Cheapest 10-day parking in Los Angeles area?

Hi folks,

I'll be driving to LA for a cruise out of San Pedro Jan 7-17, 2017.

I need suggestions for cheap 10-day parking. PLEASE NOTE: I do NOT need to be close to the cruise terminal or airport. As long as I can take transit down to San Pedro easily enough (I've already decided to take metro to Long Beach and then bus to San Pedro).

So any savvy Angelinos out there know where to find the cheapest (and reasonably safe) long term parking?

Thanks for your help

Phil

Cheapest usually doesn't translate to safe. And besides that, what you might save by cheapest, might be eaten up by the transport costs to the port.

I would stay at a park and stay hotel like the Crown Plaza in San Pedro. You get a free breakfast, arrival cocktail, room for the night and free shuttle to pier and back for under $200.

You arrive the night before and zero stress.:D

As most on this board know, our family has no hesitation using the LA Metro system to Long Beach. Done it many times in the past and are considering it again for our next few cruises.

We've researched taking Metro to San Pedro and it's barely feasible. The busses are commuter busses and are not set up for luggage.

Cheap parking--- there are some $5/day unattended lots in Long Beach near the Convention Center. Union Station parking is $8/day. There are busses leaving from the 7th Street Transit station that go to San Pedro. metro.net

Taxi fare from the Long Beach Transit Mall to San Pedro runs around $25. taxifarefinder.com

IMHO I'd book a park and cruise package. Look at the Crown, Doubletree or Best Western.

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Although I appreciate all your comments and suggestions on alternatives, would you please limit your answers to the question at hand? What works for you may not work for me. I travel light, can carry what I need on metro and bus, have already mapped out the best metro/bus route to San Pedro. I just need ideas/suggestions for affordable/safe parking. Yes, it's worth it to me to save $10 a day over the cruise terminal parking if it's possible. Some of us are that cheap... er, frugal;)

Thanks for your help

P

I would pay attention to what Sadie was advising. Depending on which route you plan to take (eg from which metrolink stop), buses tend to service locals (going to work or school), who won't be carrying luggage. If it's really crowded and you end up having to stand, even a carry on may not be looked upon kindly.

As most on this board know, our family has no hesitation using the LA Metro system to Long Beach. Done it many times in the past and are considering it again for our next few cruises.

 

We've researched taking Metro to San Pedro and it's barely feasible. The busses are commuter busses and are not set up for luggage.

 

Cheap parking--- there are some $5/day unattended lots in Long Beach near the Convention Center. Union Station parking is $8/day. There are busses leaving from the 7th Street Transit station that go to San Pedro. metro.net

Taxi fare from the Long Beach Transit Mall to San Pedro runs around $25. taxifarefinder.com

 

IMHO I'd book a park and cruise package. Look at the Crown, Doubletree or Best Western.

 

Although I appreciate all your comments and suggestions on alternatives, would you please limit your answers to the question at hand? What works for you may not work for me. I travel light, can carry what I need on metro and bus, have already mapped out the best metro/bus route to San Pedro. I just need ideas/suggestions for affordable/safe parking. Yes, it's worth it to me to save $10 a day over the cruise terminal parking if it's possible. Some of us are that cheap... er, frugal;)

 

Thanks for your help

P

See quoted post from SadieN. As she said, park at Union Station (Patsaouras Building) for $8/day. Buy a metro card ($1 for card and $1.75 per 2 hour trip - we load the card for $5). Take either the Purple or Red line to 7th Street Station, transfer to Blue Line. Take Blue Line to Long Beach Transit station (last stop). Walk over a block and hop on either a bus or take a taxi to San Pedro.

Coming back do the reverse. If taking the metro, remember to tap the card at the stantion every time, even when transferring.

As SadieN also said, there isn't much room on the bus or metro for luggage. When we travel using this method, we limit ourselves to a 22" suitcase and a tote.

For us, we find it harder navigating LA public transportation than navigating the Montreal underground area. See you in January.

