Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Understand
Gaithersburg was settled in 1765 for agricultural purposes. It grew into a town after the opening of a stop on the B&O Railroad in 1872; however, the area remained predominately rural until the 1970s. It is now famous for being the site of the headquarters of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Get in
Map of Gaithersburg
By plane
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI IATA) is a 45 minute drive from Gaithersburg. It is also accessible via ICC Bus 201.
Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA IATA) is a 35 minute drive from Gaithersburg and is accessible via the Metrorail.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD IATA) is a 40 minute drive from Gaithersburg but takes significantly longer using public transportation.
- 1 Montgomery County Airpark (GAI IATA), 7940 Airpark Dr, ☏ 1 301 963-7100, 1 877 435-9424. Serves private planes only.
By train
MARC offers service to/from Union Station in Washington, D.C. as well as service to/from Rockville, Germantown, Frederick, and Harpers Ferry via its Brunswick line. The schedule is geared towards commuters with relatively few trains during midday and on weekends. 2 Gaithersburg station is located at 5 S Summit Ave.
By bus
RideOn Bus operates service between Gaithersburg and other locations in Montgomery County, including Rockville, Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.
By car
From D.C. and the south or west take the Capital Beltway (I-495) to Interstate 270 North. Exits 8, 9, 10, and 11 serve Gaithersburg.
Get around
By car
A car is best used to get around the city. The local public bus system, RideOn Bus, can be used if traveling along major routes.
See
- 1 [dead link]Gaithersburg Community Museum, 9 South Summit Avenue, ☏ 1 301 258-6160, ✉[email protected]. Tu-Sa: 10AM-3PM. In the 1884 B&O Railroad Station complex.
Do
Parks
- 1 Seneca Creek State Park, 11950 Clopper Rd, ☏ 1 301 924 2127. A 6,300-acre historic park featuring hiking/mountain biking trails, a lake where visitors can rent canoes or paddle boats and go fishing, picnic areas, and hunting for deer and other game. Scenes from the movie The Blair Witch Project were filmed within the park boundaries.
- 2 [dead link]Water Park at Bohrer Park, 512 S Frederick Ave, ☏ 1 301 258-6445. Features a 250-foot water slide. Residents: $5.75; Non-residents: $10-16.
- 3 Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Rd, ☏ 1 301 948-5053.
Festivals and events
- 4 The Montgomery County Fair, ☏ 1 301 926-3100. June and July. Features Maryland farm and livestock displays, rides, and carnival attractions.
- 5 [dead link]Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade, Downtown Gaithersburg. September. Fire trucks, bands, ethnic dance groups, antique cars, and giant ballons. Free parking in the Olde Towne garage, located at corner of Olde Towne and South Summit Avenues. free.
- 6 Gaithersburg Book Festival, Gaithersburg City Hall, 31 South Summit Ave. May. Features more than 100 nationally known authors and includes book signings, writing workshops, cooking demonstrations, children's activities, and food trucks.
Buy
- 1 Lakeforest Mall, 701 Russell Ave. H&M, Macy's, JC Penney, Bath & Body Works, and more.
- 2 Washingtonian Center, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd. Outdoor shopping center with restaurants. Includes Target, Barnes & Noble, Dick's Sporting Goods, Kohl's, and more. Can rent paddleboats on the lake during warm weather.
- 3 Wonderbook, 15976 Shady Grove Rd, ☏ 1 301 977-9166. 10AM-7PM. Used books, DVDs, video games, CDs, and large collection of used records for sale.
- 4 Downtown Crown, Sam Eig Highway at Fields Road (off I-270 (exit 8 Fields Rd)), ☏ 1 301 657-0700. Vibrant walkable downtown neighborhood in a suburban setting with numerous restaurants, bars, shops, and green space.
Eat
- Barking Mad Cafe, 239 Spectrum Ave, ☏ 1 240 297-6230. Open kitchen.
- Buca di Beppo, 122 Kentlands Blvd, ☏ 1 301 947-7346. Italian, family style restaurant. 92 locations nationwide.
- Coastal Flats, 135 Crown Park Ave, ☏ 1 301 869-8800. Steak, seafood & pasta.
- Copper Canyon Grill, 100 Boardwalk Pl, ☏ 1 240 631-0003. Known for its rotisserie chicken.
- Neal's Bagels, 12141 Darnestown Road, ☏ 1 301 216-0070. Excellent homemade bagels and all the other good stuff to go with them.
- New Fortune, 16515 South Frederick Ave (north of I-370, in the Walnut Hill shopping center), ☏ 1 301 548-8886. Su-Th 11AM-1AM; F-Sa 11AM-2AM; Dim Sum served daily 11AM-3PM. One of the best Chinese restaurants in the Washington area, serving Dim Sum along with delicacies like sea cucumber and abalone.
