Nationals Park Questions? (2011-2014)

[varoadking]

Pittsburgh's jackpot on Sat and Sun was $35-40K both days...Pirates charities basically took in about a dollar for everyone in the park.

It really is an event of it's own at PNC...

[PowerBoater69]

Nats Fest is 12/13/14 at the DC Convention Center.

[mitlen]

Nats Fest is 12/13/14 at the DC Convention Center.

Alright, I can get to the Convention Center without planning a day trip.

[Natsinpwc]

Nats Fest is 12/13/14 at the DC Convention Center.

Will we be able to touch the Commissioners' trophy??

[imref]

Nats Fest is 12/13/14 at the DC Convention Center.

what month?  Hopefully they use a larger room than they did 2 years ago.

[varoadking]

what month?

 

[imref]

ok, i'm missing a joke here somewhere.

[varoadking]

ok, i'm missing a joke here somewhere.

December 13, 2014...

[Slateman]

Where to park for $15?

[marc23]

Might be off topic, but what would you guys recommend for parking / getting to a game?
I would be coming from  Richmond Va, and suppose the train could be an option.  Is anyone familiar?
If not, what are decent (safe) places to park that are a reasonable distance from the stadium.
Thanks and any info is appreciated

[mitlen]

Might be off topic, but what would you guys recommend for parking / getting to a game?
I would be coming from  Richmond Va, and suppose the train could be an option.  Is anyone familiar?
If not, what are decent (safe) places to park that are a reasonable distance from the stadium.
Thanks and any info is appreciated

VaRoadKing lives in Richmond.   He knows.

[tomterp]

Might be off topic, but what would you guys recommend for parking / getting to a game?
I would be coming from  Richmond Va, and suppose the train could be an option.  Is anyone familiar?
If not, what are decent (safe) places to park that are a reasonable distance from the stadium.
Thanks and any info is appreciated

Spothero.com

The area around the park is pretty safe, just shop for price and distance.

[varoadking]

Might be off topic, but what would you guys recommend for parking / getting to a game?
I would be coming from  Richmond Va, and suppose the train could be an option.  Is anyone familiar?
If not, what are decent (safe) places to park that are a reasonable distance from the stadium.
Thanks and any info is appreciated

We generally park in Lot B, but you can drive to the Pentagon City Mall and park in the free (weekend) lot across from Macy's and Metro in...

[1995hoo]

Might be off topic, but what would you guys recommend for parking / getting to a game?
I would be coming from  Richmond Va, and suppose the train could be an option.  Is anyone familiar?
If not, what are decent (safe) places to park that are a reasonable distance from the stadium.
Thanks and any info is appreciated

It's not a good option this weekend due to Metro track work shutting down the Green Line, but if you're coming from Richmond, one nice option is to go over the Harry Nice Bridge on US-301 up through Maryland. Bear left onto Route 5 north of Waldorf and follow it to the Branch Avenue Metro stop (after you pass under the Beltway, go right at the first light, then take the third exit from the roundabout). Going this way avoids the horrid 30-mile work zone on I-95 from Garrisonville north to Alexandria and eliminates the need to change trains on the subway. But as I say, on September 26 and 27 that end of the Green Line will be shut down.

I drive to games and I think tomterp has it right about shopping around. Trust your instincts, and if you find the DC parking-restriction signs are conflicting, obey the most restrictive sign or park somewhere else. Be careful of Saturday meter enforcement, too—"meters free on weekends" often does NOT apply.

Another possibility I've never tried for a weekend DAY game is to park at the Anacostia Metro garage (free on weekends) and walk across the bridge to the ballpark. I've walked FROM the ballpark to the Anacostia Metro and would not do it at night because you're too isolated, but during the day it's OK. Coming from Richmond, you take I-295 to South Capitol Street, take the second ramp (a cloverleaf loop-around), then bear right at the next intersection onto Howard Road. The garage is on the left.

[blue911]

Why wouldn't you park in VaRK driveway and get a ride with him?

[varoadking]

Why wouldn't you park in VaRK driveway and get a ride with him?

Better yet...pick me up... 

[blue911]

Better yet...pick me up...

Yeah, how come you never give VaRK a ride?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It's not a good option this weekend due to Metro track work shutting down the Green Line, but if you're coming from Richmond, one nice option is to go over the Harry Nice Bridge on US-301 up through Maryland. Bear left onto Route 5 north of Waldorf and follow it to the Branch Avenue Metro stop (after you pass under the Beltway, go right at the first light, then take the third exit from the roundabout). Going this way avoids the horrid 30-mile work zone on I-95 from Garrisonville north to Alexandria and eliminates the need to change trains on the subway. But as I say, on September 26 and 27 that end of the Green Line will be shut down.

I drive to games and I think tomterp has it right about shopping around. Trust your instincts, and if you find the DC parking-restriction signs are conflicting, obey the most restrictive sign or park somewhere else. Be careful of Saturday meter enforcement, too—"meters free on weekends" often does NOT apply.

