In the past few months, I have discovered a few things about
parking in the city of
Cleveland.
If you want cheap parking
Arrive in Cleveland no later than 9:00am. Park your car in the
Cleveland Municipal Parking Lot. Take the
RTA Rapid Waterfront Line to
Tower City (or any other stop along the line).
Advantages: If you can accomplish your task in Cleveland within four hours, your total cost is $3.50. Otherwise it will be an extra $1.50 for the fare to return to the
Muny Lot. Even for that, it sure beats
paying through the schnoze at a parking garage.
Disadvantages: Depending on what time of day you arrive, you may have to walk a quarter of a mile from your car to the
South Harbor station to meet the Rapid. If you need to go to other places within Cleveland, you will have to either ride a
bus or walk there (I prefer walking over the bus because it saves you money and it's good exercise). Also factor in the time you spend on the Rapid, which could be as much as half an hour. Sometimes the
operators take their breaks at South Harbor, and do not return to duty until the next train arrives at the station. There could also be a delay at the
Settler's Landing station while waiting for clearance into Tower City station.
If you want to park Downtown
You will pay a lot more than $2, but you may save a lot more time. Best places to park during the weekday are either on Euclid Avenue, any of the garages in the
Gateway District, or on Prospect Avenue.
Advantages: You will already be within Downtown Cleveland, so you can walk to wherever you are headed (or you can take a bus).
Disadvantages: Downtown lots tend to fill very quickly in the morning. Also, it will be more expensive, since the owner/operator wants to make money off of the convienence of being downtown. Some lots may only be accessible if you work downtown and have either a pre-paid pass or a keycard.
Happy Hunting for Parking in Cleveland