I have a minor pet peeve with this parking garage! The sign at the entrance says, "FREE PARKING: In before 4pm, & all day on Sundays."
I am a very literal person, so when I saw this sign a few minutes before 4pm, I pulled in, thinking, "Aha! I made it!" I was so excited that I neglected to be too concerned that there was no guard or ticket dispenser; in fact, I could roll right on in to pick a spot. Hmm, I thought, now exactly _how_ will they know of my excellent timing?!
After selecting a space, I peered around the dark parking lot, looking for a sign of what to do. I thought this must be the pay-by-your-parking-spot methodology of Lake Worth's meters, but after searching extensively, I could not find any parking spot numbers. Then I spied a small sign on a side wall about using ParkMobile, and I knew I was just not going to be able to pay before 4pm. Why? Because I don't have the App on my phone (I did, from using it in downtown West Palm Beach, but I deleted it before my last vacation), and because my two children were in my car and in order to transport them out of the car and over to where the kiosk was would take way longer than the couple of minutes left before 4pm.
Therefore -sigh, feel my pain!- the first sign is incorrect. Perhaps it was true when this garage had a gate and ticket system, but it does not anymore, making this sign untrue. Dear Delray Beach, please update your language for the sake of literal folks like me.
Granted, using the ParkMobile machine is pretty simple, as long as I remember to take a photo of my license plate before leaving my car, as this is how my car is identified. Easy if you happen to see the one unlit sign on a random wall reminding you to note your license plate... Dear Delray Beach, more signage, please!
Well, I suppose I just need to keep the ParkMobile App on my phone, now that I know of at least two places I can use it!
Regardless, parking is just a flat $5 after 4pm; not a bad price at all! This parking garage is next door to Old School Square and smack in the middle of all the happenings of Downtown Delray Beach. Entrance on a dead-end side street makes it easy to pull in and out without having to do so in the middle of thru-traffic.
I do feel that signs about ParkMobile and noting one's license plate should be posted on the entrance to the actual garage. This eliminates the mystery for... me! read more