Getting to the Race

Click Here for course maps and staging areas. 

Take Metro!

• 5K: Metrorail opens at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, 2027. This makes taking Metro an option for getting to the 5K on Saturday since the 5K does not start until 9:15 a.m. The Metro Center stop, which serves the Red, Orange, Silver, and Blue lines, is a short walk from the staging area on Pennsylvania Avenue.

• 10 Mile: In 2026, Metrorail generously opened at 5:00 a.m. on 10 Mile race morning, and we hope that they will do the same in 2027. The Smithsonian stop on the Orange, Silver, and Blue lines is one block from the staging area on the Washington Monument Grounds. Customers can also consider using Federal Triangle nearby, which is also on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, or L’Enfant Plaza on the Green and Yellow lines just a short walk away.

Other Options for Getting to the Race Starts

We highly recommend taking Metro to get to the race, but below are some other suggestions on how to get to the 5K and 10 Mile race starts. Parking is always at a premium and streets that are part of the race course will be closed. We suggest that you consider other alternatives to driving to the race, but if you decide to drive, arrive early.

Parking with SpotHero

You will be able to book convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the nation's leading parking reservations app. All parking lots and garages on SpotHero are pay lots.

• 5K Parking with SpotHero

Details on reserving your parking spot for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 5K will be posted here when they become available.

• 10 Mile Parking with SpotHero

Details on reserving your parking spot for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile will be posted here when they become available.

Park Your Bike with Bike Valet DMV

Bike Valet DMV will provide a secure bike and scooter valet service on Saturday, April 3 on Pennsylvania Ave. and Sunday, April 4 on the Washington Monument grounds. This service is free to participants. You may NOT leave any belongings attached to your bike other than your helmet, which can be left hanging from the bike frame. If you want to leave any other belongings, you will need to place them in the clear plastic bag you will be given at packet pickup and then take it to the bag check area on race morning.

5K:

• • Date: Saturday, April 3
  • Times: 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
  • Location: Pennsylvania Ave.
  • Spots Available: 75
  • Cost: Free
  • Reservations are not required, but will guarantee you a spot. To make a reservation, use the link below. You will need to create a BVDMV account and upload a photo of you or your bike. To make a reservation for bike parking at the 5K race morning, click the button below and select the appropriate race from the grid.

10 Mile:

• • Sunday, April 4
  • Times: 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
  • Location: 17th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW, adjacent to the Lockkeepers House
  • Spots Available: 500
  • Cost: Free
  • Reservations are not required, but will guarantee you a spot. To make a reservation, use the link below. You will need to create a BVDMV account and upload a photo of you or your bike. To make a reservation for bike parking at the 10 Mile race morning, click the button below and select the appropriate race from the grid.

Capital Bike Share: There are numerous Capital Bike Share Docks surrounding the 10 Mile. The closest Capital Bike Share Docks to the 5K start are at 15th and Pennsylvania Ave., NW, or 14th and D St., NW. Should you want to use Capital Bike Share for either race, Bike Valet DMV will happily look after your helmet during your race. There is no need to make a reservation. Just ride, dock and leave your helmet with the BVDMV team.

Other Ways to Get to the 10 Mile

• Click Here for a map that shows all of the metered DC parking in the city.  Please note that meter parking is controlled by the city and this can change at any time.
• Here is link to some general parking information in DC:  http://dcparking.org/dc-street-parking/
• Use Uber or Lyft.  To ease congestion, we ask that people coming from Maryland or DC program in "17th and Constitution Ave., NW" as their destination. People coming from the south (Virginia) should program in 17th and Independence Ave., SW. ( Please note that 15th St. will be closed between Constitution Ave. and Independence Ave. starting at 1 am on Sunday, April 12.) Other streets on the course will start to shut down at 7:00 a.m. So, please plan to arrive early.
• WMATA has an app and trip planner. If you plan to bus: https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/index.cfm

Plan on arriving early!