Finding parking in Los Angeles is not a game of chance if you know how to game the system. Save time, money, and your sanity with these LA parking hacks.
Los Angeles offers a bit of something to everyone. Known as the entertainment capital of the world, it’s home to several big-name movie studios, the famous Sunset Strip and exciting theme parks.
You can soak up the sun on a Venice Beach stroll, then unwind with wine tastings at nearby wineries. For the brave and the bold, LA offers outdoor thrills, an exciting nightlife, and so much more!
But behind the glitz and glamor of the City of Angels, drivers in the area face a daily challenge: finding convenient and cheap parking.
While LA has good public transport infrastructure, most people who work and live in the area choose cars as the most convenient option to get around. In fact, there are more cars than people in the city.
As of 2022, data shows there are approximately 7.6 million vehicles registered in Los Angeles County, 6.3 million of which are cars. On the other hand the population of Los Angeles is estimated to be around 3.77 million as of 2023.
Even though people keep buying cars, it feels like there aren’t enough spots to store them all.
Ask any Angeleno, and they’ll have a story (or ten) about circling the block for ages just to find a parking space. And in some cases, they end up having a bad case of parking road rage.
But it’s not just wasting time or gas finding a space. Top complaints you’ll hear from LA drivers range from not having enough parking spots near popular areas, to difficulty in finding long-term street parking.
Aside from these parking woes, drivers also need to worry about finding a secure parking spot while looking over their shoulder to make sure they don’t get a parking ticket.
Finding parking in LA can feel like a chaotic game of chance. But with some street smarts and parking secrets courtesy of local insiders, you can tilt the odds in your favor.
We’re spilling the top 7 parking hacks every LA driver needs to know for a better parking experience.
7 Los Angeles parking tips, tricks and hacks
1. Pre-book a monthly parking spot
One of the most effective parking hacks for drivers in Los Angeles is to reserve your parking spot in advance.
If you don’t want to deal with the daily grind of finding a parking spot near you or where you need to be, using apps like Spacer can be the parking solution you’re looking for.
These platforms let you reserve your spot in advance, saving you from the peak hour parking chaos.
The best part is you can choose from a wide range of convenient parking options in Los Angeles, including parking garages, parking lots, residential driveways and carports both undercover and outdoor.
Parking apps also usually offer cheaper parking spots compared to commercial operators. For example, daily parking fees in Downtown LA averages $20 per day. But when you book a monthly parking spot with Spacer, parking in the same area can cost just $13 per day.
Aside from enjoying parking savings, using parking apps also offers convenience. With Spacer, you can effortlessly book a parking garage spot within walking distance of your destination.
To know more about using parking apps, check out our guide on How to find monthly parking near you on Spacer.
2. Make plans with yellow and green curbs in mind
If booking a parking spot in advance is not on the table, the most basic parking hack you need to learn is making plans around how colored curbs across LA operate.
There are four colored curbs across LA: green, yellow, red and white painted curbs.
First, remember that you can never park at a red and white curb, as these are for passenger loading only (with a few number of exceptions).
But the colored curbs are not all foes – green and yellow curbs are the secret spots of street parking in Los Angeles. Here’s our tips for making them work in your favor.
When can you park in yellow curbs in Los Angeles?
Yellow curbs are designated as zones limited for loading and unloading passengers and commercial goods during the day time.
But at night, most of these parking spots are available for regular parking. Of course, you need to check the parking time limits and other rules. Make sure to check the parking sign before you leave your car to avoid getting towed or ticketed.
To help you plan, we’ve listed how yellow curbs restrictions are enforced across Los Angeles so you can work around them:
- Beverly Hills, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Torrance, Unincorporated L.A. County (Mon–Sat 7am–6pm)
- Manhattan Beach (Daily 6am–6pm)
- Pasadena (Daily 6am–6pm)
- Burbank (Daily 8am–6pm)
- Culver City (Mon-Sat 7:30am–6pm)
- Glendale (Mon-Sat 9am–6pm)
- South Pasadena (Mon-Sat 6am–6pm)
Disclaimer: Please note that the parking operation times listed above are subject to change. It’s advisable to check with the relevant authorities for the most up-to-date information.
When can you park in green curbs in Los Angeles?
While green curbs are usually short-term parking spots that limit drivers to 15 to 30 minute parking, there’s also a trick to them. When restrictions are lifted (generally from 6pm to 8am), these are essentially regular parking spots waiting for you!
However, not every city in Los Angeles has green curbs. For example, there are no green curbs in West Hollywood. In some areas like Hermosa Beach Santa Monica, green curbs can’t be used for regular parking 24/7.
But in areas that have that valuable parking window time, here are the times they are enforced so you can make plans around them!
- Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Inglewood (Mon-Sat 7am–6pm)
- Burbank, Torrance (Daily 8am–6pm)
- Culver City (Daily 7:30am–6pm)
- Glendale, Long Beach (Mon-Sat 9am–6pm)
- Manhattan Beach (Daily 8am–9pm)
- Pasadena, South Pasadena (Mon-Sat 6am–6pm)
- Redondo Beach ( Daily 7am–6pm)
Disclaimer: Please note that the enforcement period for green curbs in LA listed above are subject to change. It’s advisable to check with the relevant authorities for the most up-to-date information.
3. Have loose change in hand or in your car cup holder
Any experienced driver in Los Angeles knows parking meters have a slight delay in processing credit cards for payment.
To have a better control over your time, make sure to have exact coin changes when paying at parking meters.
4. Holidays means free parking
One handy LA parking hack is the free parking during major national holidays. On holidays, parking meters are free and many residential parking restrictions including street sweeping, time limits and preferential districts are not enforced.
Another bonus is when a holiday falls on a weekend. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, street parking is free on the preceding Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, parking enforcements will not be observed for the next day (Monday).
5. Scope out your destination first
If you’re a true Angeleno, you know no one walks in LA (as popularized by the 1980s band Missing Persons).
And if you want to avoid walking because you parked half a mile away, a practical parking hack is to do a bit of research and drive by your destination first.
This way, you can check out whether there’s a metered spot right out front or there’s an unrestricted residential side street.
You can also find out if it’s in a high-demand location which will make street parking difficult to find. On the other hand, if it’s in the suburbs, parking will likely be much easier to find.
For a night out, you can also check out restaurants and hotels that have on-site parking. This saves you the hassle of leaving your car on the street. But be careful! Some of these parking areas charge high parking rates.
6. Become a local savvy
For LA parking, local knowledge is power. Join community forums and neighborhood apps like Nextdoor to connect with residents. They can give you smart and practical parking strategies specific to neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
You can also go to the reddit thread r/AskLosAngeles to ask about the best parking spots a specific area.
If you want a more face to face approach, there’s usually no harm in asking around. Strike up conversations with local businesses or residents to gain intel on parking availability and any unspoken rules or strategies for your neighborhood.
7. Don’t follow, lead.
Don’t tail a driver who’s also looking for a parking spot as it gets you nowhere if parking garage spots are scarce.
Break away as soon as you can. And once you’re on your own, go slow. Going fast through the parking lot makes you miss open spots and chances to see people leaving.
When entering a new row, drive slowly and wait for someone to leave. If another car comes up behind your vehicle, let them go ahead so you can stay in the best spot.
Find a monthly parking spot near you in Los Angeles!
Don’t waste your time circling the block over and over again in Koreatown or paying a premium for a spot in the Sunset Strip.
For convenient and affordable parking spots in LA, try checking out Spacer! Use Spacer to book long term parking in Los Angeles and have guaranteed parking when you need it most!