Another possibility I've never tried for a weekend DAY game is to park at the Anacostia Metro garage (free on weekends) and walk across the bridge to the ballpark. I've walked FROM the ballpark to the Anacostia Metro and would not do it at night because you're too isolated, but during the day it's OK. Coming from Richmond, you take I-295 to South Capitol Street, take the second ramp (a cloverleaf loop-around), then bear right at the next intersection onto Howard Road. The garage is on the left.

I'm not familiar with MD roads, but is there a way to pick up 295 to Anacostia / So Cap st. pretty easily from 301?  just follow these directions and then swing around a bit on the beltway, or is there something more direct?

[1995hoo]

I'm not familiar with MD roads, but is there a way to pick up 295 to Anacostia / So Cap st. pretty easily from 301?  just follow these directions and then swing around a bit on the beltway, or is there something more direct?

Someone who lives in Maryland may have better advice, but the way I usually connect is via MD-228 (state route with the square shield) between Waldorf and Accokeek. Coming north you'd make a left onto 228 in Waldorf and after a while it dumps you onto MD-210 (Indian Head Highway). That takes you north and you can connect directly onto I-295 or stay straight onto South Capitol Street.

I use Route 228 fairly often when I take the convertible out for a spin because I don't head down that way very often and so it feels like I'm seeing someplace different. We also used that route on the way south in May when I was driving a stock car in Richmond and it was a good route.

[tomterp]

Someone who lives in Maryland may have better advice, but the way I usually connect is via MD-228 (state route with the square shield) between Waldorf and Accokeek. Coming north you'd make a left onto 228 in Waldorf and after a while it dumps you onto MD-210 (Indian Head Highway). That takes you north and you can connect directly onto I-295 or stay straight onto South Capitol Street.

I use Route 228 fairly often when I take the convertible out for a spin because I don't head down that way very often and so it feels like I'm seeing someplace different. We also used that route on the way south in May when I was driving a stock car in Richmond and it was a good route.

I'm very familiar with the area, and I approve this message.

I'm never going to try to plow up 95 from the OBX again, I'm going to take 17 out of Williamsburg to 301, then north.  Of course whenever we're coming back from the beach is prime time for traffic, so not saying you can't come north in the morning and do OK.

[wj73]

You mentioned the train.  If you take that to Union Station, that's only about 2 miles from Nats Park.   If you're up to it, you can walk from there to the ballpark - it's a beautiful walk right past the Capitol, then straight down New Jersey Avenue.  You can also take the Circulator bus for a buck - it runs between Union Station and Nats Park. Or you can take Metro to the ballpark from there, transferring to the Green Line. 

[RobDibblesGhost]

Might be off topic, but what would you guys recommend for parking / getting to a game?
I would be coming from  Richmond Va, and suppose the train could be an option.  Is anyone familiar?
If not, what are decent (safe) places to park that are a reasonable distance from the stadium.
Thanks and any info is appreciated

You can park at either the Franconia-Springfield or Huntington Metro stations and take the Metro in. I'd recommend Huntington because the Blue line always seems to be operating at greatly reduced weekend service whereas the Yellow line is impacted less frequently. For example, this weekend, Blue line trains are running every 24 minutes whereas the Yellow line is running at the normal 12-15 minute headways. Parking is safe and free on weekends.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

By the way, there are Capital Bikeshare stands near L'Enfant (across 7th and by 4th and Independence), archives (at 8th and D, across from the D street side of the Navy Memorial), and near Gallery Place (at 7th and F).  It is an easy ride down 4th street to I St. SW, then a left on I, across So. Capitol, and a right either on 1st down to the ballpark or on NJ Ave down to M St (stand in front of the Starbucks).  IF you metro as far as those stations, you don't have to wait for the Green Line and can build up credit for the calories you are about to consume at the Red Loft.

[1995hoo]

I'm very familiar with the area, and I approve this message.

I'm never going to try to plow up 95 from the OBX again, I'm going to take 17 out of Williamsburg to 301, then north.  Of course whenever we're coming back from the beach is prime time for traffic, so not saying you can't come north in the morning and do OK.

Heh. We drive to Florida twice a year to visit relatives and I've stopped using I-95 in Virginia. On the most recent trip I didn't use it AT ALL until we turned back north from Miami. I use US-29 south to Greensboro and from there the route varies. Takes a bit longer (the lights near Charlottesville don't help), but there's less traffic, you move the whole time, and it's just flat-out more relaxed. To the Outer Banks that'd be a bit out of the way unless you took US-522 south from Culpeper to Richmond and connected around the west side of town to US-460.

Parkmobile continued to work well for us at today's game....

[imref]

Some playoff related Nats park area news from JD Land

http://www.jdland.com/dc/index.cfm/4042/The-Latest-from-Natitude-Land-Nothing-But-October/