City Center Parking Lot

This is my go-​to parking option when going to events at the convention center or other things in the area. As long as there’s no event at the Verizon Center that triggers «event pricing», you can park all day here on the weekend for $ 8 (daytime) and not have to worry about DC highway robbery at the street meters.
Be prepared to coerce the attendant to let you park if you see empty spaces and he still claims «lot is full» like I’ve had to do several times. Really really annoying bur persistence and refusal to back out of the parking lot usually works.

I have parked here quite a few times when I’ve had events at the Convention Center. More just because I know how to get in & out of here & it’s convenient.
I don’t think it’s that great — but to be fair — I think maybe some of these reviews are dated. As far as I can tell, approximately 50% of the lot has been gated off & is being used for nearby construction projects. In fact, there is actually a construction trailer in the middle of the lot.
That being said — I’ve never been turned away from here or seen the lot full.
In terms of price, every time I’ve been it was $ 18 for 1 – 3 hours & I believe $ 24 for up to 6 hours. Not that bad, but also isn’t my money.
I sort of like that it’s open & above ground, no crazy garage to navigate.
I don’t particularly mind this — but homeless people sort of hang out /​bed down for the night in the grassy tree area on one of the sides of the lot. In addition I have both seen & heard rats there late at night. If either of those things make you uncomfortable, you may not want to park here.

We pulled into this place based on Unilocal recommendations and planning for this DC trip. As we came along side, we exhaled a deep breath as there were still spots we could see open. We pulled up to the gate and the guy said he had no room and he wouldn’t take an SUV. I have parked in very tight spaces including places with pillars and underground stalls, I know my vehicle well. He said we could back up rather than offer to turn around inside and exit. A VERY disappointing experience so we wandered the mall area. Where did we park? A place closer for a few dollars more for the day. 4 layers underground with pillars. Not sure if it is policy but this place stinks for customer service so I would go elsewhere.

Well, our rental car didn’t get stolen or broken into. I found this lot on my Google Maps app and it was kind of a pain to get to because of the construction right in front of it BUT we found it and it was $ 25 for the entire day, a better option than paying by hour. It was far enough away from the national mall that we got to enjoy the brief walk (and a Starbucks break). Not sure if I’m the only one that noticed but they had blue and green glass mosaic in the cement in some areas of the parking lot. Plenty of parking and manned by actual people, seemed like a good place to park while having an eye on your possessions.

Thought I should return the favor. I had no idea where to park in the crowded DC. I was there on a trip to look at the museums and monuments. This is that place to park.
You can walk around the entire Sithsonian complex, get food/​drinks/​coffee at restaurants, look at the federal mint, the Capitol, etc. all from this one convenient location.
In short, park here, and don’t look for anything else.

D.C. is notorious for handing out parking tickets for REAL and IMAGINARY violations.
Here’s a short list on reasons why City Center could save you $hundreds$:
–I’ve been ticketed for parking approximately 6″ away from the parking curb. (I don’t know where he got six inches– but I’m sure this cop has heard that complaint before)
–Parking in a space marked «No Parking Except for Sundays and Holidays» on a FEDERAL HOLIDAY
–Ticketed for an expired meter that had NOT yet expired.
D.C. meter maids may be as crooked as a few suits on Capital Hill, but let’s let 7-​On Your Side deal them. While they are stuffing tickets on windshields, you can tell them coppers where to stuff it by parking here for your next event.
I parked here two consecutive nights while enjoying the Queen of Pop at Verizon Center. Considering that my homegirl didn’t take the stage until 10:30 on both evenings, metro was possibly out of the question and I had to protect George, the Mini Copper, from sneaky Slytherin ticketers.
I parked here for $ 10/​night (after a certain hour) and I had a 3 – 4 block walk to strut my swagger en route to Verizon Center. Compared to Verizon’s concert parking, you save $ 17
Parking for less $ has never been this sexy.

The days of $ 10 parking are over. I parked there recently for a concert after reading other reviews here. But after I had pulled in I noticed that the rates had gone up to $ 24 for event parking.
For $ 3 more you can park at the Verizon Center in a garage. Do yourself a favor, pay the extra $ 3.

