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GreenbeltGreenbelt, Maryland

Give Greenbelt one night, two at most: a New Deal planned town, NASA Goddard and Greenbelt Park, 25–40 min from DC by Metro.

Greenbelt is a 1937 New Deal planned community in Prince George's County, Maryland, built as a cooperative town and still run that way. Old Greenbelt is walkable and holds the museum, the 1938 cinema and Roosevelt Center; NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center sits inside the city limits, and Greenbelt Park is the closest national-park campground to Washington, DC. Most visitors come for a night between DC and Baltimore, or as a cheaper base on the Green Line.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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More ways in
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Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), late Dec–Feb (cold, some closures)
Airports
Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) · Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) · Washington Dulles International (IAD)
Nights
1–2

About Greenbelt

Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, whose historic core, known locally as Old Greenbelt, was laid out in 1937 as a New Deal planned community and is now a designated historic district. Much of the original housing is held collectively by a cooperative, and the buildings follow the Art Deco style. The city falls into three parts: the historic area, Greenbelt West with the Beltway Plaza strip mall and Franklin Park rental housing, and Greenbelt East, made up of 1990s developments and the Greenway Center. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center lies within the city limits.

Residents take the town's tradition of cooperation and volunteerism seriously, which shows in the festivals and arts events they put on. Old Greenbelt is easy to cover on foot, thanks to a set of walking paths kept apart from the roads.

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Greenbelt: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
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.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

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

See

What is worth your time in Greenbelt.

  • NASA/Goddard Visitor Center — It presents exhibits on the space center's unmanned scientific exploration work and is reached from ICESat Rd. rather than the main gate.
  • The Greenbelt Museum — It tells the story of the city's beginnings as a Roosevelt New Deal town inside one of the original 1937 houses.
  • Old Greenbelt Theatre — This single-screen cinema opened in 1938, was renovated in 2015, and is among the few of its kind still running.
  • Greenbelt Park — The National Park Service runs this forested park inside the Capital Beltway, with trails and camping near Washington.
  • Buddy Attick Park — A city park with a man-made lake, playgrounds, picnic areas and a loop trail for watching birds and other wildlife.

Do

  • Walk the path network in Old Greenbelt, which is separate from the roads.
  • Camp, picnic, cycle, roller blade or take nature walks on 9 miles of trails in Greenbelt Park.
  • Hike the trail around Greenbelt Lake at Buddy Attick Park.
  • Swim or work out at the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center, which has indoor and outdoor pools.

Eat and drink

Specialities of this place.

  • New Deal Cafe — Local artists' work is displayed here.

Customs

  • Residents value the city's history of cooperation and volunteerism, and organize festivals and arts events around it.
  • The Recreation Department runs an Artist in Residence program at the Community Center, with a studio open house on the first Sunday of each month.
  • Greenbelt has been designated a "Playful City USA" for its many playgrounds.

Events

  • Green Man Festival — A weekend music festival and craft fair at Roosevelt Center with free admission.May
  • Greenbelt Day — A civic festival on the first weekend, run by the Recreation department, with arts, music and sports; free.June
  • Blues Festival — A Saturday of blues at Roosevelt Center, with workshops and an instrument petting zoo; free.summer
Emergency numbers for Greenbelt911 ▾
  • Police, fire and 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 Greenbelt, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, one personBefore tax and an 18–22% tip.$18–35
  • Street or quick mealDeli sandwich or pizza slice$8–15
  • BeerDraught beer$6–9
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)5 km (3.1 mi) taxi or rideshare$12–20
  • Metro or bus rideMetrorail ride within the region$2–6 (check)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Greenbelt Museum)check$3
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$160
  • Mid-range bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$150
  • High-end bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$120 · High US$220

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.

Greenbelt Historic District (1937 New Deal planned town)NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt Park campgroundOld Greenbelt Theatre (1938)Greenbelt Labor Day Festival
Airports
BWI Baltimore-Washington International (About 25 min north on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway by car.) · DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National (About 30 min south via the B-W Parkway; Metro runs from DCA to Greenbelt station.) · IAD Washington Dulles International (About 40 miles west in Virginia; Metro from the airport to Greenbelt takes roughly 100 min.)

Map of Greenbelt

Where it is, and the guides within about 120 km.

Berwyn HeightsNew CarrolltonCollege ParkBeltsvilleHyattsvilleMount RainierTakoma ParkLaurel

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

  • Greenbelt
  • Basic guide

Directions in Google Maps · Apple Maps

Guides nearby

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  5. May

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    29°C (84°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    31°C (88°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    20°C (68°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid*

    8°C (46°F)

Best: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (32°C (90°F)), coolest Jan (−4°C (25°F) low), wettest May (11 rain days), driest Sep (8). Averages, not a forecast.

* only part of the month (early, mid or late).

