25 Worst Parking Lots in Montgomery County (2023 Edition)

Everyone has had their share of terrible experiences in MoCo parking lots, and while there are more than 25 “bad” parking lots, we’ve narrowed down a list (in no particular order) of what may be the worst based on our experiences and comments left by readers throughout the years.

Costco (Gaithersburg)
The original “Worst Parking Lots in MoCo” article was inspired by Fox 5’s Jim Lokay when he tweeted “What is the most lawless frontier in the DC region and why is it the parking lot at the Gaithersburg Costco?”  The Gaithersburg location has the strangest layout and most people don’t use the underground portion of the lot.
Reader comment: “The Costco in Gaithersburg is the 7th circle of hell”

Woodmoor Shopping Center (Silver Spring)
One of the oldest shopping centers in MoCo can also be one of the most problematic. Though you can park in the back (it also gets full), we all hope for the best and try to make it into that front triangle parking lot. This shopping center features a Chipotle, CVS, and Starbucks.

Rio AMC (Gaithersburg)
Everyone’s favorite garage at Rio, most people prefer to try to find a spot at the very bottom of the lot so they can walk out by Guapo’s.  Click here to see our “Where to Park (and where not to park) at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg” guide. 

Norbeck Center (Rockville)
This center has several incredibly popular restaurants (Full On & Big Greek Café) and only a handful of parking spots. Full On has even devoted of a portion of their website (www.fulloncraft.com/parking/) to helping guests with the parking situation. “While there are only a few spots in front of Full On, the lot in front of White’s Hardware Store is public space. 46 spots are open to the public at all times. Follow the sidewalk that runs parallel to Norbeck Rd which takes you directly to our door!”
Reader comment: “Omg I was just at the norbeck parking lot for big Greek yesterday and I wanted to end it all. It is by far the most complicated parking lot. You HAVE to know how to drive to park there “

Chick-Fil-A (Germantown)
The traffic for this Chick-Fil-A’s drive thru on Century Blvd is so bad that it often times closes all lanes of the parking lot. This center also has a Carrabba’s, Panera, Taco Bell, Walgreen’s, and the Germantown Transit Center.
Reader comment: “Definitely Chick Filet and the Dutch Market in Germantown. I’d put them on a regional and national list, too! “

Wheaton Park
With H-Mart, the Dollar Store, and AutoZone all next to each other, it’s no surprise that this parking lot is one of the worst in the area. The lot is also known for its very narrow lanes.

Every Trader Joe’s
Federal Plaza in Rockville has been one of the busiest parking lots for as long as we can remember. Trader Joe’s doesn’t help. The same goes for every other Trader Joe’s location in the county. Some say they do it on purpose so that they can increase the amount of customers during their off-peak hours.

Fallsgrove (Rockville)
The biggest issue is getting in and getting out. When those lines start to form it seems like nobody knows who’s supposed to go? This shopping center includes Bethesda Bagels, Mama Lucia’s, Poyoteca, Safeway, and Starbuck’s. Fallsgrove is also across the street from Shady Grove Hospital.
Reader comment: “Fallsgrove is the worst. Funnel everyone in thru one spot and no one knows who goes first.”

Shady Grove Home Depot (Gaithersburg)
“Leaving Home Depot Gaithersburg #2550 off this list is a major oversight” was just one of the dozens of comments we received about the Home Depot at 15740 Shady Grove Rd when we posted the 2021 list.

Costco (Wheaton Plaza)
The Costco at Wheaton Mall opened in 2013 and the parking lot has been packed ever since. In addition to the normal craziness of a Costco lot there’s the added bonus of a shopping mall.

Gaithersburg Commuter Bus Stop/Park & Ride 
Several readers mentioned the Park & Ride stop that’s located on West Diamond Ave in Gaithersburg, with one writing, “will take you a good 20 minutes to get out of the lot during rush hour.”

Olney Gardens
Olney Village Center and Fair Hill are also bad, but Olney Gardens is narrower and we think it squeaks out the victory of the Olney parking lots because if that. This shopping center includes Cava Mezze, Cafe Rio, and CVS.

Flagship Shopping Center (Rockville)
Flagship is located on Rockville Pike across from the Great Wall Supermarket.  With restaurants like Pho 75, Thai Cuisine, and China Bistro, there’s good reason parking is always tight.

Gaithersburg Square
The revitalized shopping center now features Chipotle, Claire’s, CVS, Five Below, Marhsalls, Oak Barrel & Vine (Montgomery County Liquor), Panera, and &Pizza and is one of the busies in the county. Click here to see a list of businesses that are coming soon to the center.  
Reader comment: “I agree 100% with Gaithersburg Square where Marshall’s is located as the worst. In a minute they will have to re-do that circle. It’s a complete mess trying to get around that.”

Montgomery Village Center 
What was once considered a “dead” shopping center, this parking lot has seen a huge increase in traffic ever since Aldi opened up next to Big Lots in 2020. In the past year we’ve seen Hangry Joe’s, Kobe Japan, and Starbucks also open. Baskin Robbins and a laundromat are expected to open by the end of the year.

Leisure World (Silver Spring)
The closer to Giant you get, the better your chances of a bad experience. We try to park far away and get our steps in when we head to the Leisure World shopping center.

Germantown Square
You have to just park up by Dairy Queen and walk, but we always have high hopes and look for something better when we get there. Lots of spaces, but tends to get pretty full when you want to be there. The Lancaster Dutch Market and Outback Steakhouse are the main attractions in this center.

Cabin John Village (Potomac)
The addition of the fast-casuals on the one side allows traffic to hit you from every angle. Construction didn’t help things recently either. Never a fun time when it’s busy. This massive shopping center includes Colony Pizza, CVS, Dunkin, Giant, and Gregorio’s Italian Restaurant.

Firstfield Shopping Center (Gaithersburg)
The Starbucks drive-thru in this center is so busy that the line of cars often extends outside of the parking lot and on to the main road. The center also includes Einstein Bagels, Roaming Rooster, and Jimmy John’s.

Manhattan Pizza/Upcounty Beer & Wine (Clarksburg)
A very tight spot that makes it almost impossible to get in and out of. We suggest parking on the opposite end near the Subway. On a side note, definitely try the gelato at Manhattan!

Germantown Plaza 
Whether it’s the people double parking to run into Little Caesars for pizza, or trying to find a place to park in the back alley for Planet Fitness, both sides of this shopping center are a mess.

Aspen Hill Shopping Center
There’s a lot going on so it could take a long time to get from one end to the other. Heading to McDonald’s? That’ll make it even worse. The shopping center include Chipotle, Giant, Panera, and Wingstop.

Lowe’s Parking lot (Kentlands)
The four way stop in the Kentlands is pretty bad, but it’s not a parking lot, so we’re gonna go with Lowe’s here. There can be 11 cars parked yet somehow 378 people are walking to and from the parking lot at all times. Shake Shack has also recently been added to area.

Wildwood Shopping Center (Bethesda)
The truck is to park in the back, but those can fill up too, and let’s be honest…we always think we’ll find something in the front. These short parking columns are the stuff nightmares are made of.

Every Whole Foods
Just like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods seem to bring out the worst in people in the parking lots. Silver Spring and River Rd. are our two least favorite parking lots, but the Kentlands and Rockville/N. Bethesda isn’t far behind.

Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.