Wife is taking daughter to see a specialist in Silver Springs this Summer.

Is the area generally safe?

Is the train into DC safe?

Best way to get from BWI to Silver Spring?

Would recommend flying into DCA instead of BWI for visiting Silver Spring. From DCA you can take the Metro direct to your destination, vs. having to mess with train transfers and a shuttle from BWI. Nothing necessarily unsafe about the area, aside from typical urban precautions that one should take in any major city.

It's a nice area. I have a cousin who lives not far away in Bethesda near Walter Reed, he takes the metro into DC for work everyday. He's never had an issue.

I usually flew BWI because it was cheaper.

Yes, Silver Spring is nice and a space place.

Getting there, you can take the MARC to DC, then the Red Line to Silver Spring.

Getting to DC, Metro is the best way to go.

Hadn't booked flights yet and can get DCA for same price

That looks like it makes the train/subway trip easier

There is a bus from BWI over to Shady Grove Metro with stops along the way (MTA route 201). I think it's $5 per head and is a large tour type bus. Depending on where you need to end up this may be helpful, or not. As mentioned, you can ride the MARC train to Union Station and then ride the metro red line out to Silver Spring.

Silver Spring is a nice area. No concern staying there.

The inspiration for the Fleetwood Mac song

Yes. Fly into DCA, then yellow line to Gallery Place and transfer to red line to Silver Spring.

Flying to BWI not quite as simple, you'd take the MARC down to Union Station, then red line to Silver Spring. This will take a little longer as that MARC ride is ~40 minutes and then you'd walk over to the Metro part of Union Station to get the red line. It also will require two different kinds of tickets.

Appropriately as I type this I am waiting on my MARC train at Union Station