Need some help with Parking (Chicago, Montrose: house, neighborhood, living)

[Klost]

Hey all, I am going to Chicago this week to see my bf. I am going for the week to look for jobs and to see if I want to move there. I am driving and was wondering if anyone knew any places that I can park for the week for free? Or if any of you have guest parking and would like to let me use it this Monday probably through Sunday. He just moved in today, so he does not even have a Chicago parking permit yet. He is living on West Buena Ave. Any help would be appreciated.

[ChicagoBay]

Hmm after 9pm or so you can park it at a meter on Montrose for free, but you'd have to move it during the day (check the hours on the meter/meter machine). During the day you could just park it at Montrose beach, it has a huge parking lot and as long as you don't leave it there past hours, I think it officially closes at 10/11pm, then you'd be ok. Out of state plates or out of town registration doesn't require a city sticker.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by ChicagoBay

Hmm after 9pm or so you can park it at a meter on Montrose for free, but you'd have to move it during the day (check the hours on the meter/meter machine). During the day you could just park it at Montrose beach, it has a huge parking lot and as long as you don't leave it there past hours, I think it officially closes at 10/11pm, then you'd be ok. Out of state plates or out of town registration doesn't require a city sticker.

1) The beach parking lots are now metered; 2) Where the car is registered has no bearing on whether a city sticker is required. Any car that is principally kept in the city for more than 30 days out of the year is required to have a city sticker. It won't matter in the OP's case if the car is only here for a week... but the BF better start looking into getting a sticker for his car.

Originally Posted by Klost

Hey all, I am going to Chicago this week to see my bf. I am going for the week to look for jobs and to see if I want to move there. I am driving and was wondering if anyone knew any places that I can park for the week for free? Or if any of you have guest parking and would like to let me use it this Monday probably through Sunday. He just moved in today, so he does not even have a Chicago parking permit yet. He is living on West Buena Ave. Any help would be appreciated.

Not all city streets require parking permits. Find out if there are parking restrictions where your BF lives. If there are, find a street somewhere else that is not zoned, park your car, and walk/bike/take a bus back to your BF's place.

[rparz]

If I wasn't able to park near where I would be, I'd be leery of leaving my car in the city unattended for days. Yeah, the neighborhood may be alright but if someone notices a car without a city sticker in the same place for a few days...I wouldn't want to risk a break in or worse. It's one of those 'be street smart, don't make stupid mistakes.'
If the car is a block from the bf's house that's one thing, if it's on the other side of town, I'd discourage that.

Leave the car at home, or prepare to hunt and even pay for parking.

[ChicagoBay]

The bastards metered Montrose beach eh lol. I haven't been there in awhile I usually go closer to downtown. Ok you have to get away from the beach and park in an area that has no zoning. I know for a fact that you could park it in the Portage park neighborhood, which is right off of Montrose but further west from your BF's house. They have plenty of streets with no zoning. Move it every third day, even up just a few spots, so it looks like you are using it.

[CSD610]

Take the train and don't worry with the parking issue OR just pay to park somewhere secure.

[s0nginmyheart]

Most of the parking on Inner Lake Shore Drive is free and unrestricted (i.e. no zoned permit required), unless there is a Cubs game. Then you need a zoned permit after 5p on select streets. Good luck.