Miami may be the number one place for many things but one thing Miami is not number one is finding a parking spot- which is cheap. With millions of visitors in this sunny city, of course it is understandable that parking woes are common. To make things worse, Miami is also at the top of the list when it comes to ticketing and towing cars away, very quickly. Make no mistake, if you park in Miami where you are not supposed to- it will cost you a fortune to get your car back from the towing company.
The worst parking woes are in South Beach, which is where all the action is. For tourists, the first advice is if you can do without a car, then that should be the first option.
Even if you find parking meters, the rates are exorbitant and that will make your vacation painful.
The second thing you need to know is that there is NO free parking in Miami. The few spots that existed have all been replaced by parking meters because the city wants your money. While you can park for free at broken parking meter, chances are that you will have to write a long letter and place it on your window and hope that the meter officer can or will read.
If you do decide to rent a car, avoid all valet parking- no matter how practical they appear- they are a rip off. By the time you pay for the parking and tip the valet, that will easily cost you dinner for two in a fancy restaurant.
Street parking when available has just gone up to $2-$4 an hour but than you will have to rush every hour to add more coins and if you are a minute late, do not be surprised to see a ticket. The reason is that the parking officers, whom the city employs by the hundreds, are on every street- and there is no better way to make easy money than giving out tickets.
The best advice is to find a garage. They are relatively cheap and some will even allow you to drive out once if you have paid for the entire day. These indoor garage parking spots cost about $20-$40. Plus, you will not get a ticket and there is no need to come back every hour to fill the meter. The other advantage is the car is safe.
There are several commercial loading zones that allow
you to park for free after 6pm, but finding one is like looking for your contact lens in a swimming pool.
The one place to avoid parking is around people’s residents. The problem is that usually there are no signs and everyone has a different interpretation. To make matters worse, homeowners in Miami are very anal and vocal about their curb and the moment they see an unknown car parked, they call a towing company.
Today there are several apps that can be downloaded which tell you where parking is available in Miami. Unfortunately, everyone has the same apps and by the time you get there, the spot is gone.
While the Miami city council says the strict parking rules are to prevent traffic congestion and improve flow of traffic- do not believe them for a second- it is all about money- your money.
To circumvent Miami parking problems, take the bus or the metro. It is cheaper, safer and without hassles.