Let’s talk about one of the biggest stressors you’ll face when you’re living in any city — parking!
Fortunately, navigating parking in downtown Annapolis isn’t nearly as stressful as it would be in a big city. You might even discover that finding parking in downtown Annapolis is a fairly easy and pleasant experience. That’s because downtown Annapolis is highly walkable (not to mention scenic), so you’ll be happy to put your car in one of the garages or metered parking spots, stretch your legs, and enjoy the atmosphere as you get to your destination, whether that’s home, work, or a local business for shopping or dining.
But even if the experience is generally a great one, it does take a little savvy to pull it off. Here’s a quick look at some of your parking options in downtown Annapolis.
What Residents and Employees Should Know
If you’re somebody who lives in downtown Annapolis or works at a business in the downtown district, then parking is a lot easier for you than it is for a visitor. That’s because city residents can apply for the Residential Parking Permit Program through Annapolis Parking. These permits grant residents permission to park along the street in what are known as Special Parking Districts, of which there are five located around the city. These designated spots were created with the specific intention of making more parking options available for people who live in those districts (note that you must have an address located within that district to obtain a permit). If you do live within one of those five districts, all you must provide is proof of your residence and automobile registration.
City residents also have the privilege of parking for free in Park Place Garage, Knighton Garage, Gott’s Garage, or Hillman Garage for up to two hours. During emergencies, such as a heavy snowstorm, some garages will be made available to residents for free as a way of reducing street parking that might block snowplows.
For employees who work at downtown businesses, parking is available in the Park Place Garage for only $3 for the entire day. To do this, the employee must provide validation from their manager or the business owner.
Metered Parking
Metered parking is available around the downtown district, but you only have to feed the meters at certain times of the day. On weekdays and Saturdays, metered parking is enforced between the hours of 10:00AM and 7:30PM. These hours are reduced on Sundays from noon to 7:30 PM.
Parking in metered spots costs $2 an hour, and meters can be fed up to two hours at a time. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to refeed the meters, and cars must be moved from their metered parking spots after being in place for two hours.
It’s important to note that the metered parking in the lots close to Susan Campbell Park, aka City Dock, are more expensive. From April 1 through October 31, they are $3 per hour, and in the off season from November 1 through March 31, they are $2 per hour.
But if you need to make a trip into downtown Annapolis on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Day, you don’t have to worry about metered parking — metered parking isn’t enforced on these days.
Here are some prominent metered lots. You can find a full map available through downtownannapolis.org:
- City Dock/Susan Campbell Park — located near Spa Creek
- Fleet Parking Lot — located near Fleet Reserve Club
- Donner Parking Lot — located near City Dock
- Larkin Street Lot — located near City Gate Lane
Pick Your Garage
Maybe you don’t feel like driving around trying to find a metered parking spot or fighting for parallel spaces on the street — you’ve still got plenty of options with parking garages. The city-run garages are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you can count on them to be staffed and secure for your safety and convenience. They even have handicapped parking spaces reserved on the ground level for those who need them.
Here are a few major garages you should note. You can find a full map available through downtownannapolis.org:
- Noah Hillman Parking Garage — 150 Gorman Street
- Gotts Court Parking Garage — 250 Northwest Street
- Whitmore Garage — 37 Clay Street
- Knighton Garage — Corner of Colonial Avenue and West Street
Go Via Circulator Trolley
Once you’ve parked, you don’t necessarily have to walk to yo
ur destination (though downtown Annapolis is highly walkable). You can opt instead to use the Circulator Trolley, which is free to ride and makes a loop through the business district, out to Westgate Circle, and through Memorial Circle. It passes by four major downtown garages — Noah Hillman Parking Garage, Park Place, Knighton, and Gott’s — Monday through Saturday from 7:30AM to 8:00PM and on Sunday from 8:00AM to 8:00PM.
All of this is must-know info for anyone who is planning to make the City of Annapolis their home. Want even more insight about living in this beautiful community? Contact Jennifer Schaub by emailing jennifer(dotted)schaub(at)longandfoster(dotted)com or call 720.244.5945.