Brighton Music Hall parking. Possible?
March 22, 2012 9:25 AM Subscribe
Where do I park near Brighton Music Hall on Friday night in Boston?
We're coming in from western MA on the Pike and would love to find parking close to Brighton Music Hall (158 Brighton Ave., near Harvard Ave.) for Friday night from about 8:30 until the Wedding Present show ends. We don't mind walking a bit, but driving into the area rather than public transportation is a must so we can get on the road right after the show.
We're coming in from western MA on the Pike and would love to find parking close to Brighton Music Hall (158 Brighton Ave., near Harvard Ave.) for Friday night from about 8:30 until the Wedding Present show ends. We don't mind walking a bit, but driving into the area rather than public transportation is a must so we can get on the road right after the show.
Parking is a bit of a nightmare around there. If you go past the Harvard Ave/Brighton Ave intersection to Cambridge Street, then take a right, there is usually parking about three blocks away from the Cambridge Street/Harvard Ave intersection (i.e., on the other side of the triangle). Parking on Brighton Avenue is worse than on Cambridge Street because more restaurants and bars.
If you have sensitive ears, bring earplugs! It's a very acoustically "live" room. Enjoy.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:34 AM on March 22, 2012
If you have sensitive ears, bring earplugs! It's a very acoustically "live" room. Enjoy.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:34 AM on March 22, 2012
All of the store parking lots around there are tow-happy, so you definitely need to find an actual on-street parking space.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:34 AM on March 22, 2012
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:34 AM on March 22, 2012
If you can't get into the on-street parking right there, I believe the spaces on Washington St are only two hours until 6, so that after six you can park on much of Washington St without getting a ticket.
There's also a public metered lot near the CVS just up from Harvard Ave that is the same.
BUT, knowing from experience, having lived exactly in that area, if you want to land a parking spot any time of night, nevermind a Friday night, you gotta do it early. The spots will more than likely be all gone by 4. (4 - 6 for the two hour parking, and they have the spot for the night).
Off of Cambridge St, which runs parallel to Brighton until it meets, are a bunch of side streets, some of which have no parking restrictions, some of which do. You can try those out as well.
But like I said, if you're not in the area and ready to park crazy early, you're going to spend more time finding to park than you are at your event....
posted by zizzle at 9:34 AM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
There's also a public metered lot near the CVS just up from Harvard Ave that is the same.
BUT, knowing from experience, having lived exactly in that area, if you want to land a parking spot any time of night, nevermind a Friday night, you gotta do it early. The spots will more than likely be all gone by 4. (4 - 6 for the two hour parking, and they have the spot for the night).
Off of Cambridge St, which runs parallel to Brighton until it meets, are a bunch of side streets, some of which have no parking restrictions, some of which do. You can try those out as well.
But like I said, if you're not in the area and ready to park crazy early, you're going to spend more time finding to park than you are at your event....
posted by zizzle at 9:34 AM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
(Just to give you an idea of how hard this is, I just asked my coworker who laughed at me and said, "Good luck!" and a friend through gmail chat, who said, "Good freaking luck with that one!" So........)
posted by zizzle at 9:38 AM on March 22, 2012
posted by zizzle at 9:38 AM on March 22, 2012
Echoing what zizzle says, but this also applies to Commonwealth Avenue: "If you can't get into the on-street parking right there, I believe the spaces on Washington St are only two hours until 6, so that after six you can park on much of Washington St without getting a ticket." - Commonwealth Avenue is parallel to Brighton Avenue, and the few blocks on Commonwealth between Harvard Avenue & Allston Street are easily walkable to BMH and if you can get there close to 6pm, you stand a good chance of snagging a spot by those on-street parking meters. Any time after 7 or so and you will be circling for a while. Not sure the CVS lot is a safe bet for metered spots anymore - I think Boston Sports Club shares it with CVS and I see a lot of cars getting towed from there.
