I’ve been going to the Verizon Center for over 10 years, primarily to watch the Washington Capitals. I’ve been to countless arenas around the country and in Canada, and the Verizon Center is one of my favorite places for sporting events and concerts. Admittedly, the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and the Toyota Center in Houston put up a good fight, but the Phone Booth wins.

One of the great things about the Verizon Center is that you can get there from anywhere. You can take the Metro with thousands of other fans, and arrive right below the arena! You can park several blocks away and pay $2/hour! It is amazingly easy to park and drive, provided you pick the right area and have a ton of quarters. I can be home in 20 minutes after a game, which is fantastic (and key with two kids under age 3).

Want to get angry at WMATA for wasting electricity and running up the bill? The Verizon Center helps you do that too! One of my husband’s favorite games to play as we walk from our car to the arena is to count the number of offices in the WMATA building that turned off their lights. It’s not usually a large number.

It’s one arena that draws a lot of attention. Its arrival in 1997 shook up the neighborhood. Some may argue that it destroyed Chinatown, but the area is now a nightlife and shopping destination. Need to buy a trendy mass-produced T-shirt, dine at a chain restaurant, and still make the game on time? Gallery Place is the place to be.

If you decide against fine options like Fuddruckers and Ruby Tuesday, the Verizon Center has your needs met with a McDonald’s and assorted food stands. Admittedly, I haven’t tried anything besides the chicken tender basket and soft pretzels, but it’s not horrible food, as far as arena food stands go. Ted Leonsis, who owns the Washington Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics, is a man of the people. He takes the time to read and respond to emails sent to him about the teams and the Verizon Center. Several people commented on the need for more beer varieties and a place to put cups in the restrooms, and he listened. The available beer list has grown, and the men’s restrooms now feature ledges above the urinals. (Now, how about something in the stalls in the women’s restrooms?) He also added a kosher stand as well as gluten-free and vegetarian fare, because those folks deserve to eat too. There’s even kid-friendly fare: the club level has two stands that feature Uncrustables and juice boxes. If you can’t get to the club level, just buy your kid the ubiquitous and utterly crappy Dippin’ Dots for the same sugar rush. (At least they have soft-serve for the rest of us.)

Who can’t love a place that not only provides a full list of food and drink options and the corresponding concourse section on its website, but also lists “malternatives?” And the arena has a Dunkin’ Donuts inside! Not only can your beer and burger needs be met, but you can also have a Boston creme doughnut while watching DJ King flatten Colton Orr. What could be better than that?

Liz Chang covers the Washington Capitals at On Frozen Blog. She hopes the Verizon Center will someday have an ad for Swedish Fish on the dasher boards like its counterpart in New Jersey.

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