Silver Spring

Silver Spring is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is considered to be an "edge city". It sits next door to Washington, DC, and had about 82,000 residents in 2018. It has redeveloped its downtown district with an outdoor shopping plaza called "Downtown Silver Spring", and is criss-crossed by four creeks that are the basis for parks offering hiking trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, and tennis courts.

Understand

Silver Spring is just across the northeast border of Washington D.C. 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.

Get in

By Metrorail

From outside of Montgomery County

From other points in Montgomery County

Get around

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.

See
  • 🌍 National Park Seminary, 2791 Linden Ln (Georgia Avenue north, left on Seminary Road, keep left onto Linden Lane). 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. 2-hour guided tours on the 4th Saturday of each month at 1PM: $5. 

Monuments
  • 🌍 Memorial Bust to the Homeless Mayor (Georgia Avenue, between Thayer Avenue and Silver Spring Avenue, in alley next to Abyssinia Restaurant). Bust of Norman Lane, a beloved local resident who lived in the nearby alley. 
  • 🌍 The Old Tavern Mural, in Silver Spring Library (inside library, near check=out desk). A 1937 New Deal-era post office mural. 
  • 🌍 Washington D.C. Northern Boundary Stone (along East West highway, in a park across the street from the Summit Hills Apartments). Erected in 1792, this stone represents the northernmost point of Washington D.C. One of the oldest federal monuments. 

Do

Parks
  • 🌍 Acorn Urban Park (Acorn Park), 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. 
  • 🌍 Ellsworth Urban Park, 621 Ellsworth Dr, ☏ +1 301 495-2595. Sunrise to sunset. Playground for children, tennis courts, and dog park. Free. (updated Apr 2023)
  • 🌍 Jessup Blair Local Park, 900 Jesup Blair Dr (Corner of Georgia Ave and Blair Dr). Sunrise to sunset. 24-acre park with a children's playground, softball field, lighted baseball field, two lighted tennis courts, and a picnic area. Free. (updated Feb 2017)
  • 🌍 Sligo Creek Trail, Sligo Creek Pkwy. 10.2-mile (16-km) hard-surface trail through the park along Sligo Creek. Popular for walking, running, and bicycling. (updated Nov 2020)
  • 🌍 Woodside Urban Park, 8800 Georgia Ave. Sunrise to sunset. Small park with a children's playground, tennis courts, and a 3,500-square-foot skating area. Free. (updated Feb 2017)

Eat
  • 🌍 Crisfield Seafood, 8012 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301 589-1306. Tu-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-9PM. Seafood, seafood, and more seafood. $11-30. 
  • 🌍 Cubano's, 1201 Fidler Ln, ☏ +1 301-563-4020. Su-Th 11:30AM-9PM, F Sa 11:30AM-10PM. Authentic Cuban food and drinks. (updated Feb 2017)
  • 🌍 Ghar-E-Kabab, 944 Wayne Ave, ☏ +1 301-587-4427. Daily 5-10PM. Ghar-E-Kabab (The House of Kabab) serves traditional Indian and Nepalese cuisine -- much of it vegetarian. $10-30. 
  • 🌍 Goldberg's Bagels, 9328 Georgia Ave (Georgia Avenue northbound, left side of the street just before Seminary Road), ☏ +1 240-450-4177. Su 7AM-3PM, M-Th 6AM-4PM, F 6AM-3PM or so, Sa closed. 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. $5-10. 
  • 🌍 Lebanese Taverna Cafe, 933 Ellsworth Dr, ☏ +1 301-588-1192. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-8PM. Tasty Lebanese fare. Mains: $9-28. 
  • 🌍 Mandalay, 930 Bonifant St, ☏ +1 301-585-0500. M-Th 11:30AM-10PM, F Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su noon-10PM, closed 3PM-5PM daily. 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. $12-20. 
  • 🌍 Masa Hibachi Steakhouse and Sushi, 921-J Ellsworth Dr, ☏ +1 301-608-8989. M-Th 4:30-10PM, F 11:30AM-11PM, Sa 12:30-11PM, Su 12:30-10PM. Authentic Japanese teppanyaki style cooking, with sushi, noodle and vegetable dishes prepared table-side. $13-35. 
  • 🌍 Mi Rancho Tex Mex Restaurant, 8701 Ramsey Rd, ☏ +1 301-588-4872. Fresh Tex-Mex at reasonable prices, with both indoor and outdoor seating, an extensive selection of Margaritas, and house-made chips and salsa. $8-15. 
  • 🌍 Moorenko's Ice Cream, 8030 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301-565-7804. Small-batch, locally sourced gourmet ice cream. Creative, unconventional flavors. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. (updated Feb 2017)
  • 🌍 Parkway Deli, 8317 Grubb Rd (East-West Highway westbound, left at Grubb Road), ☏ +1 301-587-1427. M-W 8AM-9:30PM, Th F 8AM-10PM, Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 7AM-9:30PM. 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.) $3-15. 
  • 🌍 The Society Restaurant & Lounge, 8229 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301-565-8864. Caribbean food. Good DJs. 
  • 🌍 Pacci's Trattoria, 6 Post Office Rd, ☏ +1 301-588-0867. Tu-Sa 10:30AM-2:30PM and 5-8:30PM, Su 10:30AM-2:30PM and 5-8PM. Traditional Italian dishes in a historic general store. (updated Nov 2020)

In addition, Downtown Silver Spring, near Ellsworth Street and Fenton Street, has many chain restaurants such as Chipotle, Panera Bread, and Jimmy John's.

