dr. (See map, with image of entrance to parking garage.)

"Coping"

Parking:

In prior years, dancers have been confused by "Full" neon signs at entrances to the parking garage. These signs commonly give incorrect warnings, even when parking spaces are available.
On the other hand, the garage can fill up if there are other events happening on the day of the Ball, so, consider arriving early to find convenient parking.
Consider car pooling to the potluck to save a parking space.
Some people have also found on-street parking in nearby residential neighborhoods.
There are additional, public parking garages near the Civic Center (view a static map OR link to interactive Google map).

Blocked-off street: Access, via Fenton Street, to the "Town Square Garage (61)," is commonly blocked on weekends due to activities setup in the middle of Ellsworth Drive. Gain access to the garage by driving around the block.