See quoted post from SadieN. As she said, park at Union Station (Patsaouras Building) for $8/day. Buy a metro card ($1 for card and $1.75 per 2 hour trip - we load the card for $5). Take either the Purple or Red line to 7th Street Station, transfer to Blue Line. Take Blue Line to Long Beach Transit station (last stop). Walk over a block and hop on either a bus or take a taxi to San Pedro.

 

Coming back do the reverse. If taking the metro, remember to tap the card at the stantion every time, even when transferring.........

 

.

Can take a bus from the 7th St Station to San Pedro, near the pier, avoiding Long Beach altogether.

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Although I appreciate all your comments and suggestions on alternatives, would you please limit your answers to the question at hand? What works for you may not work for me. I travel light, can carry what I need on metro and bus, have already mapped out the best metro/bus route to San Pedro. I just need ideas/suggestions for affordable/safe parking. Yes, it's worth it to me to save $10 a day over the cruise terminal parking if it's possible. Some of us are that cheap... er, frugal;)

 

Thanks for your help

P

I was going to avoid this one, but...

Since you've "already mapped out the best metro/bus route", then you must have some idea as to where you've mapped that from? Please save us all from guessing and let us know where you plan on jumping on the Metro...Downtown LA? Or somewhere along the line down to Long Beach...like South Central? Watts? Compton?

So, you want a low price lot that also has great security? ...and is in a location convenient to public transportation? On which of those are you willing to compromise?

There's also free unsecured parking at the Willowbrook station. Do not know if your car would be considered abandoned if left over a week.

Confirm to see if there are any problems along the lines before travel begins. We've been stuck in Vernon due to construction and have had to walk a few miles into Long Beach when the Blue Line ran someone over at the LB Transit Center.

FWIW The Blue Line to Long Beach goes thru some of the roughest areas of LA. Most of our riots have started along the Blue Line Corridor.

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I used to live and work in LA. The Willowbrook station is not in a safe area. Just Google Willowbrook area, LA and you can see.

I was going to avoid this one, but...

Since you've "already mapped out the best metro/bus route", then you must have some idea as to where you've mapped that from? Please save us all from guessing and let us know where you plan on jumping on the Metro...Downtown LA? Or somewhere along the line down to Long Beach...like South Central? Watts? Compton?

So, you want a low price lot that also has great security? ...and is in a location convenient to public transportation? On which of those are you willing to compromise?

It actually doesn't matter where my trip STARTS, as long as it finishes in San Pedro. So parking anywhere within a short-ish walk to a metro station, in a SAFE area, will suffice. I plan to take the metro to Long Beach and then the commuter bus. But the bus from 7th St station sounds intriguing.

Thanks for the tips so far. I'll take a closer look at Union Station.

P

OK, I finally have some time to look at this closer. Went on the metro.net website.

It looks like the 910 can do the trick better than going through LB. It will be Saturday, so not the 950X.

Can I take this line for a standard transit fare all the way to San Pedro?

(EDIT - never mind, I found the price at the bottom of the timetable...)

THX,

P

It actually doesn't matter where my trip STARTS, as long as it finishes in San Pedro. So parking anywhere within a short-ish walk to a metro station, in a SAFE area, will suffice.

I think what we were all trying to tell you...but you didn't seem to catch on...was that there are no places along the Metro line that most of us would consider "safe" and none of us would leave our cars in most of them...The Metro Blue Line starts in Downtown LA--which is neither particularly "safe" nor inexpensive...and then proceeds southbound through a veritable "who's who" of some of Los Angeles' worst neighborhoods...all the way through and including North Long Beach...

Even parking at Union Station makes little sense to most of us...It requires a couple of train/bus changes and you're leaving your car far from port in an area that doesn't make sense...unless you're some sort of rapid transit fan that just HAS TO ride the Metro its full length.

