College Park (Maryland)
College Park is in Prince George's County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington D.C.
Understand
Most visitors come to College Park for the University of Maryland, and all the associated sporting events, but aviation geeks should also take notice of the Aviation Museum.
Get in
By plane
- 🌍 College Park Airport (CGS IATA). The world's oldest continuously operated airport, it is open only to private planes.
- Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI IATA), maa@bwiairport.com. A 30-minute drive from College Park. It is also accessible by MARC and Amtrak trains from Union Station or New Carrollton.
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station (between Terminal 2 & 3, this station provides covered moving walkway access to all airline terminals). A 30-minute drive from College Park and is accessible via the Metrorail.
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD IATA). A 45-minute drive from College Park. It is also accessible by Metrorail with the Silver Line.
By car
From I-495 (Capital Beltway), take exits 24 (University Boulevard / MD 193) or 25 (US Route 1).
By train
- MARC Train. MARC is a commuter line from Washington to Baltimore. There is a MARC stop for the Camden Line co-located with the College Park Metrorail station, but trains only service to this station during peak commuting hours Monday through Friday. MARC also operates the Penn Line with service seven days a week to New Carrollton and Union Station.
- WMATA Green Line. College Park is serviced by the Green Line of the Metrorail. The station is about a mile from the University of Maryland.
- Amtrak. Amtrak operates service to the New Carrollton station and to Union Station in Washington, D.C.
By bus
Metrobus J4 operates service between College Park and Bethesda via Takoma Park.
Get around
By car
The main north-south artery of College Park is Route 1 (also known as Baltimore Ave). Many destinations of interest (including the university) are along this road. An alternative, slightly to the east, is Rhode Island Ave. Major east-west roads include University Boulevard (Route 193) and Campus Drive/Paint Branch Parkway. Route 1 traffic can be horrendous at times. Avoid arriving or leaving College Park during evening rush hours. There is no free parking in College Park, so make sure to check each meter's restrictions and rules.
By bus
Metrobus J4 operates service between the University of Maryland and the Metrorail Station.
Shuttle-UM operates an extensive bus network, although University of Maryland identification is required to ride for many routes.
By bicycle
Rhode Island Ave Trolley Trail runs north/south to the east of Route 1 and, north of Route 193, consists of bike lines on Rhode Island Ave. The Paint Branch Trail intersects it near Lake Artemesia and runs through campus, up to Cherry Hill Road near the Beltway. College Park has many residential streets that make for easy biking, but some of the major thoroughfares can be dicey.
See
- 🌍 College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive, ☏ +1 301 864-6029, fax: +1 301 927-6472, AviationMuseum@pgparks.com. Daily 10AM-5PM. At the College Park Airport, the world's oldest continually operating airport, this museum emphasizes early aviation. $4.
- 🌍 University of Maryland, College Park, Campus Drive & US-1, ☏ +1 301 405-1000, emailum@umd.edu. The flagship academic institution of the state of Maryland, founded in 1856, and centered around the McKeldin Mall quadrangle on Regents Drive.
- The Art Gallery, 2202 Parren J. Mitchell Art Sociology Bldg. (3834 Campus Dr.) (near Route 193 & Adelphi Rd.), ☏ +1 301 405-2763. M-F 11AM-4PM. A rotating series of exhibitions. Closed summer and between exhibitions. Free.
- 🌍 Adele H. Stamp Student Union, 3972 Campus Drive, ☏ +1-301-314-3375. UMCP's campus center, containing several floors that house a food court, fast food chains, a restaurant, shops, the SORC (Student Organizational Resource Center), TerpZone (an entertainment facility with several televisions, a small bowling alley, pool tables, etc.), and a movie theater.
- 🌍 McKeldin Mall. The McKeldin Library is home to Testudo, the Fountain, the sundial, the Administration building, and several academic buildings. In addition, McKeldin Mall is the largest academic mall in the United States.
Do
- 🌍 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Route 193 and Stadium Dr, ☏ +1 301 405-ARTS (2787). Catch a play, music performance, or other event at the University.
- 🌍 Lake Artemesia Natural Area, Parking at Branchview/Ballew Ave, Berwyn Heights (Route 193 to Branchville Ave). On the border with neighboring Berwyn Heights, this man-made lake offers fishing and a pleasant walking/biking/rollerblading trail around the circumference. Free.
- Paint Branch Golf Complex, 4690 University Blvd (near Route 1), ☏ +1 301 935-0330. Open daily, seasonal hours.. Nine hole "executive" golf course, driving range and putting green. $10 for a bucket of 102 golf balls on the driving range, $18-12 for 9 holes of golf, $12-18 for 18 holes of golf, $3/day for putting green.
- Terrapins University of Maryland Sporting Events, 2740 Comcast Center, ☏ +1 301 314-7070, fax: +1 301 314-4920, terptix@umd.edu. M-F 8:30AM-4:30PM. With 27 different sports, the University of Maryland offers you a choice of everything from wrestling to lacrosse to softball. While the football team has had renewed success lately, basketball rules the roost -- the Lady Terps were national champions in 2006; the men in 2002.
- Herbert Wells Ice Rink, 5211 Paint Branch Parkway, ☏ +1 301 277-3717. October-April.
Parks
- Crystal Springs Playground, 37th Avenue.
- Duvall Field Playground, 9119 Rhode Island Avenue.
- Hollywood Playground, 4812 Hollywood Road.
- James Adams Park, Berwyn House Road & Rhode Island Avenue.
- Muskogee Playground, 9723 Narragansett Parkway.
- Old Town Playground, 7504 Columbia Avenue.
- The Mews Playground, Catawba Street & 48th Place.
