8/11/24

The Unicorn Hunt: How to Actually Find 24-Hour Parking with In-and-Out Privileges in a Big City

So, you’re planning a trip to a big city. You've got the hotel booked, the itinerary is looking sharp, & you’re ready to hit the road. But there’s this one nagging question, a tiny pebble in your shoe that can quickly turn into a logistical nightmare: where on earth are you going to park your car? Not just park it, but park it somewhere that’s open 24/7 &—here’s the kicker—lets you take your car in & out without getting slapped with a new fee every single time.
Honestly, finding a parking garage in a major city that offers 24-hour access with in-and-out privileges can feel like hunting for a mythical creature. It’s the unicorn of urban travel. You’d think it would be standard, right? You pay for a 24-hour spot, you should be able to use it. But as many frustrated drivers have discovered, that’s RARELY the case.
Here’s the thing: most daily parking rates are for a single entry & exit. You park your car in the morning, leave in the evening, & that’s that. If you need to come back, you’re starting the clock—and the fee—all over again. It’s a system that works for daily commuters but can be a massive headache for tourists, business travelers, or anyone who needs a bit more flexibility.
But don’t despair. These parking unicorns do exist. You just need to know where to look & how to approach the hunt. As someone who has circled the block more times than I care to admit, I’m going to break down everything you need to know to snag one of these coveted spots.

Why is This So Complicated? The Economics of a Parking Garage

First, let's get into the "why." Why is in-and-out access such a rare perk for daily parkers? It all boils down to simple economics. A parking garage's business model is based on maximizing revenue per spot. They thrive on turnover. When you leave a garage, they can sell that same spot to someone else, effectively doubling their income for that space. If you have in-and-out privileges, you’re occupying that spot’s revenue potential for the entire day, even when you’re not physically there.
For the garage operator, a daily parker with in-and-out privileges is essentially taking up a slot that could have been sold two, three, or even four times over to short-term parkers. This is why this privilege is almost always reserved for their most valuable customers: the monthly parkers. Monthly contracts provide a steady, predictable stream of income that makes offering unlimited access worthwhile.
Building and maintaining these concrete behemoths is also incredibly expensive. A surface parking lot can cost $3-4 per square foot to build, while a multi-level parking garage can skyrocket to nearly $97 per square foot. Add in the costs of security, lighting, cleaning, & staff, & you can see why operators are trying to squeeze every last dollar out of their inventory.

The Modern Toolkit: Your Phone is Your Best Friend

Okay, so we know it’s tricky. But thankfully, we live in the digital age. The single most powerful tool in your arsenal is your smartphone. Several apps have revolutionized the parking game, turning a frustrating hunt into a few simple taps.
SpotHero & ParkWhiz: The Dynamic Duo
These are the two heavy hitters in the parking app world, & they are absolutely ESSENTIAL for this mission. Both SpotHero & ParkWhiz partner with thousands of garages in hundreds of cities, allowing you to search, compare prices, & book your spot in advance.
The most important feature for our purposes is the amenities filter. When you search for parking, you can specifically filter for garages that allow "in-and-out privileges." This immediately cuts through the noise & shows you only the locations that offer what you need. A Reddit user in an r/AskChicago thread confirmed this, saying, "Both ParkWiz and SpotHero allow you to filter by garage/covered and in/out allowed. I found more options on SpotHero than ParkWhiz, but recommend searching yourself based on where you are going to be."
Here's a quick rundown of how to use them effectively:
  1. Enter Your Destination & Times: Be precise. Put in the address where you’ll be spending most of your time (like your hotel) & the full duration of your stay.
  2. IMMEDIATELY Apply the Filter: Don't even bother looking at the initial results. Go straight to the filters & select "In/Out Allowed" or a similar option.
  3. Compare & Contrast: The app will show you a map with the remaining options & their total price for your selected time. Pay attention to the location. Sometimes saving $10 isn't worth a 20-minute walk back to your hotel.
  4. Read the Fine Print: Before you book, read the spot details CAREFULLY. It will confirm the in-and-out policy & provide instructions for how to use it. Sometimes you need to get your ticket validated by an attendant, or there might be a specific procedure.
  5. Book in Advance: The best deals are often found when you book ahead of time. Waiting until the last minute can lead to surge pricing, especially if there's a big event in town.
Be aware that even with these apps, the options might be limited & a bit pricier than a standard spot. But the peace of mind & convenience are often well worth the extra cost.