Are you driving in all the way from home??? Then, what's the point of stopping 30 miles from the port just to find a possibly cheaper parking rate and leaving yourself a long Metro ride? We know you don't want to pay the high parking rates at the pier, but, what difference would it make if you parked somewhere else much closer...and in a safe neighborhood...and just took an Uber from there to the ship? Or parked in one of those $5 lots in Long Beach (putting you 6-8 miles from and a cheap Uber ride to the pier)?

You can actually park cheaper, safer and save yourself money over ANY rate you'll find in Downtown LA...So, what's the point? All we are trying to do is to understand the reason for your stubbornness...

Or parked in one of those $5 lots in Long Beach (putting you 6-8 miles from and a cheap Uber ride to the pier)?

That sounds good too. So where are some of those $5 a day lots in LB exactly? How would I find one?

Any thoughts on just plain parking on a residential street in San Pedro with no parking restrictions? Would my car still be there and in one piece 10 days later? [it's a 2010 Toyota Matrix, 4-door hatchback, so not very flashy if that helps at all] I had a quick look on Google Street view and on several residential streets I see no signs restricting parking at any time. I don't mind a 1 or 2 mile walk to the terminal. Again, travelling very light.

Stubborn? Ouch, that hurts...;) I'm just cheap, and with a lot of time to research the best option. And yes, although I will have been travelling all the way from Montreal, this is just one stop on an overall driving trip and every dollar counts when compared to $17/day at the cruise terminal.

I'm sorry but if I lived in the area and discovered a car parked on the street for an extended period of time I'd be calling the police and more than likely your car would be towed and stored. I don't think that would end up being the cheap parking option that you'd be looking for. Assuming it wasn't stolen which is also a possibility.

The problem with street parking is that, here in Los Angeles, there are virtually NO unrestricted streets on which to park...At best, you have weekly alternate street cleaning, so a car has to be moved at least once a week. More likely, in most areas where limited street parking is an issue, there are local permit areas.

As to $5 lots, I don't really know which ones...it was a prior poster, Sadie, who mentioned such lots near the Long Beach Convention Center...and Sadie is fairly knowledgeable, so I assume she has some specific ones in mind...

My personal best recommendation for you is this: Try the Hotel Current...It's a hotel I usually don't recommend to most people because it's in a quiet neighborhood on the other side of Long Beach (actually a fairly nice neighborhood, just dull). They offer some very reasonably priced "Park 'n' Cruise deals which include parking AND a free shuttle to EITHER port (so, including San Pedro) and back...

http://www.hotelcurrent.com/packages-promotions/

Snooze & Cruise | Rest, relax, & refresh before your ship sets sail! Stay one night & receive FREE parking, complimentary shuttle service to & from port of choice, & more …

•Shuttle service to both Long Beach or San Pedro port

•Healthy American Continental breakfast & hotel amenities included

•Complimentary guest parking thru duration of cruise

I checked the night of January 6 for you...and the rate is $179 for the San Pedro terminal, $149 for Long Beach...

Figure you have to stay SOMEWHERE the night before the cruise, you likely will eat breakfast, and you are going to have some transportation costs getting from wherever you are to the terminal...

Decent hotels anywhere in the LA area are pricey. In fact, if you've found anything for that night too much less than this, I would have great concern over where you've chosen to stay...But, let's say you found an absolute steal for $100 for that night...and let's say you'll spend at least $10-20 on Ubers, buses or Metro...Doing the quick math, that means the parking is really only costing you about $59-69 for the length of the cruise...or $6-7 per night...

I would book this and make sure to get into Long Beach by the night before the cruise...(If you get there early, there are reasonable restaurants nearby, and, you've got a car, so you can drive to dinner somewhere) ...Get a good night's sleep and let them get you to the port the next morning...You will be leaving your car in a very safe area of Long Beach at a hotel with a manager on site 24 hours a day...And you will have the convenience of being a short drive from the port with a shuttle that will drive you door-to-door from the hotel to the port and will pick you up right outside the port terminal on your return and drive you directly back to your car at the hotel. The convenience of not having to maneuver through two and a half hours of public transportation and multiple train/bus transfers and some walking at various places is worth it right there.

