Parking NYC
 

We are planning a trip to NYC. In the past, we've stayed at the Travel Inn and it offered free parking. The last time, the parking was no longer free, but it was still a bargain. Unfortunately, when I tried to make reservations for this trip, they were sold out for the days that we needed.

I've booked another hotel. Its valet parking is quite high, so I have been researching garages in the area.

I found a couple of websites that show rates for many garages. I am thinking it would make sense to reserve a spot ahead of time so the less expensive choices don't fill up. I wonder about timing though. I don't know exactly what time we will arrive and leave. Should I add a couple of hours so that we don't get there too early or leave too late?. I'm not sure how it would work if we did that, but I did read some comment about someone getting to a garage 4 minutes early and having to pay extra.

Does this make sense (reserving in advance and adding extra time) and is there anything else I should consider? Are there coupons that I might find?

Did you look at icon parking? They are pretty good. I use their lots when I stay in the city, definitely do an hr before and an hr after to be on the safe side.

I looked at Best and Parkwhiz - there were the top two that came up when I googled. I'll check icon too.

You pay for the garage by the amount of time you are there - except if it's the whole day, which will have a flat rate.

So if you reserve by the day you should pay the daily rate. If you end up staying more than 24 hours, yes, you will be charged extra for the extra time.

I would reserve for when you think you will arrive. One will not be charged for arriving early but for overstaying the 24 hours from when you DO arrive.

We booked our parking through one of the parking apps. I liked that we could easily compare prices for the various locations near our hotel. And the Park Whiz app pointed out that we could stay longer on our Saturday departure day for no extra cost.

We decided to drive by the hotel first, then to the parking garage to make sure DH knew where it was, and then back to the hotel to drop off me and the luggage before DH parked.

Our plan changed when we saw how long it took to drive the few blocks from the hotel to the parking garage. There was no way that it made sense for DH to return me and the luggage to the hotel and then drive back again. So we just pulled our luggage back to the hotel ourselves.

Not sure why my comment was deleted, I live in NY and use ParkWiz all the time. You can often get additional time free of charge and much cheaper than the hotels cost.

I dont blame you, I shoot in hotels all the time and always park elsewhere and shift my gear instead.

You will certainly save if you reserve a spot in advance, but in Midtown, but it's definitely not something you have to do far in advance. A few days will suffice. I'd always do that above valet parking. You'll save at least $10 a night just by parking yourself in the nearest garage or lot over valet, and that's without a reservation.

Park in Brooklyn, take subway to Manhattan. You will save mucho dough.

Is that true? Where would you recommend parking in Brooklyn and what is the price? How far is the train from the lot?

I'd look at those online coupons; rates vary so widely. One person can be paying $600 a month (not unheard of) and another half that, for monthly parking in the same block in midtown. I know it's boring but try the research and maybe look for an outdoor lot if any remain in your target area.

I have to say I see no logic in the idea of driving all the way to Brooklyn, where garages cost almost as much as Manhattan, to park. If the poster is coming from the south or west, then it would make sense to park at the Metropark garage in NJ and take NJ Transit into the city. If the poster were coming from the north, it could make sense to park in a garage in White Plains adjacent to the train station and take Metro North into the city.

Going to Brooklyn just sounds inadvisable to me. You'd have to drive all the way through Manhattan and likely go to Downtown Brooklyn, where there are a lot of garages, find parking, and then make your way back into Manhattan and back to the hotel. Parking in NYC is going to cost $40 to $50 a night, less if you have a coupon. Garages in Downtown Brooklyn are only about $5 cheaper.

I wouldn't go to Brooklyn. If you were going to do that, you might as well go to the Secaucus station, park there and take the 10-minute train ride to Penn Station.

Agree..just get a coupon. We pay what works out to $10 a night but that is on a monthly basis. Takes some time to look around online but savings can be pretty good.

Plenty of people rent out their garages in Brooklyn. Check the classifieds or the web. Also, you could park on the street for free!

I think @POMAH's advice is particularly troubling and inadvisable for 99.9% of all tourist, who don't know how to find a reliable private garage nor where to park without getting a ticket on NYC streets. It is, to me, an invitation to a scam, your car stolen, or to have your car towed.

And when was the last time anyone checked "the classifieds"? What does that even mean?

I've used the icon site in the past, but going on it now, I couldn't find a way to reserve. Does anyone know if they no longer allow reservations, or am I missing something?

Thanks.

On the Icon Parking Systems web site, there's a big button for "Parking Reservations" and a tab at the top for "Coupons".

Thanks Doug. Time to try again.