We all love to shop at local businesses and artisan markets, but finding a parking spot for more than an hour or two can be daunting. The good news is that there will be free parking on Saturdays throughout December in the Civic Center Parking Structure on Oak Street between Central and Santa Clara avenues, and in the West End lot between Santa Clara and Haight avenues, just east of Webster Street.
Pulling into one of these off-street parking options is not only free, but much easier than looking for on-street parking on a busy Saturday. When you avoid circling the area to try to find a parking spot, you help reduce congestion and reduce the number of times you turn across crosswalks in these pedestrian-heavy areas. And of course, those who are able can avoid the entire hassle by walking, biking, or taking one of the many buses that serve our business districts.
The West End Lot is great for shoppers, diners, and explorers, but please note that it is not a good bet—and parts of it are not even accessible—on Saturday mornings because of the busy Farmers Market on Haight Street. But for Saturday afternoon adventures on the West End, it’s great.
The Civic Center Parking Structure is within a ten-minute walk of most Park Street businesses, and usually has plenty of available parking spaces. It’s free on Saturdays in December, but even on other days it costs half as much as nearby street meters. Plus the City recently upgraded the stairway lights to LEDs that are brighter than the old ones.
