I was just reading my review from 14 years ago after I noticed someone had commented on it and…read moreliterally everything I wrote is no longer true. First of all parking payment rates have drastically changed along with the hours that you need to pay for parking. There is no free half hour anymore. You now have to pay Monday through Saturday up to 10PM. I believe the rate is $1.25 per hour. You also must pay in advance and guesstimate how long you plan to stay and there's no half hour increments so if you only want to pop into a restaurant for carry out, then you need to either take your chances and not pay, or pay for an hours worth of parking. Also, none of the three places I mentioned that I visited exist anymore, but there are lots of great stores and new restaurants in Downtown Silver Spring to explore. This parking garage is the closest one to where all the action is in Downtown Silver Spring.

This garage is extremely convenient to all of the downtown shops and restaurants. It's well lit,…read morefairly clean, and has signs that identify which direction things are such as Wayne Avenue, retail/restaurants, elevators, and staircases. It gets pretty crowded on the weekends and evenings because of the time period and because it's free to park if you exit after 9pm on weekdays and free all day on the weekend. There are electronic signs that indicate the number of spots on each level as you ascend the ramps to the next level, but they're usually inaccurate. The technology to sense filled/vacant spots that's used it Tysons Corner Center, for example, isn't used here. Still, I've never had a problem parking. There are usually attendants on duty before 9 pm as well as several kiosks to pay before you return to your car. You can also pay upon exit, but that causes a line of cars behind you and is inadvisable on a busy night.

I've never had a problem finding a space at this lot. In fact, it's usually half-empty. It's very…read moreconvenient for people shopping at Snider's across the street if there's no room in Snider's own lot.

Another great MoCo public garage. Easy to locate, clean,…read morevery spacious parking spaces. It is super easy to locate pay stations at each entrance. Inexpensive, $1.75 hour. Free on holidays. You can pay the machine or use Pay to Park option online. I will certainly use this parking option again in the future.

The machine took my dollar coins but would not take my quarters, so I had to add paper dollars and…read moreit would not give me change. You suck..

Since I'm new to area one of my errands was getting library and rec center cards. Fortunately for…read moreme, you can do both things in one place. The Rec Center: Overall, I liked the layout of the rec center, and the folks that helped with getting a card were SUPER friendly and helpful. While I have not officially used the rec center, I was a bit disappointed with the the size of the weight room. The size of the weight room reminds of a weight room that one would find in a hotel. However, the gym did look like it had everything that one would need for a decent workout. Also, I was a bit surprised that the rec center does not open until 9 am on weekdays (and Saturday). Based on my prior rec center experiments, I'm used to rec centers opening from 5:30 to 7 am. Then again, perhaps, these hours are for the summer months. The Library: Again, the librarian who signed me up for a card was very friendly. Also, I loved how she gave me a very thorough overview of this branch's services and resources. Although I was in the library for only a few minutes, I thought it was very well organized.

Was out and about with my 8 year old daughter and she wanted to go to the library and read and I…read moredid a quick Google search and it brought us here. This was our first time here and I did not know that this was more than just a library. Well first of all the library was great and my daughter was quite excited to read one of her favorite books to me. After reading we explored this place as something for everyone.....ping pong tables pool table, video games, basketball courts, indoor track, weight room, lots of event rooms and a playground outside for the little ones. The staff there were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

