Parking in St. Augustine: How to Find Cheap & Easy Parking
Parking in St. Augustine can be tricky, afterall the historic city was first founded in 1565.. way before cars or modern roads were ever invented!
As someone who frequently visits St. Augustine, I know parking here can be difficult and expensive, especially when you don’t know the area.
So, I’ve put together this quick guide on where to park in St. Augustine so that you can spend less time searching for parking and more time exploring this historic city!
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Short on time? Here is a quick summary:
✅ St. Augustine Hotels with FREE parking: Marker 8 Hotel and Marina & the Powder House Inn
✅ Easiest (paid parking): Historic Downtown Parking Garage
✅ Best location (paid parking): Castillo de San Marcos Parking Lot
⭐ Free Parking Tip: If you are spending 1 day in St. Augustine, try the Old Town Trolley Tour which offers FREE parking (limited spaces) for trolley customers at the 167 San Marco Ave location.
Free Parking in St. Augustine
Is there free parking in St. Augustine? Yes, but I’ll be honest – free parking is pretty rare. Here are the details on when and how you can park for free in St. Augustine’s Old Town.
Free Parking on Sundays in St. Augustine
On pay stations marked by the city crest, there is free parking on Sunday mornings only until 1 pm.
Please keep in mind that the free parking is not all day and you do need to pay if you are parked from 1pm – 9pm. Also, this only applies to city-marked pay stations (not parking garages or private lots).
Hotels in St Augustine with Free Parking
One way to get free parking is to stay at a hotel that offers free parking. Most hotels in downtown St. Augustine do NOT include parking.
However, here are two hotels in St. Augustine with free parking – plus they are highly rated!
⭐ Rating: 4.8/5 on Tripadvisor I ✅ Book Here
- Historic Bed & Breakfast in the heart of St. Augustine’s old town
- Traditional style rooms with complimentary breakfast
- Free off-street parking included with your stay
⭐ Rating: 4.8/5 on Tripadvisor I ✅ Book Here
- Waterfront boutique hotel, just across the Bridge of Lions
- Modern rooms & amenities, including an outdoor pool and terrace
- Free on-site parking for one vehicle
Free Park & Ride Shuttle Service
During popular events, the city of St. Augustine operates a free park & ride shuttle service. This means you will park your car outside the city for free and take the shuttle into the old town.
This service only operates on certain days for larger events and festivals. For more information on available dates and parking lots, see the city website here.
Old Town Trolley Free Parking
Taking the Old Town Trolley Tour is a great way to experience St. Augustine in one day, and they also offer free parking at their 167 San Marco Ave location next to the Old Jail.
The free parking is only available for those that paid for a trolley ticket and is limited to first come first serve, but hey why not save money on parking and join a fun trolley tour instead?!
I highly recommend the Old Town Trolley. If you are interested in more info about it, make sure to check out my One Day in St. Augustine Itinerary.
✅ Don’t Miss Out: Book your Old Town Trolley Tickets Here
Best Places to Park in St. Augustine
If you aren’t visiting during a free parking time, then you will likely have to pay for parking.
The good news is that St. Augustine does have some affordable parking options with meteored pay station parking costing only $2.50 per hour.
So, if you stay 4 hours that is only $10 which isn’t too bad. If you are a resident, you can even sign up with the ParkStAug App to get a rate of .50 an hour.
However, even when paying for parking it still can be difficult to find. There are also several privately owned parking lots that charge a bit more than the meteored parking (usually a flat $10-20 fee for the day).
Below are some of the best spots to park that are affordable and convenient for exploring downtown.
**Note – The City of St. Augustine can change parking prices or rules, so make sure to read the sign at the parking lot when you arrive to make sure you have the most up to date info!
Castillo de San Marcos Parking Lot
Located at: 1 S Castillo Dr, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Type: Paystation Parking Lot
Cost: $2.50 per hour
Castillo de San Marcos is one of the largest parking lots in St. Augustine, plus its very conveniently located next to the fort and the historic St. George Street.
This is one of my favorite spots to park because you are literally in the heart of the old town, so it’s easy to get to the main attractions. Plus, it’s a parking lot so no need to worry about parallel parking.
This lot can fill up quickly due to its convenient location, so if you find a spot – take it!
Historic Downtown Parking Garage
Located at: 1 Cordova St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Type: Parking Garage
Cost: $20 flat fee during peak hours (7am-5pm), $5 during off-peak hours (5pm-9pm). *Prices are subject to change, especially during major events or festivals like Night of Lights.*
This is a good option if you are looking for a quick, convenient place to park. The parking garage has 1,200 spaces available, which is quite a lot for a historic town. It is about a 5 minute walk from the Old City Gate and the start of St. George Street.
While this is typically a more expensive option during peak hours, it may be worth it if you are spending the full day in St. Augustine.
King Street & Cathedral Place
Located at: King Street and Cathedral Place, next to the Plaza de la Constitución.
Type: Parallel Parking Paystation
Cost: $2.50 per hour
If you don’t mind parallel parking this is a really great location to park. You’ll have easy access to everything on King Street, plus the other end of the historic St. George Street is right near here too.
However, since it is parallel parking there aren’t a ton of spots so it may be hard to find one here depending on when you are visiting.
Granada Street & Cedar Street
Located at: Granada Street & Cedar Street
Type: Parallel Parking Paystation
Cost: $2.50 per hour
There are a couple of street parking spaces located on Granada Street and Cedar Street. These are parallel parking spots.
Keep in mind you cannot park anywhere on the street, but only within the designated street parking spaces (you’ll see the white boxes that indicate a street parking space).
This is pretty limited, but it is paystation parking so you only pay by the hour, which is ideal if you are only visiting for a short time.
30 Granada St Parking (Near the Lightner Museum)
Located at: 30 Granada St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Type: Paystation Parking Lot
Cost: $2.50 per hour
This is a smaller parking lot, but it is a bit more off the beaten path so there may be a better chance for an open space on busy days.
Plus, it’s a convenient spot if you want to visit King Street, Flagler College, the Lightner Museum, or the Villa Zorayda Museum.
Other Options: Private Parking Lots in St. Augustine
There are also several privately owned parking lots in St. Augustine.
These lots will typically charge a flat fee, usually between $10-$20 for the day, although I have seen prices as high as $25 or $30 for the day. It typically just depends on the time of year and what events are going on.
If you are going to spend all day in St. Augustine, it may be worth it to pay a flat fee rather than pay for hourly metered parking.
FAQ on Where to Park in St. Augustine
The best place to park is the paystation parking lot next to Castillo de San Marcos because it is a larger parking lot that is next to the historic downtown. Another easy place to find parking is the Historic Downtown Parking Facility, which is a parking garage with 1,200 parking spots.
Yes, St. Augustine is very walkable within the historic center. You can easily walk to many of the main attractions, especially around St. George Street, King Street, and the St. Augustine Marina. If you plan to go to some of the more spread out attractions you can take a trolley tour or get an Uber easily.
The Wrap-Up on Parking in St. Augustine
Finding a place to park in America’s oldest city can be a challenge, especially during peak times like the Night of Lights Festival.
However, there are options for affordable parking, which makes visiting easier. Additionally, Uber is available in St. Augustine so if you want to avoid parking all together just order an Uber and head straight to downtown!
Are you taking a road trip to other parts of Florida?
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