Silver Spring

Silver Spring is just across the northeast border of Washington DC at Eastern Ave.
As the story goes, Silver Spring was named after a spring with flecks of mica that was discovered in 1840. Francis Preston Blair, one of the organizers of the Republican Party, discovered the spring and owned most of the land that now comprises Silver Spring. He named his mansion Silver Spring after the spring. The spring is said to have been located in what is now Acorn Park on East-West Highway.

By Metrorail

The Silver Spring Metrorail Station is served by the Red Line and is on Colesville Rd between Wayne Ave and East-West Highway.

By bus

From outside of Montgomery County

• BestBus

  phone: +1 202 332-2691
  Operates service to/from Penn Station in New York City; Pickup/dropoff at Silver Spring Metrorail Station. Buses offer free Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, and free water.

• GreyhoundOperates bus service to New York City and other cities north.

From other points in Montgomery County

• Ride-on-Bus operates service between downtown Silver Spring and other locations in Montgomery County, including Rockville, Bethesda, and Wheaton.

By bicycle

The Capital Crescent Trail runs from Georgetown to Silver Spring.

By foot

The entire downtown is very compact and easily traversed by foot.

By bus

Van Go Shuttle is a free purple bus that offers frequent service around Silver Spring M-Th from 7AM-midnight and F-Sa from 7AM-2AM.
Metrobus and Ride-on-Bus operate service around Silver Spring.

By bicycle

For information on bike-sharing programs in the Washington, DC area, see Washington DC#Get_around.

• National Park Seminary

  address: 2791 Linden Ln
  Dating back to 1187, this site, formerly a finishing school for girls and resort community, is odd. Inspired by the 1893 World Fair in Chicago, the Seminary owner decided to build 10 buildings of styles around the world including a Greek theater, a Japanese pagoda, and a Dutch windmill. Following the Great Depression and World War II, the Seminary could barely make ends meet, and the entire property was commandeered by the U.S. Army's Walter Reed Medical Hospital in 1942. The military demolished historic property and generally neglected the beautiful exotic and Victorian buildings. Gaining official historic status saved many of the buildings from demolition, but the neglect continued, allowing the elements and vandals to take their toll. In the 1980s, the "Save Our Seminary" group formed to protect what was left, and did an admirable job. The Army returned the historic Seminary properties to private hands and they were restored.

• Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station

  address: 8100 Georgia Ave
  A restored railroad station from 1945.

Religious buildings

• Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters

  phone: +1 301 680-6000
  address: 12501 Old Columbia Pike
  Offers free 45 minute tours M-Th at 9AM.

Monuments

• Memorial Bust To the Homeless MayorBust of Norman Lane, a beloved local resident who lived in the nearby alley.

• The Old Tavern Mural

  address: in Silver Spring Library
  A 1937 New Deal-era post office mural.

• Washington D.C. Northern Boundary StoneErected in 1792, this stone represents the northernmost point of Washington D.C. One of the oldest federal monuments.

• AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

  phone: +1 301 495-6700
  address: 8633 Colesville Rd
  A 1938 theater, now restored and home to the American Film Institute and Shopping Center.

• Ellsworth Plaza Water Sprinklers

  address: 951 Ellsworth Dr
  Outdoor water sprinklers where children play during the summer.

• Fillmore Silver Spring

  phone: +1 301 960-9999
  address: 8656 Colesville Rd
  A spacious music venue and bar that features big-name acts.

• Silver Spring Outdoor Ice Skating Rink at Veterans Plaza

  phone: +1 (301) 588-1221
  address: 8523 Fenton St
  Outdoor ice skating during the winter.

Parks

• Acorn Urban Park

  address: 8060 Newell Street
  The 12-acre Acorn Park sits on the site of the spring the surrounding area was named after. While small, its acorn-shaped gazebo and grotto are hard to miss.

• Jessup Blair Local Park

  address: 900 Jesup Blair Dr
  24-acre park with a children's playground, softball field, lighted baseball field, two lighted tennis courts, and a picnic area.

• Woodside Urban Park

  address: 8800 Georgia Ave
  Small park with a children's playground, tennis courts, and a 3,500-square-foot skating area.

Downtown Silver Spring, near Ellsworth Street and Fenton Street, includes many chain restaurants such as Chipotle, Panera Bread, Jimmy John's, and Fuddruckers as well as many ethnic restaurants.

• Abol Ethiopian

  phone: +1 301 650-0061
  address: 8626 Colesville Rd
  As one of many Ethiopian haunts in Silver Spring, Abol serves spicy meat and stews atop sourdough flatbreads, often intended to be eaten by hand.

