GETTING AROUND ... BY METRO
The Metro is the DC subway system. It's relatively new and exceptionally clean - there are no vendors in the stations, and no eating or drinking is permitted on the trains. (See the official Metro website (http://www.wmata.com/) for more information). It is useful for getting around the city, but unfortunately, the only one of the Washington area's three airports with Metro access is Reagan National Airport. There is also a Metro stop at Union Station, the city's main train station.
The Metro system uses fare cards, which you can purchase at the fare card vending machines in the stations. The machines marked "Farecards" take only cash and dispense only farecards; the machines marked "Passes/Farecards" take credit cards and cash and dispense passes (like one-day passes and weekly passes) as well. You need your fare card in order to exit the station at the end of your trip, so hold onto it.
The Metro has five "lines," designated by color. The official Metro website has an interactive map of the Metro system (http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm, or click on the map at right). The Holiday Inn/Crowne Plaza Silver Spring is a little less than 1/4 mile from the Silver Spring station, which is on the Red line. From the station you can get to the hotel by walking, using the free hotel shuttle, or taking a cab (which is not very cost-efficient - about $8 for a quarter mile!).
From the Silver Spring station, the ride into downtown DC takes about 20 minutes and costs a little more than $2 during rush-hour and late nights (after 2am) and a little less than $2 all other times, depending on which station you're going to. If you want more information and exact fares and travel times, you can find them at the Silver Spring station page on the official Metro website (http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=31).
If you're staying in DC before or after the con, there's plenty to do, and most of it is easily accessible by Metro.
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WALKING
The hotel is in downtown Silver Spring and is within easy walking distance of a wide variety of shopping, eating, and entertainment options. There's more about the area in the Neighborhood section.
In addition, the Silver Spring Metro (subway) station, with convenient access to downtown DC and to Reagan National Airport, is only a short walk away.
To get to the hotel from the Silver Spring Metro station, exit the station onto Colesville Road from either the north or south side. Walk approximately a quarter mile up Colesville Road past the buses, heading toward the large building with the "Discovery" logo on top. At the first major intersection, turn left on Georgia Avenue and walk about a quarter mile. The hotel will be on your right.
To get to the Metro station from the hotel, exit the hotel and turn left onto Georgia Avenue. Walk a quarter mile to the first major intersection and turn right on Colesville Road. The station is ahead just past the buses.
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HOTEL SHUTTLE
The hotel operates a free shuttle within a 3-mile radius. You can use the shuttle to get to or from the Metro station, for example, or to get to the movie theater, restaurants, grocery store, etc. (see the Neighborhood section).
If you need to be picked up from the Metro or elsewhere within the area the shuttle serves, call the main hotel number: 301-589-0800. They will connect you to the shuttle. If you have some idea when you'll need to be picked up (e.g., if you're coming from the airport), it's a good idea to call in advance to reserve the shuttle.
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VAN-GO
The city of Silver Spring offers a free shuttle that runs Monday through Friday only every eight minutes from 7am to 7pm. It makes a loop through downtown Silver Spring; there is a stop about two blocks from the hotel. The route and stops are shown in green on the Silver Spring Map below (see the Neighborhood section).
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PARKING
Parking in the hotel garage costs $12 a day, with in and out privileges.
The county lot (Spring-Cameron Parking Lot) and county garage (Spring-Cameron Garage - Garage 2) behind the hotel offer free parking Thursday and Friday after 7 pm and all day Saturday and Sunday. During the day, parking in the lot and garage are metered. The lot has two- and three-hour meters; parking up to three hours costs 60 cents an hour, while longer-term parking (more than three hours) costs 45 cents an hour. The garage has short- and long-term meters (up to nine hours); parking three hours or less costs 75 cents an hour, and parking more than three hours costs 50 cents an hour. You also can take your chances on the street, and in some areas there is free street parking on the weekends -- but read the signs very carefully.
The roads around Silver Spring can be congested, and parking for restaurants and shopping can be difficult during weekday rush-hours and on weekend evenings, but on the weekends it generally isn't difficult. Many of the malls, grocery stores, restaurants, etc., in the area have parking lots (some free, some not).