While Santa Monica is a pedestrian-friendly city, if you'll be driving here, these Santa Monica parking tips for the beach, downtown, and metered parking can help.
Don't even think about forgetting to feed any Santa Monica city parking meters you encounter, even for a quick in-and-out cappuccino run. Unless you'd like an expensive souvenir of your pitstop - your very own Santa Monica parking ticket - that is.
Since you'd probably prefer to choose your own tchotchkes, this parking guide can help.
The City of Santa Monica parking system uses technology and real-time information to keep cars moving on central boulevards and limit the impact of traffic on local streets.
This includes a comprehensive street wayfinding system, including signs directing motorists to off-street parking and displaying real-time parking availability at many public parking facilities and Santa Monica city parking meters.
Real-time parking availability and rates can be found on this interactive, real-time Santa Monica parking map or downloading this free smartphone parking app.
Parking is available on the Santa Monica Pier deck, accessed via the ramp at Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue. This parking lot is open 24 hours a day. Rates are as follows:
SUMMER
April 1 - Oct. 31
WINTER
Nov. 1 - March 31
Weekends
Weekdays
$3.75 per hour
$18 max per entry
$3.75 per hour
$18 per max entry
$3.50 per hour
$15 max per entry
$2.50 per hour
$12 per max entry
Buses or RV's
Not Allowed
Not Allowed
Disabled Placards/Plates
Free
Free
Parking is also available at Lot 1 North, located immediately north of the Pier at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway.
Lot 1 North is open daily from 6 am to 2 am. Please see the rates for Central Beach parking below.
Short-term parking is available at 1640 Appian Way. The lot is open daily from sunrise to sunset. The rate is $1.00 per hour with a 2-hour maximum.
Parking is available at beach lots from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, except for Lot 1 North, which is open from 6 a.m. to midnight. Rates and locations are as follows:
Daily
Buses or RV's
Disable Placards/Plates
SUMMER
April 1 - Oct. 31
$3 per hour
$12 max per vehicle
Not Allowed
Free
WINTER
Nov. 1 - March 31
$3 per hour
$8 max per vehicle
Not Allowed
Free
* Annenberg Beach House - 415 Pacific Coast Highway
Summer: $12 per entry weekends; $10 per entry weekdays. Buses (per entry) 6x daily rate. RVs (per entry): 4x daily rate. Disabled Placards/Plates: Free.
Winter: $10 per entry weekends; $7 per entry weekdays. Buses (per entry) 6x daily rate. RVs (per entry) 4x daily rate. Disabled Placards/Plates: Free.
Lot 9 North
Lot 8 North
Lot 7 North
Lot 6 North
Lot 5A North
Lot 5 North
Lot 4 North
Parking is available at downtown structures 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are 13 structures/garages and five surface lots throughout the area. Locations are as follows:
Structure 1
Structure 2
Structure 3
Structure 4
Structure 5
Structure 6
Structure 7
Structure 8
Ken Edwards Center
Structure 9
Structure 10
Downtown Lots 27, 29 & 30
Lot 27
Lot 29
Lot 30
Parking is available at the Civic Center structure, 24/7. The entrance is off 4th Street between Pico Boulevard and Olympic Drive.
There are four Main Street parking lots:
Additional parking is available at beach lots 4 South and 5 South, two blocks west of Main Street. These lots are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Every Sunday the Farmer’s Market takes place at the California Heritage Museum parking lot.
Attendees are encouraged to park at Lot 5 South, located at 2600 Barnard Way, where parking is free until 1:30 p.m. with proof of purchase and a parking voucher from the Farmer’s Market.
Parking is available at our Mid-City lots, located on Wilshire Blvd, between Euclid and 16th streets.. The rate is $1.00 per hour.
If you have an electric car, there are several places for you to charge up your car while exploring the city on foot.
The Civic Parking Structure contains 45 charging ports for electric vehicles, and Parking Structure 6 holds 30 electric vehicle charging ports.
Downtown lot 29 now offers six public EVgo stations. Many other parking structures and stations around Santa Monica offer free charging stations, check out this page for electric vehicle parking options.
Remember to always keep your valuables out of sight. Take your valuables with you or place them in your trunk before you arrive at a location where people might be watching.
Santa Monica has on-street parking meters throughout the city, all of which accept payment via coins or credit card.
On-street parking meters and pay machines at City lots are $2.50 per hour in the Downtown and beach meter zones and $1.25 in other citywide meter zones.
To avoid a ticket when meter parking, keep in mind that there is no free parking in Santa Monica on Sundays, so don’t forget to pay the meter on your weekend outing.