Drive or Metro to the Black Cat?

April 4, 2007 5:26 AM

DCfilter: Going to a show at the Black Cat on Friday, coming from the MD suburbs (G'burg). Better to drive or take Metro?

I've lived in the DC metro area for 5 or 6 years now, but I've never made it downtown to see a show (yes, I am lame). I'm going to the Black Cat on Friday night, and I'm wondering if I should drive or take the Metro (which would be from the Shady Grove Red line stop, if that matters). I'm trying to weigh the "leaving early to catch the last Metro train would suck" factor versus the "driving and parking in DC generally sucks" factor, and would appreciate any advice.

posted by genehack to travel & transportation around Washington, DC (12 answers total)

I wasn't aware the Metro came anywhere near the Black Cat, but then I haven't taken the Metro in a great while...

However, the last metro train leaves around 2 AM on weekends, so you might not miss too much.

Parking around the Black Cat isn't the best, but you can generally find a spot within relative vicinity of the club, so long as you're comfortable with parallel parking. Then again, I advise most anyone to do what they can to get rid of the "Driving In DC" boogeyman as quickly as possible

(Myself included, I was once trepidatious about driving there too)
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 5:38 AM on April 4, 2007

The Metro doesn't come all that close to the cat but you can comfortably walk from U st metro (or even Dupont) if the weather isn't too atrocious. Which it shouldn't be, though not as nice as it was yesterday, according to Capital Weather.

Personally I'd metro so I could get as liquored up as I liked, but I'm a drunk. You can find parking in the area, though it can be tough sometimes. Just leave plenty of time.
posted by phearlez at 5:58 AM on April 4, 2007

Metro. I live not far from there and can personally attest that parking is pretty terrible around U St. on a Friday night and issuing parking tickets is one thing that DC actually does very efficiently.

According to DCrails (a generally very useful site for DC area residents and I've never understood why google maps don't automatically include metro stations) the Black Cat is .36 miles from U.

And the DC Metro site give more info on schedules.

Have fun.
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 6:38 AM on April 4, 2007

Parking in DC on weekends sucks. You should definitely take the metro.

By the way...Metro trains run until 3 am on weekends now, not 2 am. See http://www.wmata.com/timetables/rail/Weekends.pdf

Enjoy the show!
posted by clpage at 7:02 AM on April 4, 2007

Yeah, what's this crap about the metro not coming that close? There's two exits from the U street station. One is at 10th/U, the other is at 13th/U. Get out at the 13th street side, walk 1/4 block to 14th. Turn left, walk 1.5 blocks to the Black Cat. Walking from DuPoint would be a mistake. Don't do it, even though it's on the better line for you. Incidentally, the last train leaves U St. at 2:52am (towards Gallery Place to catch your last connection), and the last train leaves Gallery Place towards Shady Grove at 3:02am.

Actually, just drive it. It'll be faster (what isn't faster than Metro), and while parking isn't a cakewalk on Friday nights, you should be able to find a place within the square bordered by 10th/15th/V/R., all of which make a 4 block walk or less. I usually have great luck on T between 14th and 12th. There's an elementary school back there, and usually a few places.
posted by god hates math at 7:07 AM on April 4, 2007

I'd say drive it because parking isn't that bad there. I drive from Baltimore quite often and the Metro quits much too early.
posted by youcancallmeal at 8:23 AM on April 4, 2007

If you do drive, just make sure you don't leave anything enticing visible in your car, be it a bag, a cd case, or whatever. Most likely nothing will happen, but there has been a spate of car windows being broken in the general area of late.
posted by inigo2 at 9:01 AM on April 4, 2007

Metro isn't far at all, maybe four blocks. But it's really a toss up -- just depends on how late you want to be out versus whether you want to stay sober enough to drive. Even on weekends you can usually find parking without too much effort, and crime in that neighborhood hasn't really been a problem for years. So do what you feel...
posted by Heminator at 9:06 AM on April 4, 2007

a generally very useful site for DC area residents and I've never understood why google maps don't automatically include metro stations

Actually they started including them about two months ago, though they seem fuzzy on where the Pentagon is. The google maps link on the Black Cat website shows the location of the U St metro stop.

And I disagree with god hates math on both counts - the walk from Dupont is quite nice, if longer than U st, and don't drive if you're going to be drinking at all - I don't believe the council ever overrode that idiotic provision where a cranky DC cop can charge you even if you blow .02.
posted by phearlez at 9:24 AM on April 4, 2007

I live really close -- parking may take a while (friends usually drive around anywhere between 0 and 30 minutes looking for a spot on the weekend), but they always find one (in my experience it's usually easier east of 14th street and further south). The metro's super easy and the walk is perfectly safe -- four blocks from U street, I think, and is open really late on weekend nights. The Dupont metro might be easier for you -- get out on the north side, walk east for 6 blocks or so, and you're basically right in front of the black cat. Have fun!
posted by echo0720 at 9:42 AM on April 4, 2007

are you going to see lucero? cause that show is going to be awesome.

and if youre going to see lucero, you should really kick back a few pints of pabst and several glasses of whiskey. and that means you shouldnt drive.

take the metro. wont take you much longer, you dont have to worry about parking, which, on a friday, can take 30 minutes or more in that area (especially for those inexperienced with finding parking in that neighborhood), your trip will be relaxing, and you wont have to worry about your car being broken into, and oh - gas/maintenance/depreciation will probably be more exspensive than buying a farecard.

(maybe i'll see you at the show!)
posted by kneelconqueso at 2:12 PM on April 4, 2007

@clpage: ah, i didn't realize they'd extended to 3am -- that makes things easier, much less chance of needing to leave early.

@kneelconqueso - yeah, it's the lucero show, and i'm really looking forward to it.

thanks everybody!
posted by genehack at 5:05 PM on April 4, 2007