Enjoying a day spent at the beach is a popular choice for many people. Hot sun, soft sand, and an ocean breeze can make for a relaxing experience and the perfect opportunity to unwind.
While being at the beach may be a fun time, getting to the beach itself can sometimes cause headaches. If you aren’t staying somewhere with direct beach access, you will likely have to drive to reach the beach.
This can lead to trouble finding a parking place and running the risk of parking illegally if you are desperate to find a spot. This choice can lead to your car potentially being impounded, which can cause a lot more stress than you initially thought.
Rather than running the risk of getting towed, use this travel advice for some of the country’s most popular beaches. Using these tips can help you avoid potential problems and enjoy the beach stress-free.
#1 – Huntington Beach, California
This beautiful beach boasts 19 million visitors annually, making it one of the most popular beaches in the United States. When planning a trip to this popular destination, you’ll want to ensure you’re prepared ahead of time.
If you’re not staying somewhere with direct beach access, be prepared to go through some parking difficulties possibly. While multiple parking lots are available for the beach, using them will cost you.
Parking rates during the peak season — Memorial Day through Labor Day — will run you $20 per day. In the off-season, you can expect to pay $15 a day. If you would like to avoid paying for parking, you can use the residential streets nearby, but parking here will require you to cross the Pacific Coast Highway to get to the beach.
Huntington Beach also adheres to a curfew, so you must make sure your vehicle is only parked within the provided hours. Restricted hours are 10 pm to 5 am, so be sure to move your car from parking lots, or you run the risk of being towed.
#2 – Panama City Beach, Florida
Just like Huntington Beach, Panama City Beach sees 19 million visitors annually, making it another one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. People come from far and wide to enjoy the area’s white sandy beaches and beautiful turquoise waters.
Finding parking in this Florida beach paradise may be more affordable than you think. While there is no free parking available, the city charges a reasonable rate for their parking lots. Currently, there are three paid parking lots available for visitors.
The rate for parking starts at $1 per hour and caps out at a maximum of $6 for 24 hours. The city has also made it extremely easy to pay and park through a mobile app called Passport. You can download the app on your phone and quickly pay for your parking.
The app also offers the convenience of extending your parking time from your phone so you won’t have to worry about hiking all the way to your car to add more time.
If you prefer free parking, there are multiple street parking options available. Just be sure to check the signs where you park for time restrictions and possible holiday restrictions.
The biggest thing in Panama City when it comes to parking is to be sure you avoid lots that are not public parking. Many of these lots may belong to the local hotels and businesses. If you aren’t a customer of these places, they may have your car towed for parking there illegally.
#3 – St. Petersburg Beach, Florida
Another popular beach destination in the Sunshine State is St. Petersburg, which hosts 15 million visitors every year. With beachfront bars, powdery sand, and stunning water, it’s easy to see why this location draws such a crowd.
However, big crowds can mean trouble when trying to park. If you’re not staying with direct beach access, you’ll want to pay attention to where you can park in this area.
The good news is St. Petersburg Beach offers a wide variety of parking options, allowing you to find a great spot for relatively cheap. Most parking garages charge $3 per hour, so if you only plan to stay at the beach for a few hours, you may not have to spend much to park.
Street parking will run about $3.50 per hour but has a five-hour limit, so be sure to consider that before choosing street parking over a garage. It’s also important to pay attention to the regulations of the garage you choose. Some options are only open from 6 am to 11 pm, while others are available all night without charge.
Some options also have special weekend hours, so check and ensure you are parking during the allotted times. Otherwise, you may risk your vehicle being towed.
#4 – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
With 11 million annual visitors, Myrtle Beach is an extremely popular tourist destination on the East Coast. With so many visitors, parking can get a little hectic in this area.
There are public parking lots and meters throughout the area where you can pay to park for the day. Although, be wary of which meters you are feeding when choosing a spot here.
Some meters, which will be marked with green stickers, are good for all-day parking. However, other meters marked with red stickers are only available for specific hours of the day. You must pay attention to which meter you are using and whether it has time restrictions so your vehicle isn’t parked longer than allowed.
Parking meters will cost $3 an hour, or you can pay $15 for an all-day pass. If you park farther from direct beach access, parking will be $2 an hour, but there is no all-day rate.
If you have an official handicapped parking tag or a handicapped, disabled veterans, Medal of Honor, or Purple Heart license plate tag, you can park at any public parking meter for free. This is a law across the state of South Carolina.
There is also a handy app called Parkmobile that visitors can use to pay the meters while enjoying Myrtle Beach. Simply download the app and enter your credit card information so you can easily pay for parking and avoid getting towed.
Traveling to the Best Beaches Across the Country
While a day at the beach is meant to be a relaxing experience, getting to the beach and finding a place to park can cause a lot of hassle. From limited space to uncertainty about where you are legally allowed to park, this process can quickly take your beach day from fun to stressful.
Knowing where to park, understanding restrictions, and knowing what you’ll be paying ahead of time can help ease the stress of finding parking at the beach. And reduce your chances of getting towed — and diverting up to hundreds of dollars of vacation money into getting your vehicle out of impound.
By following these travel tips for the most popular U.S. beaches, you can enjoy your time at the beach and avoid the headache of parking.
Alexandra Arcand writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, BuyAutoInsurance.com. She is an avid traveler and beach lover who enjoys sharing her travel knowledge with others.