I read others’ reviews here at Unilocal and they were spot on!!!
* 3 block walk to Verizon Center.
* Super nice parking attendants.
* Plenty of parking spaces available.
* Straight shot and just a few blocks from 395.
* $ 10 for evening event parking (instead of $ 20 for a rinky dink lot one block closer to the center or $ 30 for a parking garage two blocks closer).
The $ 20 I saved by not parking two blocks closer bought drinks at the venue, I had ample parking space, I didn’t have to wait in long lines to get out of a parking garage, and I was on the freeway within two minutes of paying the attendant!!! Sweet!

This had been my go-​to parking lot for 3 – 4 years when heading into the Chinatown area by car. Key word: «had.»
In the past, I’ve parked here for 5 – 10 hours at a time, and paid $ 10 – 15 for the said length of time. During events, $ 15. Reasonable. That all changed recently. I headed downtown for an event with my family. I selected my go-​to parking lot. The event was short, and I was back to the lot after 1 hr. 15 min. I drive up to the cashier to pay and was told to cough up $ 15. I couldn’t believe my ears. Surely, a place whose business I had patronized for 3 – 4 years hadn’t increased their 1 – 2 hour fee from $ 5 to $ 15. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Fifteen dollars for 1.25 hours, and they wouldn’t budge. I have never spent that much to park a car, over such a brief span of time, in my entire life.
WATCH OUT for CIty Center Parking Lot. They’ve increased their rates to an obscene level. Will be voting with my wallet with these folks. Business: Lost.

this place is temporarily closed

«Event parking» is now $ 20, and presumably anything that occurs at the Convention Center is an «event» (today it’s the car show) and the $ 10 weekend rate goes out the window. Snow and ice removal was poor 72 hours after a storm – there was no clear path from our spot to the street.
For $ 10 in decent weather, I’d do this lot again – but it was the wrong choice for today. Had I kept driving another two blocks, the next parking facility (indoor garage) would have been $ 12.

It’s enormous. It’s centrally located. And it’s way the hell cheaper than parking at the Verizon center, as well as way less sketchy than the other mini-​lots scattered around Chinablock.
I have never run into an instance where the lot’s full.
What’s there to dislike about it?

This lot is huge and centrally located. Easy to catch the metro or the Circulator to get to destinations that don’t have parking. We parked here on a Saturday to go to the National Portrait Galllery and it was $ 10 for the day and they are open 24 hours. It is right along the DC Circulator route so you can get into Georgetown, Adams Morgan, etc. without worrying about where to park the car.
Great for suburbanites needing to park in the city!

Relatively cheap, efficient, friendly workers.
Generally I HATE paying to park. I’d go so far to say I’m practically morally opposed to paying for parking (at least at night time, during the day i understand). Maybe it’s cause I live in VA and am used to free parking lots, or maybe its just cause im cheap haha.
Anyways, I came here to park for one of the capitals games since I was too late to take the metro and get to the game on time. What was awesome is you only had to pay 10 dollars for parking 2 – 5 hours. Sometimes on the weekend, or last year during the playoffs they raised it to 15 (booooooooooooooo). But $ 10 is hard to beat (all the nearby garages cost $ 20).
What’s awesome about this place is they have attendants to direct the traffic and cars were flowing out easily. I hate when im in other garages around verizon center and it takes FOREVER to get out. Something is also a lot less claustrophobic about being in a lot outside and I was impressed by their efficiency. The other great thing is if you are headed back to VA you come out on 9^th street so all you have to do is drive a few blocks to 395.
They get some brownie points for realizing i accidentally gave them $ 15 instead of $ 10. The man ran me down to give me back the $ 5 rather than just pocketing it. That’s awesome in my book.

This is that big honking pay parking lot over by the Washington DC Convention Center — it’s conveniently located — close of course to the Washington DC Convention Center. But I’ve parked here when visiting many other places nearby — including the recent Unilocal event at The Space, Fados Irish Pub, the U.S. Mint, the Renaissance Hotel, and China Town.
They’ve done something interesting with the pavement in this lot — embedded in the asphalt is a sparkling, glittery smattering of vivid blue and green crystals or glass. You’d think it would be sharp or something and might slice your shoes or tires — but it does not. But it looks really cool — especially when its glittering in the sun!