What to Know Before Visiting Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.


Sportsfanfocus.com has no affiliation with Capital One Arena or any events hosted at this facility (info)

Capital One Arena currently serves as the home arena for the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals. There are certain policies and procedures you will want to be aware of beforehand, as well as arena gate and parking lot locations for easy entrance.

In this article we will discuss:

  • What to bring to Capital One Arena for a Game
  • Can You Buy Tickets at Capital One Arena?
  • Capital One Arena Gate Information
  • How to Park at Capital One Arena
  • Does Capital One Arena Take Cash?

What to Bring to Capital One Arena for a Game

If you are going to an NBA or NHL game, planning ahead is always important. Below is a list of things you might need to bring, and you will want to make sure you are complying with any security protocols the stadium has:

  • Stadium Approved Bag – If you have a bag, make sure it is approved. Most types of bags are not approved. There are exceptions for small bags that meet certain size requirements, and there are also exceptions for certain types of medical and parental bags. This is where you can read more about approved bags for Capital One Arena.
  • Reserved Parking – Purchasing a parking pass in advance can help reduce hassle on gameday. However, there are parking options near the arena that allow you to pay on site. This is where you can learn more about parking options.
  • Cashless Payment – Capital One Arena does not accept cash inside the arena, so you will need to bring an alternate form of payment (learn more).
  • Noise-Canceling Headphones – Stadiums can get very loud, and noise-canceling headphones may be needed.

Capital One Arena Ticket Information

Tickets can be purchased online by visiting the Capital One Arena ticket page (click here). If the event is sold-out, you will need to use online ticket brokers like Ticketmaster, StubHub, or Vivid Seats to purchase tickets.

If you wish to visit the box office in person, the main ticket office at the Capital One Arena is located on the southeast side of the arena on F Street just west of the intersection with 6th street (view this area).

To learn more, visit our ticket resources linked below:

Capital One Arena Mobile Tickets

As of this year, Capital One Arena uses digital, mobile tickets for most events. If you do not have a smartphone, it would be best to contact the ticket office and let them advise you on how to proceed. This is where you can view the contact information for Capital One Arena.

If you use digital tickets, be sure to have your phone fully charged when you leave for the game. It’s also important to download your tickets in advance of the game (if possible) in case there is limited cellular service in the vicinity of arena.

Capital One Arena Gate Information

Capital One Arena has several public gates around the exterior of the stadium. Below we have listed the location of some of the most popular public entry points (click on the gate to learn more).

To read more about Capital One Arena Gates (including VIP entry points), visit our Capital One Arena Gate Guide.

How to Park at Capital One Arena

Capital One Arena has only a limited amount of parking available on site at the arena. However, there are many public parking garages located within short walking distance of the arena that you can use for parking.

These are the most common ways to get parking for Capital One Arena games:

  • Purchase a parking spot on parking sites like ParkWhiz or SpotHero. Capital One Arena partners with SpotHero (click here to learn more).
  • Purchase a parking pass from an online ticket broker site like Ticketmaster, StubHub, or Vivid Seats (click here to learn more).
  • Pay for parking on site in one of the public parking garages near the arena.
  • Use Public Transportation or Rideshare. Capital One Arena has several designated Uber Zones located near the arena.

There is a parking garage connected to Capital One Arena (called the Lexus Garage). However, the Lexus Garage is most often used for VIP and reserved parking. Capital One Arena does have a form that fans can fill out if they want to learn more about parking in this garage. But for most fans, this Lexus Garage won’t be a parking solution.

Therefore, most fans will need to use one of the public garages (or lots) located near the arena. These other garages are privately operated and are not operated by the arena. Pricing will vary, but is *usually* in the $15 – $40 range depending on garage.

Although you can pay on site when parking at many of these public garages, reserving a spot in advance can really reduce hassle on the day of the event. Click here to learn how to reserve a spot in advance.

To read more, visit our parking guides listed below:

Does Capital One Arena Accept Cash Inside the Arena?

As of this year, Capital One Arena does not accept cash inside the arena (source). Credit/debit cards and contactless payment through smartphone apps will be the only form of payment that will be accepted at concessions, retail locations, and vendors.

Capital One Arena Contact Info

This website (sportsfanfocus.com) has no affiliation with Capital One Arena, the Washington Wizards, the Washington Capitals, the NBA, the NHL, or any of the other events hosted at this facility.

Any information is provided “as is” with no guarantee of completeness, meaning much of this information is subject to change, and although we do our best to keep these guides updated, we can’t guarantee accuracy at all times. For all official information, we urge you to contact Capital One Arena staff. Contact information is below:

Paul Johnson

Paul has been with us from our beginnings. He focuses on a wide range of sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB and golf.

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