Seriously, if I were in your place and on a tight budget, this is what I would do.

I'm sorry but if I lived in the area and discovered a car parked on the street for an extended period of time I'd be calling the police and more than likely your car would be towed and stored. I don't think that would end up being the cheap parking option that you'd be looking for. Assuming it wasn't stolen which is also a possibility.

If the OP parked in any of the South Central area, no doubt the car would be either stolen or stripped. I worked the areas of Watts, Willowbrook and Compton in law enforcement, and I wouldn't park my car there if someone paid me to do it. But then again, unlike some on this forum, I wouldn't ride the metro rail through those areas and I can carry a weapon.

By the way, a car is not towed until it is tagged and the time to tow has expired.

Wow, Steve, that was so nice of you to take the time to write down all that information, I almost don't have the heart to tell you that I am spending my pre-cruise night in Palm Desert with some friends and driving to San Pedro the morning of the cruise... Hopefully someone else will read this info and they will benefit.:)

And the research continues...;)

I'm sorry but if I lived in the area and discovered a car parked on the street for an extended period of time I'd be calling the police .

:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

If the OP parked in any of the South Central area, no doubt the car would be either stolen or stripped. I worked the areas of Watts, Willowbrook and Compton in law enforcement, and I wouldn't park my car there if someone paid me to do it. But then again, unlike some on this forum, I wouldn't ride the metro rail through those areas and I can carry a weapon.

 

By the way, a car is not towed until it is tagged and the time to tow has expired.

The OP's name is Phil, and the OP is not THAT crazy as to park his car for 10 days in South Central or Compton - the OP has a television and watches the news sometimes... But the OP thanks you for your input, that's why it's good to do the research...;)

But then again, unlike some on this forum, I wouldn't ride the metro rail through those areas and I can carry a weapon.

We talked to 2 transit police and when we told them we took to Orange to the Red to the Blue Line they were surprised. Not because of the Red or Blue Lines, but the Orange Line. They said that is the most dangerous line. The 1 time we took the Orange line, we saw 2 almost fights, a guy rolling his (supposedly) medical marijuana joint and a drunk, homeless man fall off the bus and into the street. And this was around noon on a Friday.:eek:

During the day the Blue Line is fine, but I wouldn't be on it at night when it goes thru Compton & Watts areas.

That sounds good too. So where are some of those $5 a day lots in LB exactly? How would I find one?

 

Any thoughts on just plain parking on a residential street in San Pedro with no parking restrictions? Would my car still be there and in one piece 10 days later? [it's a 2010 Toyota Matrix, 4-door hatchback, so not very flashy if that helps at all] I had a quick look on Google Street view and on several residential streets I see no signs restricting parking at any time. I don't mind a 1 or 2 mile walk to the terminal. Again, travelling very light.

 

Stubborn? Ouch, that hurts...;) I'm just cheap, and with a lot of time to research the best option. And yes, although I will have been travelling all the way from Montreal, this is just one stop on an overall driving trip and every dollar counts when compared to $17/day at the cruise terminal.

I believe people can call the LAPD if they see a car left for at least 72 hours. I don't know if they'll bother to do anything about it, but definitely if you park on a street during a posted street cleaning time, expect to see a little present from Parking Enforcement.

If we're driving to the port, we just park in the port's parking lot. It's easy for us and we know we're going to pay one way or another.

Years ago I was going to take a Greyhound bus to LV from Union station but the friend I was going to visit suggested I park in the medical center parking lot where her father's office was. I can't remember all the details (whether she met me in the parking lot and helped me with a permit or just paid for parking that weekend on my own...I do remember getting back to my car and the battery was dead).

la is not canada

........

 

As to $5 lots, I don't really know which ones...it was a prior poster, Sadie, who mentioned such lots near the Long Beach Convention Center...and Sadie is fairly knowledgeable, so I assume she has some specific ones in mind...

 

............

Have to search them out but the ones I've seen are not secure in any way.

***

We have no hesitation to riding the metro to Long Beach. We drive to San Pedro.

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