From scenic beaches and legendary museums to beautiful parks and thrilling nightlife, there is no city in America quite like New York City. Whether you’re visiting the city for the first time or are a native hoping to play tourist for a day, it helps to know where parking is available before you hit the streets and what the rules for parking in NYC include. As you embark on your next NYC adventure, here are free and affordable parking options near the city’s most popular attractions:
1. Parking Near Central Park
There is free street parking on the interior streets near the Brooklyn Bridge Park as well
There is free street parking between 62nd and 110th Streets on Central Park West, as well as a number of nearby parking garages including those at 61st and Central Park West (24 hours a day, $20.00 for the first hour and $60.00 for 24 hours) and 5th Ave and East 81st Street (open 24 hours a day, $21.00 for first hour and $52.00 for 24 hours).
2. Bronx Zoo Parking
There is free parking near the Bronx Zoo on most of the streets surrounding it, with additional paid lots at 181st and Mohegan Streets (open 24 hours a day, 12 hours for $7.00 and full day for $10) and two-hour limit metered parking on East 187th Street.
3. Coney Island Parking
There is free parking on a number of streets between West 5th Street and Ocean Parkway as well as metered spots along Brighton Avenue (9:00 am to 7:00 pm, two-hour max at $1.00 an hour) and a parking garage along Brightwater Court between 2nd and 4th Streets (8:00 am to 12:00 am, $1.50 for the first hour and $7.50 for five hours).
4. Parking Near Rockaway Beach
Free street parking is available around Rockaway Beach in Holland, Hammels, Ocean Breeze and other nearby neighborhoods. There is also a parking garage on Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive (5:00 am to 10:00 pm, $8.00 per day).
5. Battery Park Parking
There is a parking garage on Slate Street between Bridge and Pearl Streets which caps at $45 a day ($24/hour, $29 for two hours). This garage closes at 8:00 pm on weeknights and 7:00 pm on weekends. There is another parking garage on Whitehail and South Streets that is open 24 hours a day with a $65 daily max.
6. Parking Near Brooklyn Bridge Park
There is free street parking on the interior streets near the Brooklyn Bridge Park as well as a parking lot at Joralemon and Furman Streets near the southern edge of the park (open 24 hours a day, $17 for the first hour and $34 for a full day).
7. Brooklyn Botanical Garden Parking
There is free street parking on the interior streets near the Brooklyn Bridge Park as well
There is free parking along Flatbush and Washington Avenues on either side of the Botanical Gardens as well as a parking lot near the entrance (generally 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, $5.00 for the first hour and $28 for a full 24 hours).
8. Prospect Park Parking
There is free street parking on the interior streets near the Brooklyn Bridge Park as well
Free street parking is available in Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Flatbush and Prospect Heights neighborhoods surrounding the park as well as garages at Union Street between Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue (24 hours, $16.00 for the first hour and $38 per day) and Parkside Avenue between Parade Place and St. Paul Place (24 hours, $12.00 for the first hour and $35.00 per day).
9. Parking Near Brighton Beach
There is free street parking on the interior streets near the Brooklyn Bridge Park as well
Free street parking is located throughout the interior streets near Brighton Beach, which the exception of Bright Beach Blvd. ($1/hour, two-hour max) and the parking lot off Brightwater Street between 2nd and 4th Streets (Monday to Saturday 8:00 am to 12:00 am, 5 hours for $7.50).
10. Parking Near the American Museum of Natural History
There is free street parking on the interior streets near the Brooklyn Bridge Park as well
Free street parking is available along both sides of 77th Street, the north side of 81st Street and both sides of Central Park Avenue. There is a two-hour metered parking along Columbus Ave. for $3.50/hour, as well as a parking garage connected to the museum that runs from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm at a cap of $50 per day.
11. Parking Near the Empire State Building
There is no nearby free street parking, but there are a number of parking garages including those on West 33rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues (Monday to Saturday 6:00 am to 1:00 am, $23.00 for first hour and $45.00 for full day) and 5th Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Streets (open 24 hours a day, $29.00 for first hour and $70.00 for a full day).
12. Parking Near Flushing Meadows Corona Park
There is free street parking in the neighborhoods along each side of Flushing Meadows Corona Park as well as a 24-hour parking garage at 66th Avenue and 103rd Street ($9.00 for the first hour and $20 for 24 hours).
13. Union Square Parking
Street parking is not available near Union Square, but parking garages are located at 5th Avenue and 14th Street (24 a day, $27.00 for the first hour and $47.00 per day) and 4th Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets (24 hours a day, $30.00 for the first hour, $45 per day).
And there you have it. For more convenience, see open spots, prices & rules while on the go with the free SpotAngels app for Android or iPhone.
