Did you know that over 65 million people visited the city of New York in 2019?
To call New York City one of the world’s biggest tourist attractions would be a massive understatement. After all, it’s arguably the most famous city in the world, and for good reason, as it’s jam-packed with things to do and see.
With that being said, there are a few things about visiting New York that isn’t all that fun. Finding parking in NYC can be quite difficult, especially if you’re not familiar with the area.
I mean, how are you supposed to know where the best places to park are in a city that large? And is driving yourself around town even a good idea?
In this article, we’ll give you the answers to both of those questions. We’ll also give you a few other tips and tricks that you can use to ensure that your travels within The Big Apple go smoothly. That way you have one less thing to prevent you from having a good time.
Plan Far Ahead for Each Adventure
We’ll be honest. It’s next to impossible to find parking in New York City at the very last minute. This is especially true if you’re not familiar with the area or if you’re visiting from out of town.
Our advice? Plan your every move far in advance. That way you make sure that you’ve got everything figured out, including where you’re going to park before you make a trip into the city.
For example, if you plan on going to see a show one night, do some research on where the best place to park nearby is. Keep in mind things like what day of the week you’re going to see this show on, as well as what time of night you’ll be needing to park.
All of those variables will change where the best place to park in the city is. That’s why you need to plan for your specific day or evening, as there are plenty of variables to consider.
Try to Find Free Parking When You Can
Believe it or not, it’s very possible to find free parking in NYC at any time. Sure, you may end up having to park further away from your destination that you’d like to. But if you know where the closest place to park nearby for free is, you can make sure that you at least consider parking there when making your plans.
Of course, all you need to do is find free parking for your custom car nearby is to do a bit of Googling before you adventure out into the city. You can follow this same tactic to find affordable parking near your destination, too, so don’t be afraid to look for a deal before settling on a parking spot.
Let Technology Help You Find Parking
Again, there aren’t too many tools more useful than your smartphone and Google. With that in mind, there are a few apps that are worth downloading, especially in the city, that can make finding parking that much easier.
The ParkMobile app, in particular, is a must-have for when visiting the city of New York. It’ll help you find parking, as well as pay for parking, so you can avoid any tickets and fines.
To piggyback off of that last point, it’s important to note that not paying for parking in New York is never a good idea. Those tickets and fees will add up quickly, and you can even get your car towed, which isn’t a problem you want to have to deal with.
Park Far Away and Travel Some More
We touched on this earlier, but more often than not, the best way to park in the city is to park and then travel to your destination. That could mean walking from your parking spot to your destination or even taking the subway to get to where you need to go.
Regardless, you need to be prepared to do have to more traveling once you’ve parked your car. Because in the city, parking right next to your final destination isn’t the norm, especially if you’re working with a tight budget.
Don’t Drive Yourself Around Everywhere
This might not solve your problem, but of course, parking will not be an issue if you don’t drive yourself to your destination. Sometimes, depending on where you’re going, taking an Uber or a taxi is the cheapest way to get to where you want to go.
And because New York has a strong public transportation system, taking one or two subway trains can get you where you want to go for less money, too.
When you’re traveling, keep in mind that traffic in New York City can be quite rough. It can take hours to get from point A to point B, which of course can lead to you spending more time in the car than you’d like to.
So, do some research and determine how much money (and time) you’ll be spending driving yourself to your destination. You may be surprised to see that, if you take another transportation method, you could get there in less time and for less money.
Still Need Help Parking in NYC?
As you can see, a lot goes into traveling to and around the city of New York. With that being said, if you have a good plan in place, you can find parking in NYC for cheap, and even free, if you know what to look for and how to find it.
Doing some traveling in the near future? Check back with our blog often for tons of useful travel tips and tricks.
