We found a "deal" last time we were in Chicago. 35 bucks a night and couldn't leave the lot. So our car just sat for 3 days and we took the buses and trains. Valet at our hotel was 45$ a night plus 10% tax for unlimited in/out. But once you take your car somewhere you have to find another place to park. Wasn't quite ready for that coming from Iowa.
Stinger2 said: Wow. That is why I live in a small city. Holy cow. I knew people got "mortgages" on their parking spots in Chicago, but yikes.
? it's only $10/day to park downtown, you think that's expensive? Good deal OP, I just wish millennium park was a bit closer to my office on the west side of the loop..
Yes -- parking is what it is in Chicago (or probably any big city for that matter). Hence, that's why for those that can use this, this is a great deal. Even for overnight parking at the meters is now $1.75/hour overnight. So its still cheaper to use this deal for overnight parking.
Note though -- this does not include in and out privelages -- one in and one out within 24 hour period per validation coupon. You get 5 of these coupons.
hellyea81 said: Yes -- parking is what it is in Chicago (or probably any big city for that matter). Hence, that's why for those that can use this, this is a great deal. Even for overnight parking at the meters is now $1.75/hour overnight. So its still cheaper to use this deal for overnight parking.
Houston is the forth largest city in the country (just behind Chicago) and you can even find paid parking as low as 75 cents/day, such as the lot on Pease between Caroline & Austin. Though the garages in the core downtown can be $5-$10 a day.
You can also find some free on street parking not too far from downtown. In Spring 2008 I got a Priceline hotel in downtown Houston and parked for free in a fancy neighborhood in the Museum district and took the light rail into downtown for $1 each way. The hotel wanted $12 a night for valet parking. We were going to the museum district anyway the afternoon of the night's stay and parked a block from the museum we were visiting.
Austin, which is slighly lower in population than San Franciso and has 250,000 more people than Boston, has some free parking under the interstate bridge downtown and in parks south of the river. A few blocks from the state Capitol you can get two hours free in the capitol visitor's center garage. There are some state and hospital garages that are free if you leave past a certain time at night, varies from 7pm-10pm. I like to do this when I fly into/out of Austin -- park free downtown and take the Airport Flyer to and from downtown for 50 cents each way -- works great with the night flights. Also, many of the garages that do event parking (especially in the entertainment district) can get you "free" parking - they assumed you paid the flat-rate going in.
yikes I got my car towed in Chicago $160 a month ago, with a $100 ticket, it was really bad parking in chicago and they are quick catching you. I thought I was out of 15 feets of the damn rusty hydrant. Bottomline you should pay to park in garage, not out in the street
dalong2277
Member
posted: Sep. 23, 2009 @ 11:44p
Someone walking around all day long to check your meters. If he/she finds there are only a few minutes left, then he/she will just wait there, because they simply don't believe that you can make it on time. Ticket, for sure............
Meters are gone, Mayor (for life) Daley contracted out parking to a private firm that is replacing them all with payboxes where you pay, get a paper receipt and put it on your dashboard (although city personnel still write tickets). Just wait until winter when it snows and windshields ice up, should be a real bonanza for the city and a major pain for parkers (see towing horror story earlier in thread). I could go on and on about Chicago parking woes, suffice it to say that if you need to park in downtown Chicago, $50 is a bargain if you don't have a monthly parking plan someplace.
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