Florida’s most heavily-populated city also attracts large numbers of tourists, many of whom will venture into its bustling downtown district during their stay – and for those coming by car, it’s worth planning ahead for where to park.
A view across the water towards downtown Jacksonville (Photo: Rob Bixby via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Located on the state’s northeastern Atlantic coast, the city is a magnet with visitors who flock here to enjoy its gorgeous beaches, charming neighbourhoods and smattering of cultural attractions. The main business district and historic core is Downtown, where you’ll find relaxed waterfront eateries with river views and enough entertainment options to warrant days of exploration. Parking, inevitably, can be somewhat of a challenge, but if you stay organised it’s usually possible to land a convenient spot. Here’s our quick guide to downtown parking.
The choices for parking in Downtown Jacksonville mainly come down to metred street parking or off-street lots and parking garages. Metered street spaces are enforced from Monday to Friday, with rates of $2 per hour. Alternatively, if you’d rather the security of off-street covered parking, there are several options to select from. Our number one pick is the Water Street Garage, about a 15-minute walk from the heart of downtown, where you’ll pay $1 per hour or a maximum daily charge of $7. Another option we’d recommend for day parking is Yates Parking Garage, which charges the same prices but is even closer to downtown’s main attractions. Both of these garages are open Monday to Friday 6am to 7pm.
You can book the above parking garages at Spothero.com, as well as several other parking lots in Downtown Jacksonville.
Free parking in Downtown Jacksonville
As tricky as it can sometimes be to park in downtown Jacksonville, one of the big upsides is that there is free street parking across the district throughout weekends. This does mean a bit of a scramble to land a space on a Saturday morning, but as long as you can drag yourself out of bed at a reasonable time then you should be able to grab yourself a spot. Other than that, your best bet for free parking in downtown is staying in one of the area’s hotels that has its own private car park.
Long-stay parking in Downtown Jacksonville
If you’re staying in Downtown Jacksonville and don’t have access to free parking at your hotel, or are intending to drive into the district on several occasions during your stay, the most budget-friendly option is often long-term parking. This can save you a hefty chunk compared with day parking and is also a whole lot less hassle than hunting down street parking each day or paying premium rates at a private garage or parking lot. As an example, at downtown’s Duval County Courthouse Garage, you’ll pay up to $10 to park on a daily basis, but monthly rates are just $110 – a saving of almost $200 compared with paying for individual days at the same garage.
For the best parking rates in Downtown Jacksonville, go to Spothero.com