• Crisfield Seafood

  phone: +1 301 589-1306
  address: 8012 Georgia Ave
  Seafood, seafood, and more seafood.

• Cubano's

  phone: +1 (301) 563-4020
  address: 1201 Fidler Ln
  Authentic Cuban food and drinks.

• Ghar-E-Kabab

  phone: +1 301 587-4427
  address: 944 Wayne Ave
  Ghar-E-Kabab (The House of Kabab) serves traditional Indian and Nepalese cuisine much of it vegetarian -- at reasonably affordable prices.

• Goldberg's Bagels

  phone: +1 240 450-4177
  address: 9328 Georgia Ave
  Best New York-style bagels in Silver Spring. Kosher. Closed Saturdays. Long lines Sunday mornings. Arrive when they open in the morning for the freshest bagels.

• Lebanese Taverna Cafe

  phone: +1 301 588-1192
  address: 933 Ellsworth Dr
  Tasty Lebanese fare.

• Mandalay

  phone: +1 301 585-0500
  address: 930 Bonifant St
  While the restaurant's ambiance may not lend itself to fine cuisine, Mandalay offers some of the best Burmese fare in the Washington area -- a mix of Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisines.

• Masa Hibachi Steakhouse and Sushi

  phone: +1 301 608-8989
  address: 921-J Ellsworth Dr
  Authentic Japanese teppanyaki style cooking, with sushi, noodle and vegetable dishes prepared table-side.

• Mi Rancho Tex Mex Restaurant

  phone: +1 301 588-4872
  address: 8701 Ramsey Rd
  Fresh Tex-Mex at reasonable prices, with both indoor and outdoor seating, an extensive selection of Margaritas, and house-made chips and salsa.

• Moorenko's Ice Cream

  phone: +1 (301) 565-7804
  address: 8030 Georgia Ave
  Small-batch, locally sourced gourmet ice cream. Creative, unconventional flavors. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.

• Parkway Deli

  phone: +1 301 587-1427
  address: 8317 Grubb Rd
  One of Washington area's most well-known New York-style delicatessens. The attached restaurant is frequently busy on Saturday mornings, owing to the area's large Jewish community. (Not Kosher.)

• Tastee Diner

  phone: +1 301 589-8171
  address: 8601 Cameron St
  A true Silver Spring institution, Tastee has served up classic American diner food all day, every day since 1947.

• The Society Restaurant & Lounge

  phone: +1 301 565-8864
  address: 8229 Georgia Ave
  Caribbean food. Good DJs.

• Woodside Deli

  phone: +1 301 589-7055
  address: 9329 Georgia Ave
  Popular New York-style diner.

Bars

• McGinty's Public House

  phone: +1 301 587-1270
  address: 911 Ellsworth Dr
  Lively Irish pub with live music and a good whiskey selection.

• Quarry House Tavern

  phone: +1 301 587-8350
  address: 8402 Georgia Ave
  This bar has been a neighborhood staple for over 70 years. At first glance it's just a friendly looking dive bar, but upon further inspection it reveals itself as something of a gastropub—the food is heads and shoulders above usual bar fare (fried pickles are a must), and they have a great, long list of Belgian beers! Live bands on weekends and a weekly Rockabilly night Sa.

Cafes

• Fenton Cafe

  phone: +1 301 326-1841
  address: 8311 Fenton St
  Sweet and savory crepes and espresso prepared to order in a cozy environment.

• Kaldi's Social House

  phone: +1 301 557-9991
  address: 918 Silver Spring Ave
  Comfortable cafe for strong coffee, espresso, as well as tea and pastries. Lovely roof-top seating.

• Kefa Cafe

  phone: +1 301 589-9337
  address: 963 Bonifant St
  A quaint cafe and art gallery owned and operated by two Ethiopian sisters. Serves coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and soups.

• Courtyard Silver Spring Downtown

  phone: +1 301 589-4899
  address: 8506 Fenton St
  Free WiFi, gym, restaurant, lounge, coffee bar in lobby. Three blocks to Metro, two miles to D.C. border.

• Holiday Inn Express Washington DC N-Silver Spring

  phone: +1 301 565-3444
  address: 7990 Georgia Ave

• Sheraton Silver Spring

  phone: +1 301 589-0800
  address: 8777 Georgia Ave
  Outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, 24-hour business center, meeting space, restaurant.

• Bethesda
• Takoma Park
• College Park
• Washington, D.C.