- Calvert Road Community Park, Old Calvert Road and Campus Drive.
- Berwyn Neighborhood Park, 8301 49th Avenue.
- Calvert Neighborhood Park, 4811 Drexel Road.
- Cherry Hill Neighborhood Park, 4605 Kiernan Road.
- Lakeland Neighborhood Park, 4901 Lakeland Road.
- Hollywood Neighborhood Park, 9699 53rd Avenue.
- Sunnyside Skate Park, 10110 Rhode Island Avenue.
- College Park Woods Neighborhood Park, 9119 St. Andrews Place.
- Branchville Playground, 4800 Branchville Road.
Buy
- University of Maryland College Park Official Bookstore, Stamp Student Union, ☏ +1 301 927-2510, fax: +1 301 209-7118. M-Th 10AM-6:30PM, F Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. Get your Terrapin gear and dress like a local (or at least like a tuition-paying parent.)
Eat
College Park includes many fast-casual chain restaurants that cater to university students including Potbelly's Sandwich Works, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Applebee's, Jimmy John's, and Cold Stone Creamery.
- 🌍 Azteca Restaurant & Cantina, 9505 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 474-8226. Mexican food.
- 🌍 Eddie's Cafe, 9823 Rhode Island Ave, ☏ +1 301 345-1791. Chinese food & subs.
- 🌍 Hanami Japanese Restaurant, 8145 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 982-9899. Strip mall location. Sushi, noodles, hibachi, and sake.
- 🌍 Hard Times Cafe, 4738 Cherry Hill Rd, ☏ +1 301 474-8880. Chili, wings, and burgers.
- 🌍 The Jerk Pit, 9078 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 982-5375. Jamaican jerk chicken, pork, seafood & tofu.
- 🌍 Marathon Deli, 4429 Lehigh Rd, ☏ +1 301 927-6717. Greek deli.
- 🌍 Sakura Seafood Buffet, 9031 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 982-3331. All-you-can-eat buffet with a wide selection, including sushi, hibachi, Chinese and American food. Dinner buffet $12.95 for adults..
- 🌍 Shen Yang Chinese Restaurant, 9905 Rhode Island Ave, ☏ +1 301 441-2250. All-you-can-eat buffet with a wide selection, including sushi, hibachi, Chinese and American food.
Drink
- Cornerstone Grill & Loft, 7325 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 779-7044. Tables and bars, downstairs and upstairs. This bar gets packed most Thursday through Saturday, enough that they have to clear the seating upstairs to accommodate a dance floor. There is sort-of dance floor serviced by a DJ booth overlooking it. Just a nice local bar that suddenly turns into a crazy college party scene at night. Sunday Big-Ass Draft is a popular special during football and basketball seasons.
- Kangnam BBQ Sports Bar & Grill, 8503 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 240 345-5808. This is an often overlooked spot to get a drink. The savvy few swear by this Korean restaurant as their favorite place for after-dinner drinks that turn into full-blown adventures. Sake bombs anyone?
- R. J. Bentley's, 7323 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 277-8898. Outdoor seating, several bars inside with more seating in an adjacent room. Part of a very lively bar scene at night with Cornerstone next door. Students frequently go back and forth between the two bars through out the night.
- College Park Grill, 8321 Baltimore Avenue, ☏ +1 301-474-4745. Su–Th 7AM – 10PM, F Sa 7AM – 11PM. Nice upscale bar and restaurant with a pleasant and casual environment with live jazz music daily from 5:30 to 9PM. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with beer on tap and a selection of wine. Happy hour M-Sa from 4PM to 7PM at the bar. A good alternative for those seeking a meal or drink in College Park in a more mature environment than the college student oriented bars in College Park. Located inside the Cambria Hotel with no cover.
Sleep
- Best Western Plus College Park, 8419 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 220-0505. $121.
- College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 3501 University Blvd E, Hyattsville, ☏ +1 301 985-7300, fax: +1 301 985-7517. Both luxurious and environmentally responsible. This Marriott was the country's first green hotel and conference center.
- Days Inn College Park, 9113 Baltimore Blvd, ☏ +1 301 345-4900.
- Hampton Inn College Park, 9670 Baltimore Ave (Just off the Beltway.), ☏ +1 301 345-2200, fax: +1 301 345-7201. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon.
- Howard Johnson Inn College Park, 9113 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 513-0002. $71.
- Quality Inn and Suites College Park, 7200 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301 276-1000.
- 🌍 Holiday Inn Washington - College Park (I-95), 10000 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301-345-6700, info@hicollegepark.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon.
Stay safe
Avoid walking alone at night, especially around the College Park Metrorail station. You should be fine along Route 1, but reports of muggings (sometimes violent) on the otherwise upscale-looking side streets are perennials in the student newspaper. Petty theft can also be a problem, especially from vehicles and of bicycles.
Go next
- Washington, D.C. is a few miles away.
- Baltimore is about a 45-minute trip.
- Bethesda is good for night-life and is about a 30-minute drive, or 45-minute Metro ride.
- Silver Spring is about 20 minutes away.
- Takoma Park has many ethnic eateries and crunchy shops.
- Hyattsville is a hip area on Route 1 towards D.C.
| Routes through College Park |
| Baltimore ← Beltsville ← | N S | → Greenbelt → Washington, D.C. via |
| Bethesda ← Beltsville ← | W E | → Greenbelt → Alexandria |
| Baltimore ← Beltsville ← | N S | → Hyattsville → Washington, D.C. |
| END ← Greenbelt ← | N S | → Hyattsville → East End, Washington |
| END ← Washington, D.C. ← | SW NE | → Greenbelt → Baltimore |
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