Drink

Bars, breweries, and wine
  • 🌍 Astro Lab Brewing, 8216 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301-273-9684. Tu W 4-9PM, Th 4-10PM, F 2-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-8PM, M closed. Local brewery specializing in IPAs. Dogs allowed outside. (updated Mar 2023)
  • 🌍 Denizen's Brewing Company, 1115 East-West Hwy, ☏ +1 301-557-9818. Tu-Th 2-9PM, F 2-10PM, Sa Su noon-10PM, closed M. Local brewery with a beer garden and serving pub food. (updated Nov 2020)
  • 🌍 McGinty's Public House, 911-Ellsworth Dr, ☏ +1 301 587-1270. Lively Irish pub with live music and a good whiskey selection. 
  • 🌍 Quarry House Tavern, 8402 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301-587-8350. M-Th 5PM-1AM, F Sa noon-2AM, Su 5PM-1AM. 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. 
  • 🌍 Silver Branch Brewing Company, 8401 Colesville Rd, ☏ +1 301-264-7111. Sa Su noon-10PM, M-F 3-10PM. Local brewery with indoor and outdoor seating in a courtyard. Also known for their large pretzels. (updated Nov 2020)
  • 🌍 Urban Winery of Silver Spring, 2315 Stewart Ave, ☏ +1 301-585-4100. W-F 3-10PM, Sa 1-10PM, Su 1-8PM, closed M Tu. Locally made wine, beer, and spirits. (updated Apr 2023)

Cafes
  • 🌍 Black Lion Cafe Coffee and Pastry, 8240 Fenton St, ☏ +1 240-907 2994. M-Sa 7AM-9PM, Su 8AM-9PM. Coffee, espresso, tea, frappes, smoothies, sandwiches, salads, and soup. All coffee beans come from Ethiopia. (updated Apr 2023)
  • 🌍 Fenton Cafe, 8311 Fenton St, ☏ +1 301-326-1841. M-Sa 8AM-8:30PM, Su 8AM-6:30PM. Sweet and savory crepes and espresso prepared to order in a cozy environment. $2-10. 
  • 🌍 Kaldi's Social House, 918 Silver Spring Ave, ☏ +1 301-557-9991. Daily 7AM-9PM. Comfortable cafe for strong coffee, espresso, as well as tea and pastries. Lovely roof-top seating. 
  • 🌍 Kefa Cafe, 963 Bonifant St, ☏ +1 301-589-9337. M-Th 7AM-6PM, F 7AM-9PM, Sa 8AM-5PM, closed Sunday. A quaint cafe and art gallery owned and operated by two Ethiopian sisters. Serves coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and soups. $2-12. 

Sleep

Inexpensive

Moderate

Buy
  • 🌍 Joe's Record Paradise, 8700 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301-585-3269. F Sa noon-8PM, Su noon-6PM, closed M Tu. Record store with a variety of music available. 
  • 🌍 Loyalty Bookstore, 823 Ellsworth Dr. Tu-F noon-8PM, Sa 10AM-8PM, Su noon-6PM, M closed. Locally owned bookstore, specializing in a diverse assortment of books. (updated Mar 2023)
  • 🌍 Plaza Artist Materials, 8205 Georgia Ave, ☏ +1 301-587-5581. M-F 9:30AM-6:30PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. Art supplies for creative people, whether amateur or a professional. (updated Apr 2023)

Connect
  • 🌍 Silver Spring Library, 900 Wayne Ave, ☏ +1 240-773-9420. M-Th 9AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1-5PM. 3-D printers ($1 per file plus $0.05 per gram), computers for public use (free with a library card), digital media lab (free with a library card), earbuds and flash drives available for purchase, loanable laptops (library card and photo identification required), free mobile device charging station, photocopying and printing (black and white $0.15 per page, color $1.00 per page), wifi. 

Go next
Routes through Silver Spring
Bethesda ← Kensington ←  W  E  → College Park → Greenbelt
Ellicott City ← Colesville-Burtonsville ←  N  S  → Washington, D.C. → Charlottesville
Glenmont ← Wheaton ←  N  S  → Brookland → East End, Washington
Martinsburg ← Kensington ←  NW  SE  → Washington, D.C. → END


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