Washingtonian Center

I took my daughter here to see some ducks and play on the playground and she had a great time. It was the perfect place for daddy and daughter. We fed the fish and she went nuts over the ducks.
There are tons of restaurants for lunch, and a Target, Barnes and Nobles and a Dicks sporting goods. My daughter had her fun, and I was able to have my fun.
It’s a cute town and tons of shops and parking was plentiful. At least for me. I can see it getting crowded on the weekends or nights
Definitely a place we will continue to go to.

Also known as the rio is great! There are a bunch of shops and restaurants. There’s a little park, a carousel, and the kids can feed the ducks. During the summer there is a program in the atrium every other Wednesday for free. At the end of the show the have a raffle and give out prizes. The Barnes and Noble does a story time but it’s pretty lame they read you two books and it’s over. The parking is free, and you don’t need to get it validated.

A great place to hang out especially by the pond on a cool summer night. There usually free entertainment on weekends at night.

It is a really nice hangout place with great stores and restaurant.

I didn’t realize that there were so many shops and restaurants here now. I came many years ago when Joe’s Crab Shack was new to the area. Parking was a zoo back then.
Maybe it still is on the weekends, but I had no problem on a Friday afternoon. There are two garages off Grand Corner Ave, one of which I believe is under Target.
This would be a great place to hang out with small kids. There is a train ($ 3 cash only) and Carrousel ($ 3 credit only) on Friday — Sunday. They have paddle boats September through October 26 on Sat/​Sun only for $ 20/​half hour (cash only). Plus, lots of dining and shopping destinations. Many businesses offer a Military discount. Plus, there are lots of places to get happy at for Happy Hour.
I plan to come back soon to pick up my new glasses and partake in a drink special or two.

This review is for the Carousel and Train ONLY. The rides all cost the same $ 3 per person for the train OR Carousel. On the carousel they said anyone over 1 years old must pay. As a parent with kids who love to ride things more than once, these rides are EXPENSIVE. So if you are looking for a great playground with rides, the place to go is Wheaton Regional Park for carousel or train rides at 1.75 per person OR Glen Echo Park carousel at 1.25 per person. At Wheaton you can get a book of tickets, 10 for 15.75, save them, use them all or visit Cabin John Park to ride their train. These parks have lots of different play structures and larger spaces, while RIO only has one corner for a play area. RIO is nice and clean for sure, but if you are only going for their rides, then make a day at the park instead. Bring snacks and/​or picnic and RIDE the park rides all day long and hit up the playgrounds, at a lower cost — same fun!

The Carousel Grand Opening
Join us in celebrating the grand opening of the Carousel at RIO Washingtonian presented by Shady Grove Adventist Hospital on Saturday, May 31, at 11am. Family entertainment, strolling Dixieland band, and much more throughout the day!

I really like this area — great for an evening stroll and of course. an amc that plays my fav Bollywood movies! What’s not to love?! Parking can be a hassle sometimes, the garages are tight and are the kind of annoying spirals that make my head spin!
Love the fact that they have a South Moon Under and a Francesca’s!
Nando Peri Peri and of course charming charlie make this an awesome place to visit!

I agree with everything my fellow Unilocalers have mentioned. This place rocks.
Washingtonian Center is right off 270 in Gaithersburg and it’s such a great area to enjoy with family, friends, colleagues or just by yourself. There’s a walking trail that goes around the pond and there are benches to sit down and chill too. I’ve even seen people bring blankets & relax on the grassy areas when the weather is nice. Plenty of places to eat (most are chains, but they’re pretty good). Lots of stuff to do year-​round (shop, see a movie, paint pottery, grab dessert, do a wine tasting, etc.).

I love the playground and mini train. I take my little ones here all the time and they play for hours. They love to feed the fishes too. We are new here so we haven’t visited every store yet, but so far so good!

I love the Washingtonian Center. It has a nice playground. I feel safe and often walked my baby through the center. It is not too busy, it is just right for stores. I am not a fan of the round abouts in the area. It has some good little places to goto eat. I have never been to movies but the shopping is just right, it is a nice clean Target.

What an awesome place! I wish we had something like this out where I live. A GREAT selection of restaurants here and a lot of nice shops. The paddle boating on the water is really nice feature for a family and the fountains on the water are a perfect touch. Whoever designed this classy area is top-​notch! No doubt.

Shop, eat, play, workout, catch a move, walk/​jog around the lake, say hello to the geese while you’re there, this place has it all! The newly updated playground is great for the kids. One of our favorite places to hang out with the family.

This is a good place to check out if you are in the area. There are not a lot of stores, but it has all of the major basics and some great places to have lunch or dinner. Good Parking too.

This place has definitely evolved over the past fifteen years! In the past, the Rio center here offered a roller-​skating rink and was definitely not as fancy as it is now.
Fast-​forward fifteen years: no more roller-​skating rink, but this place has become a great hang-​out spot. Watch a movie, walk around the lake (or paddleboat in it), have dinner, and do some shopping. Very nice!

If you need a new spot to hangout with friends or family, look no further than the Washingtonian Center, otherwise known as «Rio». With a great shopping center, containing many restaurants and other great stores, what’s not to love! It even has a movie theater, and not to mention a beautiful view of the Washingtonian lake!