Major city · United States
Gaithersburg
Skip as a base unless you have a reason to be here (family, NIST, cheap hotel): 1 night, or use it as a car-based stop 25 min from Washington, DC.
Gaithersburg is a Montgomery County suburb of about 70,000 people, 25 minutes north of Washington, DC by car via I-270. It has a small historic Olde Towne, a rail station on the MARC Brunswick line, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) headquarters. Most travellers pass through; those who stay come for cheaper hotels, family visits or the county fair.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid)
- Airports
- BWI · DCA · IAD · GAI
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Gaithersburg911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Gaithersburg, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyStandard US precautions: traffic on I-270 and Frederick Road, summer heat and thunderstorms, and unlit strip-mall car parks at night.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportBWI Baltimore-Washington International (About 45 min by car; also served by the ICC Bus 201).
- Getting aroundA car is the practical way to move around; RideOn buses cover the main corridors but run on commuter schedules.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee2026 estimate$3–6
- Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, per person before tax and tip2026 estimate$20–45
- Street or quick mealBagel sandwich2026 estimate$6–10
- BeerDraught beer in a bar2026 estimate$6–9
- Metro or bus rideRideOn bus ride$2
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
- Budget bedSuite or extended-stay room (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$150
- Mid-range bedBudget motel room, a night, per roomUS$110
- High-end bedBudget motel room, a night, per roomUS$150
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$110 · High US$200
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- BWI Baltimore-Washington International (About 45 min by car; also served by the ICC Bus 201) · DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National (About 35 min by car; reachable by Metrorail but slower) · IAD Washington Dulles International (About 40 min by car; public transport takes much longer) · GAI Montgomery County Airpark (Non-commercial: private planes only, no scheduled airline service)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
not flagged
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
Feb
not flagged
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Mar
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Apr
Best
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
May
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Jun
Best
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Jul
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Aug
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Sep
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Oct
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Nov
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Dec
not flagged
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Best: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)), coolest Jan (−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C) low), wettest May (10 rain days), driest Feb (7). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Gaithersburg: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
8 rd
Feb
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
7 rd
Mar
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
9 rd
Apr
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
9 rd
May
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
10 rd
Jun
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
10 rd
Jul
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10 rd
Aug
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
9 rd
Sep
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
8 rd
Oct
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
7 rd
Nov
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
8 rd
Dec
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
8 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
A car is the practical way to move around; RideOn buses cover the main corridors but run on commuter schedules. Metrorail's Red Line ends at Shady Grove, just south of the city. MARC's Brunswick line stops at Gaithersburg and Metropolitan Grove, but trains are geared to commuters with few midday services and none on weekends.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 40–60 min by car; about 50 min by MARC (check)
I-270 south to the Capital Beltway, or MARC Brunswick line to Union Station on weekdays
MARC has no weekend service: drive or use Metrorail from Shady Grove.
Rockville
goDoor to door: About 15–20 min
I-270 south, or MARC Brunswick line
Town centre with restaurants and the county seat.
Germantown
goDoor to door: About 15 min
I-270 north, or MARC Brunswick line
Mostly residential; useful if you are already on the MARC line.
Bethesda
goDoor to door: About 30–40 min
I-270 south to I-495, or RideOn bus
Downtown dining and the Red Line.
Silver Spring
cautionDoor to door: About 35–45 min
I-270 south to I-495, or RideOn bus
Better reached from DC than from Gaithersburg.
Wheaton
cautionDoor to door: About 40–50 min
I-270 south to I-495, or RideOn bus
Long for a half-day; combine with Silver Spring.
Takoma Park
cautionDoor to door: About 40–50 min
I-270 south to I-495, or RideOn bus
Small historic district; better from DC.
Olney
cautionDoor to door: About 30 min
Car via MD-124 and MD-108
No rail link; car only.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Washingtonian Center
Lakeside shopping and restaurant complex off I-270 exit 8; most of the chain hotels are here.
Olde Towne
Historic core around South Summit Avenue and the MARC station; walkable, few beds.
Shady Grove / Frederick Road
Budget and extended-stay motels along the Frederick Road corridor; car needed.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- $60–100 excl. bed
- Mid
- $100–180 excl. bed
- High
- $180+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid-range chain hotel room1 × 1 night × US$160 | US$160 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$110 | US$220 |
| RideOn bus fare, one ride2 × US$2 · 2026 estimate | US$4 |
| MARC Brunswick line, Gaithersburg to Washington Union Station2 × US$9 · 2026 estimate | US$18 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 | US$30 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$43 |
| Trip total≈ US$238 per person per day, bed included | US$475 |
2026 estimate
2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax and tips extra. Lodging and food costs vary; confirm rates for your dates. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee2026 estimate | $3–6 |
| Bagel sandwich2026 estimate | $6–10 |
| Pho or a bowl of noodles2026 estimate | $10–16 |
| Dim sum, per person2026 estimate | $15–30 |
| Sit-down dinner, per person before tax and tip2026 estimate | $20–45 |
| Draught beer in a bar2026 estimate | $6–9 |
| RideOn bus ride | $2 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- MARC Brunswick line has no weekend service and few midday trains: check the timetable before relying on it.
- Many sights and restaurants sit in strip malls along Frederick Road and Shady Grove Road: plan by car, not on foot.
- Summer heat and humidity in Jul–Aug; afternoon thunderstorms are common.
- Prices are shown before sales tax; tipping 18–22% is expected at sit-down restaurants.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
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GaithersburgGaithersburg
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Embassy
No embassies in Gaithersburg; national embassies are in Washington, DC, about 25 min south.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- MARC Gaithersburg → Washington Union Station: About $9 one way; journey time check.
- RideOn bus, one ride: Fare check.
Say or show
- Thank you — Thank you
- Where is the Metro station? — Where is the Metro station?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
- To this address, please — To this address, please
English is the working language; Spanish is widely understood in shops and restaurants along Frederick Road.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gaithersburg. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid) · month by month →
- 4 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 8 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for BWI, DCA and IAD: last MARC and Metrorail departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Olde Towne and the MARC station, Washingtonian Center, Shady Grove and Frederick Road.
- Place pages with verified hours (Community Museum, Seneca Creek State Park, Water Park at Bohrer Park) and eat pages with last orders.
- MARC weekend and midday gaps flagged as hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
- officialCity of Gaithersburg official site
- officialMontgomery County RideOn bus routes and schedules
- officialMaryland MARC train service
- officialSeneca Creek State Park (Maryland DNR)
- officialMontgomery County Agricultural Fair
- officialGaithersburg Book Festival
- secondaryWikivoyage: Gaithersburg, revision 5332051 (CC BY-SA 4.0)