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Greenbelt: 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)

−4°C (25°F)

10 rd

Feb

8°C (46°F)

−3°C (27°F)

9 rd

Mar

13°C (55°F)

1°C (34°F)

10 rd

Apr

19°C (66°F)

7°C (45°F)

10 rd

May

24°C (75°F)

12°C (54°F)

11 rd

Jun

29°C (84°F)

17°C (63°F)

10 rd

Jul

32°C (90°F)

20°C (68°F)

11 rd

Aug

31°C (88°F)

19°C (66°F)

9 rd

Sep

27°C (81°F)

15°C (59°F)

8 rd

Oct

20°C (68°F)

9°C (48°F)

8 rd

Nov

14°C (57°F)

3°C (37°F)

9 rd

Dec

8°C (46°F)

−2°C (28°F)

10 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

Old Greenbelt is walkable on a network of paths kept separate from the roads. Route 193 links the three parts of the city, and Metrobus connects the Metro station, Beltway Plaza, Roosevelt Center, Greenway Center and Goddard. A car helps for Greenbelt East and the strip malls; the Green Line reaches DC and MARC's Camden Line reaches Baltimore.

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, not ride time
Washington, DCgo

Door to door: About 45–60 min

Metrorail Green Line from Greenbelt station, direct to L'Enfant Plaza and Archives

Park at the Metro station if you drive; the Green Line is the simplest way in.

College Park, Maryland

go

Door to door: About 15–25 min

Metrorail Green Line one stop, or a short drive on Route 193/Baltimore Avenue

University of Maryland campus and a walkable downtown strip.

Baltimore

go

Door to door: About 45–60 min by train

MARC Camden Line from Greenbelt station, or drive the B-W Parkway

MARC runs mainly on weekdays: check the timetable before you plan a weekend.

National Harbor

caution

Door to door: About 35–45 min

Drive via the Beltway and I-295/I-495

Awkward without a car; the waterfront is the draw.

Bowie

caution

Door to door: About 25–35 min

Drive via Route 193 and Route 450

Mostly shopping and suburban sights; only worth it with a car.

Laurel, Maryland

caution

Door to door: About 25–35 min

Drive via the B-W Parkway and Route 198, or MARC to Laurel

Small historic main street; pair it with a MARC ride.

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.

Old Greenbelt (Roosevelt Center)

Historic district, walkable paths, museum, cinema and cafés on foot; few beds, so book early.

Greenbelt West (Beltway Plaza)

Strip mall, Target and Giant, bus links; cheapest rooms and closest to the Metro by bus.

Greenbelt East (Greenway Center)

1990s development with chain hotels and Safeway; car-friendly, quieter at night.

Near the Metro station

Best if you are commuting into DC daily; Green Line to DC and MARC Camden Line to Baltimore.

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

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–200 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain-hotel double room1 × 1 night × US$150US$150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$120US$240
Metrorail Greenbelt → central DC, one way2 × US$6 · checkUS$12
MARC Camden Line Greenbelt → Baltimore, one way2 × US$9 · checkUS$18
Greenbelt Park campsite, per night1 × US$20 · checkUS$20
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$48
Trip total≈ US$264 per person per day, bed includedUS$528

2026 estimate in US dollars, before sales tax; flights and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Deli sandwich or pizza slice$8–15
Sit-down dinner, one personBefore tax and an 18–22% tip.$18–35
Draught beer$6–9
Metrorail ride within the region$2–6 (check)
5 km taxi or rideshare$12–20
Museum entry (Greenbelt Museum)check$3

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Greenbelt is a low-crime suburban town and fine on foot in Old Greenbelt by day and early evening. The real risks are the highways that cut the city into three parts, unlit paths after dark, and summer heat and storms.
  • Greenbelt is split into three areas by highways: Old Greenbelt, Greenbelt West and Greenbelt East. Check which one your hotel is in before booking.
  • The Metro station is about 2 miles from Roosevelt Center: you need a bus or a car, not a walk.
  • NASA Goddard's visitor centre has its own access road off ICESat Road, not the centre's main gate; hours are limited and it closes on some public holidays.
  • Greenbelt Park day use is dawn to dusk; camping needs a reservation and a fee.
  • Summer weekends at the city pool can be restricted to residents and passholders.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire and ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

GreenbeltGreenbelt, Maryland

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire and ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Greenbelt; they are in Washington, DC. US visitors use their own consular services.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Metrorail Greenbelt → DC: about $2–6 depending on distance and time (check)
  • MARC Greenbelt → Baltimore: about $9 one way, weekdays mainly (check)
  • Taxi or rideshare to the Metro station: $10–18

Say or show

  • Where is the Metro station? — Where is the Metro station?
  • One ticket, please — One ticket, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is this seat taken? — Is this seat taken?
  • Thanks, keep the change — Thanks, keep the change

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.

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 Greenbelt. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), late Dec–Feb (cold, some closures) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for BWI, DCA and IAD: last Metro and MARC departures field-checked, taxi and shuttle fallbacks.
  2. Walking clusters in Old Greenbelt with rescue anchors: Roosevelt Center, the museum, the Old Greenbelt Theatre, Buddy Attick Park.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and cutoffs (NASA Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt Museum, Greenbelt Park, Aquatic and Fitness Center).
  4. Festival fixtures (Labor Day, Green Man, Utopia Film Festival) so date-based visitors get a green or red gate.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources

Ask about Greenbelt

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