Free or Cheap Parking suggestions for downtown area?? (Austin, Center: buy, YMCA)

[jwnulife]

Can anyone recommend some free or cheap parking suggestions for the downtown Austin area? The only place I know of is the San Jacinto parking garage which is 10 dollars a day, I think. I have also heard that there is free parking somewhere near the LBJ library. Anyone heard of this?

[sanmiguel]

I am not trying to encourage this but lots of people park at the Hancock Center on Red River and then take the 10 bus south to the campus and downtown. Judging by the number of shopping carts in front of 24 Hour Fitness it seems like many of the cars parked in front belong to folks who are not using the gym.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by jwnulife

Can anyone recommend some free or cheap parking suggestions for the downtown Austin area? The only place I know of is the San Jacinto parking garage which is 10 dollars a day, I think. I have also heard that there is free parking somewhere near the LBJ library. Anyone heard of this?

There is a lot at san jacinto and 7th which is $6

[jwnulife]

Originally Posted by Austin97

There is a lot at san jacinto and 7th which is $6

Is it safe?

[verybadgnome]

If you get there early you can park under IH-35 where it crosses 6th and 7th streets for free. For good measure it is right across from the police station.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

If you get there early you can park under IH-35 where it crosses 6th and 7th streets for free. For good measure it is right across from the police station.

That is true, but that area is not particularly safe EVEN with the police station right there. Depending on where you are going downtown and for how long, you could park in one of the lots along the ladybird lake trail, where the runners park; the downtown Whole Foods market has 2 hours of free parking; meters can usually be found (much less so during business hours) on side streets downtown and are cheap and safe. Are you member of the YMCA? The downtown one is part of the "away" program and you could park there for a while. The Bullock museum offers full day parking for $8, less if you buy a ticket to the museum. The Hancock center and LBJ library parking + take the bus would also be OK.

If you want to give us a specific location/time of day, we might be able to narrow it down a bit.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by atxcio

That is true, but that area is not particularly safe EVEN with the police station right there. Depending on where you are going downtown and for how long, you could park in one of the lots along the ladybird lake trail, where the runners park; the downtown Whole Foods market has 2 hours of free parking; meters can usually be found (much less so during business hours) on side streets downtown and are cheap and safe. Are you member of the YMCA? The downtown one is part of the "away" program and you could park there for a while. The Bullock museum offers full day parking for $8, less if you buy a ticket to the museum. The Hancock center and LBJ library parking + take the bus would also be OK.

If you want to give us a specific location/time of day, we might be able to narrow it down a bit.

Unless you are shopping at WF, or just did, it would really annoy me for a freeloader to keep me circling for hours to find a place to park. Paying to get to work is a cost of being employed.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

Unless you are shopping at WF, or just did, it would really annoy me for a freeloader to keep me circling for hours to find a place to park. Paying to get to work is a cost of being employed.

I don't think the OP is looking for work parking; if so, they'd need to find a more permanent solution. But if they are coming to visit, they might want to stop in to WF anyway, so I figure it may be a good option.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by jwnulife

Is it safe?

It seems like it. It is diagonally across the street from the omni.

[borgerboy]

ocassionally i park on south congress a little south of the main strip and walk downtown. capmetro has frequent bus service up congress across the ann richards bridge to downtown and believe it or not, it runs all night!