- Outta the Way Cafe, ☏ 1 301 963-6895. As the name would suggest, this is way out of the way from downtown Gaithersburg.
- Paladar, 203 Crown Park Ave, ☏ 1 301 330-4400. Latin eatery & rum bar.
- Pho Nam, 15942 Shady Grove Rd, ☏ 1 240 632-9500. Mon-Sun. 11AM - 8PM. Small Vietnamese restaurant with excellent pho. under $10.
- Red, Hot & Blue, 16811 Crabbs Branch Way, ☏ 1 301 948-7333. Memphis pit barbecue. 22 locations nationwide.
- Sardi's, 430 N Frederick Ave, ☏ 1 301 977-3222. Peruvian chicken.
- Ted's Montana Grill, 105 Ellington Blvd, ☏ 1 301 330-0777. Known for its bison burgers.
- Thai Express Restaurant, 351 Kentlands Blvd, ☏ 1 301 337-6166. Thai food.
- Tortacos, 9629 Lost Knife Rd, ☏ 1 240 632-9423. Family-owned taqueria.
- Vasilis Mediterranean Grill, 353 Main St, ☏ 1 240 977-1011. Greek food made from scratch.
- Ziki Japanese Steakhouse, 10009 Fields Rd, ☏ 1 301 330-3868. Hibatchi tables and sushi
- Yuraku Japanese Restaurant, 19773 Frederick Rd, ☏ 1 301-515-7448. Excellent sushi and Japanese cuisine
Drink
- 1 Dogfish Head Ale House, 800 West Diamond Ave, ☏ 1 301 963-4847. This bar is popular with the happy hour crowd from the many local biotechnology companies. It features award-winning beer and a wide and varied menu.
- 2 iRock Karaoke Lounge, 15964 Shady Grove Rd, ☏ 1 301 355-6177. Private karaoke rooms. Beer, sake, and Asian food.
- 3 Old Town Pour House, 212 Ellington Blvd, ☏ 1 301 963-6281. 90 craft brews.
- 4 [formerly dead link]Peppers Taco & Wine Bar, 216 Market St W, ☏ 1 301 888-1049. 90 craft brews.
- 5 [dead link]Shishababa's House of Hookah, 8600 Zetts Ave, ☏ 1 301 820-8200.
- 6 [dead link]Union Jack's British Pub, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd, ☏ 1 240 780-7139. Billiards, darts, and live music.
- [dead link]Greene Growlers, 227 E. Diamond Ave., ☏ 1 240 261-6196. Restaurant, craft brewery and whiskey bar in Olde Town. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Sleep
- Comfort Inn Shady Grove - Gaithersburg - Rockville, 16216 N Frederick Rd, ☏ 1 301 330-0023.
- Courtyard Gaithersburg Washingtonian Center, 204 Boardwalk Place, ☏ 1 301 527-9000. 210-rooms.
- Extended Stay America - Washington D.C. - Gaithersburg - South, 201 Professional Dr, ☏ 1 301 963-3539.
- Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center, 9751 Washingtonian Blvd, ☏ 1 301 590-0044.
- Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg, 620 Perry Pkwy, ☏ 1 301 977-8900. Free shuttle service within a 5-mile radius.
- Homewood Suites Gaithersburg, 805 Russell Ave, ☏ 1 301 670-0008.
- [dead link]Hyatt House Gaithersburg, 200 Skidmore Blvd, ☏ 1 301 527-6000. $90-$400.
- [dead link]Motel 6 Washington DC - Gaithersburg, 497 Quince Orchard Rd, ☏ 1 301 977-3311.
- Residence Inn Gaithersburg Washingtonian Center, 9721 Washingtonian Blvd, ☏ 1 301 590-3003.
- SpringHill Suites Gaithersburg, 9715 Washingtonian Blvd, ☏ 1 301 987-0900.
- TownePlace Suites Gaithersburg, 212 Perry Pkwy, ☏ 1 301 590-2300.
- Tusculum Farm, 4601 Damascus Rd, toll-free: 1 833 733-2276, ✉[email protected].
Go next
- Rockville
- Frederick
- Germantown
- Washington, D.C. About 25 minutes south via Interstate 270 or Metro.
| Routes through Gaithersburg |
| Frederick ← Germantown ← | W  E | → Rockville → Washington, D.C. |
| END ← | N  S | → Rockville → East End, Washington |
| Martinsburg ← Germantown ← | NW  SE | → Rockville → Washington, D.C. |