From I-95/495 - National Capital Beltway (approximately 4.4 miles):

• I-95 (National Capital Beltway) to Exit 1A, Rte 1 South (Fort Belvoir).
• Immediately after you exit to Rte 1 (Richmond Hwy), you will turn onto Fort Hunt Road. This is a little tricky -- Fort Hunt Road should be a left turn from Rte 1 South, but there's no left turn from Rte 1 South, so you bear right to turn left while passing through two closely-spaced traffic lights: turn left at the first light (get in the left lane of two left turn lanes); go straight through the second light (crossing Rte 1).
• Proceed through six traffic lights: Huntington Avenue; Belle Haven Road; Belle View Blvd.; Sherwood Hall/Morningside Lanes (this is one of those roads that has two names); Shenandoah Road; Collingwood Road).
• From the traffic light at Collingwood Road, proceed .4 mile (watch your odometer!); the entrance to Carl Sandburg Middle School is on the right.
• At the front of the school building, enter the entrance on the left. (Usually, all other exterior doors are locked.) Follow the signs to the planetarium.

From the I-95 North Rte 1/Fort Belvoir Exit:

• I-95 North to the Rte 1/Fort Belvoir exit.
• Rte 1 North to right on Rte 235 North, Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (just past Fort Belvoir and Woodlawn Stables).
• Rte 235 N to stop sign at Mount Vernon Plantation. Go straight through the stop sign (after stopping, of course!) and around traffic circle to the George Washington Parkway.
• 1.7 miles on GW Pkwy (past exits for Riverside Park/Stratford Lane and Lucia Lane) to left onto Vernon View Drive.
• 1.1 miles on Vernon View Drive/Fort Hunt Road (Vernon View Drive mysteriously turns into Fort Hunt Road -- don't ask, it's magic!) to left into CSMS front parking lot.