The Hotel Parking Gamble: A Good Bet, But Not a Sure Thing

Your next logical thought is probably, "What about my hotel?" Hotel parking is one of the most common places to find 24-hour access with in-and-out privileges, but it comes with its own set of rules & caveats.
The "Guests Only" Golden Ticket
For registered hotel guests, valet or self-parking often includes in-and-out privileges. It’s one of the perks of staying there. The cost is simply added to your room bill. For example, the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza explicitly states that their valet parking at $65 per day includes these privileges. Similarly, the Loews Chicago Hotel offers self-parking at a nearby garage for $61/night, which also includes in-and-out access with validation.
However, this convenience comes at a STEEP price. Hotel parking in major downtown cores can be outrageously expensive, sometimes running close to $100 per night in cities like New York. The Gwen in Chicago offers a "Park, Stay & Play" package that includes valet parking, noting it's an "$84 per night" value. While convenient, it’s a significant extra cost on top of your room rate.
The "Non-Guest" Cold Shoulder
Here’s where it gets tricky. If you’re not a guest at the hotel, you’re often out of luck. Most hotels reserve these perks for their paying guests. Some might offer daily parking to the public, but it almost never includes in-and-out rights. For instance, the Moderne Hotel in NYC offers discounted parking for guests at a nearby garage, but their website clearly states "no in & out rights." There are exceptions, but they are few & far between. Your best bet is to call the hotel directly & ask about their policy for non-guests.
A Pro Tip: Sometimes, a hotel's valet service is a separate entity. It’s worth asking the valet directly if they offer a daily rate with in-and-out privileges, even if the hotel front desk says no.

The Long Game: When a Monthly Spot Makes Sense

If your stay in the city is for more than just a few days—say, a week or longer—the math starts to change. The daily cost of a garage with in-and-out privileges can add up QUICKLY. This is where you might want to consider a monthly parking plan.
It sounds crazy to book a monthly spot for a one-week trip, but hear me out. In many cases, a monthly pass is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than paying the daily rate for 7 or 8 days in a row.
Let's look at New York City. Daily rates in a prime Manhattan garage can easily be $40-$69. Over a week, you could be looking at $280-$483. A monthly parking spot in the same neighborhood, however, might be found for around $400-$500. If you're parking for five days a week, a monthly plan is almost always more cost-effective.
Here's the breakdown of when to consider this:
  • You're staying for 5+ days. This is typically the break-even point where the accumulated daily rates start to exceed the cost of a monthly pass.
  • You need absolute flexibility. A monthly pass is the holy grail of in-and-out privileges. You can come & go as you please, 24/7, with no questions asked.
  • You're staying on the outskirts. Monthly rates in boroughs like Brooklyn or Queens, or in neighborhoods outside the central business district of any major city, are much more affordable. You could potentially find a monthly spot for $200-$300, park your car securely, & then use public transit to get around the city core.
The same parking apps like SpotHero & ParkWhiz have options to search for monthly parking, making it easy to compare rates & locations.

