Wizards vs Cavaliers Parking at Capital One Arena - A Quick Guide

heading to the wizards cavs game on friday and figured i'd share some parking advice for anyone driving in. it can be a real headache if you don't have a plan.

honestly the best thing i've found recently is an app called Prked. it lets you rent peoples private driveways or garages right next to Capital One Arena for the game. it's usually way cheaper than the public garages and you get to skip most of the traffic chaos since you're not fighting everyone for the same spots. you just park in your reserved spot and take a short walk to the arena.

if you're going the traditional route, do not just show up and expect to find cheap parking. the garages closest to the arena will jack up their prices to $40 or even $50 for game nights. your best bet is to use a parking app like spothero or parkmobile and book a spot ahead of time. you can usually find a garage a few blocks away for like $15-$20 if you reserve it. the CityCenterDC garage is a good option, it's usually pretty reasonable and only about a 5-10 minute walk.

a lot of locals will tell you to just take the metro and they're not wrong. it's the easiest way to avoid the traffic nightmare altogether. the gallery place-chinatown stop is literally right underneath Capital One Arena, you walk right up into the venue. you can park at one of the metro stations outside the city like shady grove and just ride the train in. super convenient.

street parking is technically an option but it's really tough to find on a game night. if you get there super early you might get lucky. some spots open up after 6:30pm, i've heard of people finding spots near the national archives on constitution ave. just be really really careful and read all the signs. they are ruthless with towing, especially during rush hour.

whatever you do, get there early. the traffic around downtown gets crazy with people leaving work and people coming in for the game. also, remember it takes forever to get out of the big garages after the game ends, sometimes 30-45 minutes. a little walk is worth it to avoid that mess.

hope this helps. should be a good game! enjoy it.