Nashville Parking 101

Finding a parking place in any downtown city is difficult and sometimes a darn near impossible task. Nashville is no exception, but we've gathered up a few insider tips that will, hopefully, help you on your next visit to Downtown Nashville.

Private Owned Lots
When venturing into downtown Nashville, visitors and local residents alike are confused by many of these private lots cost and policies. Most of the lots are unmanned with only minimal posted instructions on how to pay and how much to pay.

On a recent investigative trip of my own, into the downtown area, I wasn't surprised at what I found. I watched for several hours people came into a lot to park and went to the Pay Box and most all 85% had at least a 5 minute discussion with whomever they were with trying to decipher the instructions, for those alone the timetable was about the same. Several people I talked with, who had paid the maximum amount listed, told me that they just didn't understand the instruction board and even though most were only planning a brief stop they had paid the full amount, just to insure their car would be there when they returned.

On the same visit I wanted to see what would happen if no payment was made at all when parking in a private lot. So I parked my car and walked across the street to watch- within 15 minutes an attendant came around and placed an envelope on my car, wrapped around the windshield wiper. I waited for the attendant to leave before proceeding to my car. In this envelope was a Parking fee for $20.00 to be paid within 14 days. No other instructions were listed, although there was a phone # listed in case you had questions. So of course I called the number-it was a recording telling you how to pay your fee-no other information was given. Later I would call (at a different phone number) their corporate office, located in, you guessed it, Downtown Nashville.

So after reviewing the citation again, I was still confused, did I need make an additional payment to the Drop Box? Or could I, in fact, just put the citation back on my car and leave my car there for the day with no additional payment or fear that my car would be towed away. I asked several people who were parking their cars for their opinion on what I should do- most said to pay the additional fee. In fact once you are given a citation in a private lot you can park your car free for the rest of the day, any additional monies you pay will not be deducted from your citation. I left my car for the rest of the day (till around 5pm) and I didn't incur any additional cost and No the car didn't get towed.

Later I questioning several downtown workers I was told that the private lots do not tow cars, a least for awhile (sometimes a day sometimes a week), they just keep placing citations on the car, at approximately $20.00 each. Since I had a few more hours to waste, I decided to visit more lots in the area; this is where it gets interesting. I found that the parking prices varied widely even within the same company, Central Parking. Depending on which lot you parked in the cost ranged from $3.00 to $24.00 day parking.

5 After 5 Parking- "Park It Downtown"
I also found that none of these lots offered detailed information on the 5after5 parking program, although the participation signs were posted. The 5after5 program was arranged through the Downtown Nashville Partnership in which visitors to the downtown area can park at various lots around town for $5.00 after 5pm and all day on weekends, The 5after5 policy is not offered for special events, including Fan Fair and Football Games. Regular parking rates will apply.

Government Parking Lots
Most all of the Metro Government Parking lots offer free parking after normal business hours and on weekends.
Although I've yet to attain all of their exact locations, there are about eight to ten of these lots located in the Downtown Area and they all will have a posted sign identifying them. Listed below are several of the lots that I've been able to confirm.
The Metro Courthouse, located at the south end of 2nd Avenue and Union St. offers free parking on nights and weekends, although to look at all of the no parking signs at the entrance, you wouldn't know it.
Several hundred free weekend and after-hours spots are offered in the state employee lots off Charlotte & 10th Ave. (by the TSU Williams Campus) and also at Charlotte and 8th Ave. (by the Federal Reserve Building), both are within walking distance of the state Capitol and Bicentennial Park.
You also can park free after hours and on weekends in employee lots on Sixth Avenue North and Gay Street by the Cordell Hull Building. There is also a lot located somewhere off of Harrison St, between Farmers Market and the Stockyard Restaurant.