Most people have faced frustrating experiences in Montgomery County parking lots. Based on our own observations and years of reader feedback, we’ve put together a list of some of the worst offenders (in no particular order).
Costco (Gaithersburg): As we do each year, we have to start with the Gaithersburg Costco. The original “Worst Parking Lots in MoCo” article was inspired by Fox 5’s Jim Lokay, who tweeted, “What is the most lawless frontier in the DC region and why is it the parking lot at the Gaithersburg Costco?” A section of the lot has been under construction for the past year, making it even worse. Reader comment: “The Costco in Gaithersburg is the 7th circle of hell.”
Plaza Del Mercado (Layhill/Silver Spring): Home to Aldi, LA Fitness, and CVS, Plaza Del Mercado’s omission from previous versions of this list sparked public outrage. According to reader comments, “Plaza del Mercado is dangerous to get in and out of, the parking spaces are small, and the center islands are unnecessarily large without sidewalks, making it difficult to walk safely to the shops.”
Every Trader Joe’s: Some speculate that Trader Joe’s intentionally selects locations with limited parking to drive customer traffic during off-peak hours. Montgomery County locations include:
- 7900 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda
- 10741 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring (Shoppes of Burnt Mills)
- 12268-H Rockville Pike, Rockville (Federal Plaza)
- 10076 Darnestown Rd, Rockville (Travilah Square)
Last month, we reported that Trader Joe’s will open at 225 N. Washington St. in Rockville Town Square, taking over the former Dawson’s Market space, which closed this summer after twelve years. Based on Facebook comments, readers are anticipating similar parking challenges:
“I believe parking will be hell when it opens around there.”
“Very limited parking in Town Square, so I’ll probably keep shopping at a different TJs location!”
“There’s nowhere to park! So I get to drag my shopping cart to the garage a block away?”
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.”
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.
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!”
Germantown Square: You won’t see a busier parking lot in MoCo than on a Friday afternoon when people flock to the Lancaster Dutch Market for fried chicken and hotdog stuffed pretzels. Outback Steakhouse leaving has helped this parking lot a bit.
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.
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.
Glenmont Shopping Center
Originally built in 1952, the Glenmont Shopping Center, known for its iconic “Arcade” sign, holds fond memories for county residents who grew up between the 1950s and 1990s. Today, however, its know simply as a terrible place to park.
Montgomery Village Center: Once deemed a “dead” shopping center, Montgomery Village Center has experienced a significant surge in traffic since the openings of Aldi and Starbucks. Currently, construction is underway for the addition of over 80 townhomes within the center.
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.
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.
Cabin John Village (Potomac): The addition of the fast-casuals on the one side allows traffic to hit you from every angle. Never a fun time when it’s busy. This massive shopping center includes Colony Pizza, CVS, Dunkin, Giant, and Gregorio’s Italian Restaurant.
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. An upcoming Clarksburg Chick-Fil-A may help a little bit.
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 includes Chipotle, Giant, Panera, and Wingstop.
Wildwood Shopping Center (Bethesda): The trick 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. This center includes Balducci’s, CVS, and Starbucks.
Potomac Village: Featuring Potomac Pizza and Five Guys, the parking situation in front of the Giant Grocery store is especially problematic.
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.