I'll be there too! Yay Wedding Present!
posted by pammeke at 9:55 AM on March 22, 2012
I'll be there too! Yay Wedding Present!
posted by pammeke at 9:55 AM on March 22, 2012
Response by poster: Ugh. Well, thank you all for your answers, and for checking with friends, zizzle. There's really no way for us to get to the area any earlier than 8 or so, so I will plan on circling and cursing until something presents itself. At least I know what I'm in for.
posted by otters walk among us at 11:06 AM on March 22, 2012
posted by otters walk among us at 11:06 AM on March 22, 2012
Best answer: The last time I tried this, I was circling for an hour. There is a small municipal lot behind Blanchard's on the corner (make sure the spot you might pick is really municipal, not Blanchard's parking) though this tends to fill early with parkers and parking vultures.
Nthing the RiteAid caveat. There was recently an exposé in the Boston Globe on their evil towing practices.
If you're willing to walk, there is usually ample parking down on North Beacon Street, beyond Union Square. It's not a short walk, but it's less stressful than circling for an hour.
Looking forward to the show myself - their performance of Bizarro last year was awesome!
posted by metarkest at 11:24 AM on March 22, 2012
Nthing the RiteAid caveat. There was recently an exposé in the Boston Globe on their evil towing practices.
If you're willing to walk, there is usually ample parking down on North Beacon Street, beyond Union Square. It's not a short walk, but it's less stressful than circling for an hour.
Looking forward to the show myself - their performance of Bizarro last year was awesome!
posted by metarkest at 11:24 AM on March 22, 2012
One thing to consider is this: Parking on the street, say, in a permit parking area, will only earn you a ticket unless it's clearly marked as a tow zone, and those are rare.
Street parking - by which I mean metered - on the main streets will be a nightmare. Even driving on those streets won't be a lot of fun. But one thing you can do is just find a side street in the area - Allston Street is one, and eventually opens up on some side streets as well (coincidentally it's actually right across from the horrific Rite-Aid lot), and though the side streets are pretty much all marked as permit parking, here's the trick.
The ticket is maybe twenty or thirty bucks (far less than a tow and super cheap if split among friends), but most importantly, parking enforcement usually stops at around seven. If you're not getting there til eight then your chances of getting a ticket are basicall nil.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 11:50 AM on March 22, 2012
Street parking - by which I mean metered - on the main streets will be a nightmare. Even driving on those streets won't be a lot of fun. But one thing you can do is just find a side street in the area - Allston Street is one, and eventually opens up on some side streets as well (coincidentally it's actually right across from the horrific Rite-Aid lot), and though the side streets are pretty much all marked as permit parking, here's the trick.
The ticket is maybe twenty or thirty bucks (far less than a tow and super cheap if split among friends), but most importantly, parking enforcement usually stops at around seven. If you're not getting there til eight then your chances of getting a ticket are basicall nil.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 11:50 AM on March 22, 2012
I think you have half a shot, 8 isn't really "late." Just keep driving around the triangle from Cambridge, up Harvard, right on Brighton forever and ever. Maybe also loop into the Blanchard's lot. If you see a spot, feel free to randomly make a u-turn in traffic to get into it. No rules of driving apply in Allston. My husband has been the friday night DJ at the Common Ground around the corner for six years (90s night, yo!) so man do I ever know how cruddy it is to find parking. But the earlier, the better, and 8 is early.
posted by kpht at 8:01 PM on March 22, 2012
posted by kpht at 8:01 PM on March 22, 2012
One thing to consider (although other ideas above are potentially better) is to park in a paid lot in either Coolidge Corner (south of where you want to be) or Harvard Sq (north of where you want to be), and hop onto the #66 bus and hop off at the corner of Brighton and Harvard. 10 min bus ride from Coolidge, maybe 15 from Harvard Sq
posted by darsh at 9:47 AM on March 23, 2012
posted by darsh at 9:47 AM on March 23, 2012
Response by poster: We parked off North Beacon St on Dustin Ave just past the school. About a 10 minute walk, but not a problem at all on a nice evening. The Wedding Present were, as always, awesome. Thanks for all the suggestions.
posted by otters walk among us at 7:58 PM on March 24, 2012
posted by otters walk among us at 7:58 PM on March 24, 2012
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posted by Gungho at 9:31 AM on March 22, 2012 [2 favorites]