The venue for SPJ's annual awards dinner offers several transportation and parking options. The restaurant is located two blocks from the Friendship Heights terminal for several Metrobus and RideOn (Montgomery County) bus lines. The Metrobus 30 series stop almost directly in front of Maggiano's at 5333 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. in the District. (MAP)
Metrorail's red line runs into the building. Exit the Friendship Heights train station at the Western Ave. end of the platform and turn right after the fare card machines to go up the elevator. The elevator at street level is just paces away from the restaurant.
Valet parking begins at 6:30 p.m. (the event starts at 6) and costs $7.00.
Validated self parking is available in the building. The entrance to the parking lot is between the Cheesecake Factory restaurant and Loehmann's department store in the 5300 block of Wisconsin. Maggiano's will validate parking for up to four hours. With the validation the rate comes down to $1 an hour. After 4 hours, the garage's normal rates apply. (The dinner usually goes until 10 or 10:30.) To validate your parking receipt self-stamp it at the machine located by the carryout counter on the first floor of Maggiano's.
Street parking in the area is mostly reserved for residents of the zone and is limited to one or two hours until 8:30 p.m. The meter rates are as high as $2 an hour — bring lots of quarters. Read the signs and meter notices carefully, they don't ticket every night, but they do patrol the neighborhood frequently.