Wheaton Mall is your classic, no-frills local mall--and honestly, it does exactly what it needs to…read moredo. They've got all the staples: JCPenneys, Costco, Macy's, Target, H&M, plus smaller stores like Five Below and Bed, Bath and Beyond. The food court is huge and continues to grow, with some older spots being replaced by newer options. I was first introduced to this mall in a pretty unconventional way--at a dance event hosted by Urban Dance Artistry. The space was large enough to host a big crowd and still allow for smaller performance pockets, which showed me how versatile the mall space actually is. As far as cleanliness goes, the mall itself is generally clean and bustling with a very diverse crowd, which I love to see. The only downside? The bathrooms could definitely use some attention. They can be messy and not the freshest-smelling at times. Although I do really like that they have a separate area for kids to wash their hands. I'm not much of a mall shopper these days, and a lot of the stores aren't necessarily places I'd go out of my way for. But as a parent? This place is gold. My son absolutely loves the play area. There's also a paid bounce house spot near it (which he thoroughly enjoyed), and they have the indoor train that rides through the mall--which is basically a core childhood memory waiting to happen. It's also a great spot for teens to meet up at. I love that they have a little photo booth to print out 4 pictures on a strip, very nostalgic vibes. It's also super convenient. The Wheaton train station is right there, but it's also a hub for a lot of buses, making public transit access incredibly easy. On top of that, you've got nearby restaurants, Party City, a grocery store, and plenty of other essentials within walking distance. There's even a CVS Pharmacy nearby. Overall, it's a solid, practical, family-friendly mall. Not luxury, not glamorous--but convenient, affordable, and full of things to do--especially if you have kids. Four stars from me.

I haven't really had a bad or good experience. I usually come here for costco or target or the…read moresurrounding stores. I will say that when I went it felt like the air conditioning was not on so it was super hot and humid. Hopefully that issue has been resolved.

The renovations mentioned in another review have been finished, and all levels are accessible…read more This garage has that lovely convenient payment system that lets you use credit or debit cards. You can also pay cash, but the machine don't give change. (That wasn't the case last time I used this garage in 2012, when it gave out $1 coins. Not sure whether this change is good or bad.) Because it's accessed from side streets, it's not difficult to exit & you don't feel like you're taking your life in your hands when pulling out. I almost subtracted a star for being across the street from Tastee Diner, but it's not their fault I lack willpower. (Try the French toast.)

I found this garage June 2014, while staying across the street at The DoubleTree on Colesville Rd…read more DoubleTree wanted $15 a night for parking but I didn't wan to pay it. So I searched Montgomery County Parking website for Silver Springs parking facilities and found 10 garages with rates of either $1 or $0.65 an hour. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Parking/silver-spring/silver-spring-parking-garage.html Looks like the renovations that started January 2010 were never finished. Four and one-half years later, 3 floors of parking spaces are fenced off. Only 53 (45 3-hour limit and 8 handicap) parking spots on the first floor are available for use. Meters operate 7am to 7pm Monday - Friday. Weekends free. If you can't find an open parking spot, go west on Spring to the next closest garage on Spring and Cameron.

We are experts at finding cheap or free places to park. This garage is decent. It is free in the…read moreevening. If we are seeing a movie or having dinner with friends in the area, this is a place to use.

I park here whenever I'm in Silver Spring, which is quite often, for work. The staff is always…read morecourteous and willing to help. The garage is always clean and well maintained.

Felt safe parking here. Tons of spots available Thursday night, can't say how the experience is on…read morethe weekend though.

I'm a creature of habit so we normally park at the Wayne Ave Garage, nearby. This garage has a few…read moreentrances. We looked at the color of the level and space numbers. We got a bit confused when returning to find the car. I prefer Wayne Ave Garage. The entrance was narrow. I didn't like it as a driver or pedestrian. The garage is free in the evening. I noticed the closest pay station was out of order. Even though the garage was a block closer, I will park where I feel more comfortable in the future.

Farmer's markets, live music, festivals, post-natal yoga... there is always something going in…read moreDowntown Silver Spring. Ulta, DSW, H&M, CAVA, Color Me Mine, Fuddruckers, Smoothie King, Sushi Jin, Not your Average Joe's, Forever 21, Ross, Marshalls... just a few of the many shops and restaurants you'll find in this busy corridor. In the winter, there is ice skating in Veteran's Plaza. In the spring, summer and fall, there are all sorts of concerts, festivals, and events for the whole family. There's a farmer's market on Saturdays, and on weekends they close the street off the plaza is covered with vendors selling all sorts of foods and wares. There are multiple parking garages nearby as well as the Silver Spring Metro Station (red line) which is about a half mile away.

Downtown Silver Spring is the place to be!!…read more There are quite a few reasonably priced parking lots. Free on Sundays!! A lot of restaurants, black owned restaurants, stores for clothing and housewares, etc. I really enjoy this area and look forward to visiting again soon!!