The Rise of a Smarter Alternative: Peer-to-Peer Parking

For years, the options were limited to commercial garages or pricey hotel lots. But the sharing economy, which brought us Airbnb & Uber, has now created a fantastic alternative for parking: peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms.
This is where a service like Prked comes in. The concept is brilliantly simple. People who have unused parking spaces—a driveway, a spot in a private garage, even a secure spot in their yard—can rent them out to drivers who need a place to park. It’s a win-win: the space owner earns some passive income from an underutilized asset, & the driver gets a convenient, safe, & often MUCH cheaper parking spot.
Here’s why P2P parking is a game-changer, especially when you need flexibility:
  • In-and-Out is Often Standard: When you rent someone's private driveway for a set period, you're not sharing it with hundreds of other cars. The space is yours. This means in-and-out privileges are typically a given. You can come & go as needed without worrying about extra fees, just like if you were parking at a friend's house.
  • Cost-Effective: P2P parking is consistently more affordable than commercial options. Because you're cutting out the middleman (the large garage operator), the prices are lower. You can often find a secure spot in a great neighborhood for a fraction of the cost of a nearby garage.
  • Hyper-Local & Convenient: Need a spot in a specific residential neighborhood that doesn't have any commercial garages? P2P platforms are your best bet. You can find parking in places you never could before, getting you closer to your final destination.
  • Safety & Peace of Mind: Parking in a private, residential garage or driveway often feels much safer than leaving your car in a massive, anonymous public garage. You know exactly where your car is, & it's not subject to the dings & scrapes of a crowded commercial lot.
Using a platform like Prked is as simple as using a parking app. You search a map for available spots near your destination, view pictures, read reviews from other drivers, & book your chosen spot for the dates you need. The transaction is handled securely through the app, & you get detailed instructions from the host.
It’s an especially great solution for weekend trips or longer stays where you want a reliable "home base" for your car without breaking the bank. Instead of paying $65 a day at a hotel, you might find a private garage rental a few blocks away for $25 a day with all the flexibility you need.

Thinking Outside the Box: Other Strategies to Consider

If the apps & P2P platforms aren't yielding the perfect result, there are a few other creative strategies you can employ:
  • Park & Ride: Many cities have "Park & Ride" lots at the end of their subway or commuter rail lines. These are often very cheap (sometimes just a few dollars a day) or even free on weekends. The downside is that they are far from the city center, & you'll need to factor in the time & cost of public transportation. Also, be sure to check their policy on overnight parking, as many officially don't allow it.
  • Airport Long-Term Parking: For very long stays, look into the long-term lots at a nearby airport. These are designed for multi-day parking & often have shuttle services to the airport, where you can then catch a train into the city. It’s a hassle, but it can be a cost-effective option for trips of a week or more.
  • The Weekend Street Parking Miracle: In many cities, on-street metered parking is free on Sundays & holidays. If you’re arriving for a weekend trip, you might be able to snag a free street spot for the latter part of your stay. Just be EXTREMELY careful to read all the signs. Street cleaning rules, residential permit zones, & other restrictions can lead to a hefty ticket or a tow—a surefire way to ruin a good trip.

The Final Checklist for Your Unicorn Hunt

Finding that perfect 24-hour parking spot with in-and-out privileges doesn’t have to be a myth. It just requires a bit of planning & the right tools.
  1. Start Early: Don't make parking the last thing you figure out. Start your search when you book your trip.
  2. Embrace the Apps: Download SpotHero & ParkWhiz. Use the "in-and-out" filter religiously.
  3. Call Hotels Directly: If you see a hotel with a good location, call them & ask specifically about their policy & rates for non-guests.
  4. Consider Monthly: For stays longer than five days, do the math. A monthly pass could save you a lot of money.
  5. Explore Peer-to-Peer with Prked: Check out Prked for affordable, convenient, & flexible parking in private driveways & garages. It might be the perfect solution you didn't know existed.
  6. Read EVERYTHING: Before you click "book," read all the details, instructions, & fine print. Know the rules of the garage or private spot you're renting.
Driving into a big city can be an amazing experience, giving you the freedom to explore at your own pace. With the right parking strategy, you can eliminate one of the biggest stresses & focus on what really matters: enjoying your trip.
Hope this was helpful & happy parking! Let me know what you think.
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