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In this guide
Downtown St. Augustine was built a few hundred years before anybody needed a parking spot, and you can tell. The streets are narrow, and the good spots go early. It’s not that hard once you know the system, but you don’t want to spend your noon hour circling the block.
My advice: decide where you’re parking before you get here, then leave the car and walk. Everything in the historic district is close, so you probably won’t touch your car again until you’re leaving.
Before you head in, pull up the St. Augustine Parking Finder, a map the city launched with a company called Modii. It shows lots and street parking around downtown and how full they are, so you can see what’s filling up before you get here. Treat it as a guide, not a guarantee.
If you just want the answer
- All day downtown: Use the Historic Downtown Parking Facility at 1 Cordova St. It’s $20 per entry from 7am to 5pm.
- Just coming for dinner: Enter the garage between 5pm and 9pm for $5, outside of special events.
- A couple of quick stops: City street spots and lots are $2.50 an hour, with a 4-hour limit.
- Late or early: City spots are free from 9pm to 8am.
- During Nights of Lights: Different rules apply, so read that section below.
The map at the top of this page is simplified and not to scale, so use it to get your bearings and use your phone for directions.
The downtown garage
For most people, the Historic Downtown Parking Facility is the way to go. It has about 1,200 spaces, it’s open 24 hours, and it’s right beside the Visitor Information Center, a short walk from the City Gate and St. George Street.
- 7am to 5pm: $20 per entry
- 5pm to 9pm: $5 per entry
- St. Johns County residents: $3 per entry through the resident discount program
That’s per entry, so if you pull out to run an errand, you’ll pay again when you come back. And the $5 evening rate doesn’t apply during some festivals, Nights of Lights, or when the free satellite shuttles are running.
City street spots and lots
City-run spaces cost $2.50 an hour, with a 4-hour limit. You can pay with the ParkStAug app or at a pay station marked with the city crest. Private lots use different pay machines and different prices, so make sure you’re paying the right one.
The visitors bureau lists enforcement as 8am to 9pm Monday through Saturday, and 1pm to 9pm on Sunday. Posted hours can vary by location, so check the pay station before you walk away.
So you can park in a city spot for free:
- Overnight: 9pm to 8am
- Sunday mornings: until enforcement starts at 1pm
Just watch that 4-hour limit. It’s plenty for lunch and a walk, but not for the Castillo, lunch and Flagler College in one go. For a day like that, use the garage.
A word on the Castillo lot
There’s also paid parking at the Castillo de San Marcos, charged from 8am to 9pm and free overnight. It’s handy if the fort’s your main stop, but plenty of other people have the same idea. Get there early, or just use the garage, which isn’t far.
Smaller lots worth knowing
If the garage feels like too much for a short visit, there are a few other spots to try. You can see how full each one is on the Parking Finder before you head in.
- Lightner Lot: Right behind the Lightner Museum, between Granada and Cordova streets. It has 54 spots, and it’s a good one if you’re seeing the Lightner or Flagler College.
- Tolomato Lot: Off Spanish Street, a short walk from the City Gate. It only has 18 spots, so don’t count on it.
- Bayfront street parking: Along Avenida Menendez, facing the water. It’s hard to beat for the view and a quick stop, but it goes early.
Expect to pay during the day, and check the sign or pay station for the rate and hours before you walk away.
Private lots
Churches, businesses and other private owners run their own lots around downtown. Prices and rules are set by each owner, and some don’t allow overnight parking. Read the sign before you walk away, and don’t park anywhere that isn’t clearly open to visitors. Nobody wants to end a vacation at the tow yard.
Parking during Nights of Lights
From Nov. 21, 2026 through Jan. 18, 2027, forget most of the above. The garage generally costs $20, rising to $40 if you enter at or after 1pm on busy shuttle days. There’s no $5 evening rate during this stretch.
On the busy days, I’d park free and take the shuttle to the Visitor Information Center. The free lots are:
- St. Johns County Health Department, 200 San Sebastian View
- Broudy’s Lot, 198 West King St.
- San Marco Lot, 301 San Marco Ave.
Some neighborhoods near downtown also become resident-only during the festival, and the fine is $100. My full Nights of Lights guide has the shuttle dates and how to avoid the worst nights.
Getting around once you’re parked
Most of what you’ll want to see is walkable. If your feet give out, the free STAR Circulator bus loops through downtown, with stops including the Visitor Information Center, 14 Avenida Menendez, and Cathedral Place. The visitors bureau lists it as running daily from 10am to 10pm, but check the current route when you arrive.
If you have a disabled placard or an RV
- Disabled placards and plates: Vehicles with a placard or plate park free at city pay stations and in the garage, and the placard holder has to be present at the garage. If the designated spaces are full, holders can use any open city space.
- RVs, buses and trailers: Don’t try to bring these down the narrow streets. The city has a designated lot on Riberia Street. Day parking has been listed as free, and overnight is $35 plus tax by permit, with no camping or hookups. Get your permit at the garage office.
Should you stay within walking distance?
If you’re here for a few days, stay close enough to walk and the whole parking problem mostly goes away. Just ask about parking when you book, since a lot of the old inns have limited space and some charge for it. My where to stay guide breaks down the bed and breakfasts and hotels, including what parking costs.
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What not to do
- Circling for a street spot at midday. You’ll lose more time than the garage is worth.
- Leaving the garage mid-day. It’s per entry, so going out and coming back costs you twice.
- Assuming every machine is the city’s. Private lots have their own rules.
- Trusting a neighborhood street during Nights of Lights. Read the signs, because that fine is steep.
Coming for the weekend?
My free 8-page guide covers where to park, how to spend two days, where to eat and which beach to pick. Get the free weekend guide.
Rates were checked on Nov. 2, 2026, and they can change, especially during special events. Confirm with the City of St. Augustine before you go.