The Whattohave guide to parking
I get a lot of people that ask where to park downtown. So I thought I’d clear up a few misconceptions.:
First: My general rule is it’s best to park on the street. Raleigh does not enforce parking meters (that I’ve seen) on the weekends. So there is tons of free parking. I’ve never seen someone park at a meter on the weekend and get a ticket.
Second: Make use of the parking garages. There is a map from this page downtownraleigh maps with all the parking garages available. Some are free, some charge a few dollars for the evening. Raleigh’s trying to grow up, so I don’t think paying $6 to park for dinner etc… is too much to ask.
Third: Use the valet. Many restaurants are offering valet now, generally it’s very cheap for a useful service. Bogart’s, Amra’s, Nana’s, Sullivan’s and 518 are a few of the places that offer valet service.
The main rule to follow is do not park in a private lot that does not offer a pay for parking booth. There are many private lots that have kiosks with numbered parking spaces. You insert your money into the slot for your parking space and you’re golden.
I would not park in a lot without a parking booth/stand/kiosk place. The city of Raleigh does not generally tow, the people you see being towed away are usually people that parked illegally in a private lot.
Parking illegally on the street is fined two ways by the city. If you happen to park in a spot where the meters are still active and the time runs out, there is a $6 ticket. If you park illegally, like in a no parking zone, or park where only half your car is in a parking zone, there is a heftier ~$35 ticket. The only reason the city tows is if your vehicle is in the way, blocking a driveway, parked across train tracks or in the middle of the street.
Follow these easy steps it should be easy to find somewhere to park without having to worry about your car or getting towed.
–Matt