Free long term parking in NY/NJ?

August 3, 2007 3:05 PM

Where can I find cheap (free) extremely long term (2-3 months at a time) parking in the NY/NJ area?

Here's the deal. I go to college in NYC, live in the Midwest. I'm driving my car to school with all my stuff and I would like to have it available to drive back for breaks, maybe if I want to drive somewhere along the coast, etc. I wouldn't be using the car more than once a month. Ideally, this parking is free (although i realize it probably won't be), relatively safe, and within, say, a mile's walk of Metro-North/NJ Transit (nj trans preferred).

posted by ofthestrait to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

I'd suggest looking out my way - East Rutherford, Carlstadt, Woodridge, NJ are all on the NJ transit bus/train lines (20 minutes to nyc) and I'd bet you could find someone via Craigslist who would be willing to work something out with you. Almost everyone around here has at least a two car driveway (mine is filled with garbage cans, sorry!) that they don't really use.
posted by blaneyphoto at 3:46 PM on August 3, 2007

you could try putting a classified ad in one of the jersey papers. either the star ledger or the asbury park press. lots of people in that area have several acres of land. if you offered $50 a month to long term park you car, or whatever you are willing to pay, you will get some offers.
posted by Flood at 4:20 PM on August 3, 2007

Best answer: i have been thinking about your question. why not just park on the streets on nyc? it will require maybe one hour a week worth of effort, it is free, and then you will always have your car.

i live in brooklyn. i park on the streets. have lived in manhattan. went to nyu. kept my car in manhattan with me. there is plenty of parking in the east village.

i know, if you are new to nyc, the alternate side parking rules might seem complex. and i know that the street signs explaining the rules seem like they are in some kind of code. but trust me, once you figure it out, it will become easy. it will just be part of your regular routine.

if the area around your college is really bad for parking, then pick a nieghborhood to park in, and learn the parking there. brooklyn heights or astoria, queens are both good. plenty of parking in both neighborhoods, with streets that only have alternate side once a week.

maybe you should look into trying to understand the alternate side parkinig rules around your college. i mean, many new yorkers have cars, and the vast majority do not keep their cars in a parking lot. most people, like me, scavenge for parking weekly.

if you are going to college in new york, then you are a new yorker now. and when in rome, do as the romans. so, what i think you should really do is, forget parking in jersey. suffer through alternate parking like the rest of us in this city. you can do it. in no time flat, you be thinking that you can't use your car this weekend, because you have such a good parking spot.

i will give you one good tip on working the alternate side parking. learn exactly when the street cleaning on certain streets occur. for example, if the street is no parking tuesday 8:30 to 10:00. if you go to that street at 9:45 on that day, you can park easily.

believe me, you can learn the alternate side parking rules, and just keep your car on the streets of new york. it is part of the new york experience. it is free, you can keep an eye on your car, and your car is always readily available.

and, by the way, welcome to new york
posted by Flood at 7:23 PM on August 3, 2007

brooklyn heights or astoria, queens are both good. plenty of parking in both neighborhoods, with streets that only have alternate side once a week.

There is not a lot of parking in Brooklyn Heights. Some neighborhoods in Manhattan may be easier to find street parking. I'd look elsewhere for your parking satisfaction.
posted by andrewraff at 1:06 PM on August 6, 2007