overnight parking in philly?

July 23, 2007 11:01 PM

Cheap(er) overnight parking in downtown Philadelphia?

I stupidly did not check to see if my hotel (near the convention center) included parking ... and it doesn't. The front desk guy suggest a lot around the corner (they park it & keep your keys, watched overnight) that is $20 for over night parking.

Is there something cheaper? I'm willing to walk a few miles (need the exercise anyway). On street doesn't seem a good option because (a) I don't know where is "safe", and (b) I would have to get up at 6AM to feed the meter!

posted by R343L to Travel & Transportation around Philadelphia, PA (5 answers total)

$20 seems a little steep.
There are a few cheaper alternatives listed on the Philadelphia Parking Authority's website.

If you're feeling really cheap (and somewhat adventurous), there's free street parking between Washington and South St. on 13th St. I parked there all the time when I lived at 13th and Locust. The neighborhood happens to be public housing, but no one ever bothered with me or my car.
posted by pantsonfire at 11:18 PM on July 23, 2007

$20 is about the going rate, unfortunately, since that's the price of a parking ticket.

Street parking is free if you:

1. Can find a spot
2. Mind the posted hours

Some spots run free until 8 or 10 AM — the further north of the convention center, the more likely you will find parking with later hours, but north of CC gets sketchy quickly.

Also, you'll be walking further, so you'd have to get an earlier start in the morning to avoid a ticket.

If you don't think you'll make it in time in the morning, park it in a garage.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:30 PM on July 23, 2007

Shit, walking a few miles from any point in the city will take you to almost any other point in the city. If you are seriously willing to walk a mile or so I'd recommend heading north until you're just out of center city, past Vine Street, anywhere up to Callowhill or Spring Garden. In fact, if you park around 13th and Callowhill you could go to Lift after you drop your car off.

And I don't think you'll need to feed a meter up around Callowhill, just follow the parking signs, usually two hour parking starts at 8 am so you wouldn't have to be out until ten.
posted by The Straightener at 3:54 AM on July 24, 2007

Response by poster: The Straightener-

Is that a safeish neighborhood? I was parked just north of Vine St Expy (on 13th) before I moved my car because of the front desk agent's suggestion. Is that the area you are talking about? My concern with street parking is just that I have no idea where is safe. But, yeah, I realize saying I'm willing to walk opens it up.

But I did figure $20 was pretty much the going rate in an actual parking location. Of course getting my car out this morning was terrifying -- the lot was so tightly packed I wasn't sure I could get out without hitting something!
posted by R343L at 6:14 AM on July 24, 2007

Whem I'm in the city I park at Temple.

Im a student there and it really clears out over the summer. The walk to City Hall is decent, but you can park at temple for free and take a two dollar subway to wherever you have to go.

I recommend Jefferson between 13th and Broad.
posted by Blandanomics at 7:48 AM on July 24, 2007