How to be awesome at parking in the Short North

User Manual

How to be awesome at parking in the Short North

By Chris DeVille

Many of our Best of Columbus winners are located in the Short North, where it can be very difficult to find a parking spot. To help you get to your favorite locales, we've compiled some ideas for what to do when the free lots and meters are all filled up.

1. Ride a bike.

Springtime is here, so unless you have a big shopping list (or lack the self-control to prevent a short shopping list from suddenly growing), hopping on two wheels seems reasonable. There are several dozen bike bollards and lots of parking meters good for locking up your frame.

2. Park and eat at the North Market.

Sometimes this lot is full too, but when you can get in, it makes sense to park there as long as you're OK with buying a meal or groceries inside. (Without validation from one of the market's vendors, the price escalates significantly.)

3. Don't forget garages.

It's not necessarily cheap, but there are a number of parking garages in the area, including one behind Axis, one on Vine Street across from the North Market and several deeper into the Arena District if you don't mind a walk.

4. Pay the valets.

Again, it's not cheap, but in a pinch, you could have the valet at one of those fancy restaurants park your car for you and rest easy in the knowledge that it's ready for retrieval on demand.

5. Make friends in the neighborhood.

A lot of the nearby neighborhood streets require a residential parking tag. Your friends in Victorian Village and Italian Village can probably hook you up. Heck, maybe they even have a driveway they'll let you camp your car in.

March 27, 2008