Where am I going to park? And how much is it? A guide for South Beach and other hot spots
Parking headaches are one memory of Memorial Day’s past we’re sure you’d like to avoid repeating this weekend.
We can’t park your car for you, but we can let you know what the situation is in some high-profile spots so you can plan ahead.
Here’s what we know:
Miami Beach
While many municipalities host Memorial Day events, such as a Remembrance Ceremony in Coral Gables and the Great American Beach Party in Fort Lauderdale, South Beach is ground zero for tourists and crowds. This year, the Hyundai Air & Sea Show on the beach and Lummus Park is on Saturday and Sunday, May 29-30, so that draw alone requires a South Beach action plan.
Here are details on the parking part.
▪ Starting at 7 p.m. Friday, a flat $20 parking rate per vehicle will be imposed at all city parking garages in the Art Deco Cultural District, which encompasses 5th to 23rd streets along Ocean Drive, Collins and Washington avenues. This applies to all except for access card holders and residents.
▪ The garages: Seventh Street and Collins Avenue, 12th Street and Washington Avenue, 13th Street and Collins Avenue and the Anchor Garage on 16th Street.
▪ That $20 rate is good for a single entrance and exit. That means park and stay. Or leave. But ins-and-outs are not permitted.
Plan to park along Collins and Washington avenues? Surely you jest.
▪ On-street parking will be prohibited along Collins and Washington avenues in the Art Deco Cultural District. On-street parking between Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive and 5th and 15th streets will only be available to residents with a Residential Zone 5 parking permit.
▪ A free, Park Me—Miami Beach app available on the Apple Store or Google Play could help you find parking near the events so that you can avoid circling blocks looking for parking and adding to the congestion. According to the city, the mobile app shows available parking and rates for lots and garages and features real-time capacity information for certain facilities.
▪ Free Parking Shuttles. Miami Beach will provide specially marked Miami Beach Trolleys and Freebees to and from four designated event parking garage locations, and there will be signs.
Parking shuttles will run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 15-minute intervals (give or a take a few minutes) on Saturday, May 29, and Sunday, May 30.
▪ Trolleys will pickup and drop-off passengers at Collins Avenue and 11th Street for the following parking garage locations:
Pickup for the parking garage at 41st Street and Sheridan Avenue is Trolley Stop #219 at Sheridan Avenue and 41st Street.
Pickup for the parking garage at 23rd Street and Liberty Avenue is Trolley Stop #194 at 23rd Street and Liberty Avenue.
Pickup for the 17th Street parking garage, Pennsylvania Avenue parking garage and the City Hall parking garage is Trolley Stop #200 at 17th Street and Convention Center Drive.
Freebee will pickup and drop-off passengers at the 5th Street Garage. Use Trolley Stop #113 at Sixth Street and Lenox Avenue for drop-off at 10th Street between Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive.
Anyone who parks at the Fifth Street Garage can also use the regular SOBE Trolley Loops (A or B) to take them to Collins Avenue and 11th Street.
Fort Lauderdale
▪ The city hosts the Great American Beach Party at Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd. from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 29. Country act Lonestar performs.
Downtown parking is available within walking distance at Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk Center Garage, 150 SE Second St. The hourly rates are $1.50 per hour for registered residents, $3 per hour for visitors.
A water taxi pickup departs every 30 minutes with nonstop service to Las Olas Marina from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.. A round trip is $5 per person and $2 for seniors. Active military and children 3 and younger are free. Visit www.watertaxi.com.
The stops: Stranahan House on Riverwalk at 420 SE Sixth Ave. and Galleryone DoubleTree Hotel (next to the Galleria Mall) at 2670 E. Sunrise Blvd. on the Intracoastal.
▪ The big event comes with a traffic advisory.
Las Olas Boulevard between A1A and Seabreeze Boulevard will be closed from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, May 29.
Northbound A1A traffic can access turnarounds at Poinsettia and Cortez streets.
Southbound A1A traffic can access a turnaround at Southeast Fifth Street.
City officials warn that heavy traffic is expected so unless you’re heading to the Beach Party or something else nearby it might be a good idea to avoid the area or seek alternate routes or transportation.
Coral Gables
If you’re planning to eat on Giralda Plaza or somewhere else on Miracle Mile this weekend, you won’t have to worry about paying extra for parking. The city said its municipal garages, metered and lot parking will have their usual rates this holiday weekend.
Parking garages typically charge $1 per 30 minutes or $1 per 20 minutes after four hours, with a maximum charge of $18, according to the city’s website. Metered parking is usually $3 per hour and city lots are $4 per hour.
Most, if not all, of the metered on-street parking and lots give people the option to pay using the PayByPhone app.
Here’s a tip: If you’re looking for free things to do with the kids this weekend, the city is hosting its first annual Family Literacy Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive.
The festival will have food trucks and a variety of activities, including an outdoor Scholastic book fair, a petting zoo, and a “Magical Park” augmented reality game.
This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 1:00 PM.
