One often overlooked quality in event venues is parking. While vibrant and modern, San Diego is notorious for its tricky parking systems. It’s either virtually impossible to find yourself a spot or wildly expensive. You wouldn’t want to end up an hour into your event with twenty-plus guests still circling your venue for a place to park. Therefore, easy-to-find and accessible parking is a must for your next San Diego event venue. 

Know How Much Parking You’ll Need

Is your event large or small? Will most of your guests be driving or arriving via public transportation? Do you have a shuttle or carpooling system in place? Will any of your guests require accessible parking? These are all questions you should ask yourself during your venue search. With that information in mind, you can start to estimate how many parking spaces you will need.

What Should My Parking Budget Be?

The price of reserving a parking lot for your event in San Diego can vary significantly depending on the location and the number of spaces needed. According to Facillitron, rates for independent parking spaces hover around $100/hr for a lot with approximately 30-50 spaces. Renting a parking lot through your venue, however, can be more cost-effective, or even free. Event spaces like The Centre in Escondido California have ample covered and uncovered free parking to fit all of your guests—and it comes with your rental.

Inquire About Parking

When asking venues about their available parking, there are a couple of questions you should ask beyond “how much parking do you have?”

• How far is the parking from the venue?
• Does the parking area close at a certain time? If so, will that interfere with my event times?
• Are there any additional parking fees?
• Will other separate events at the venue or in the surrounding area impact the amount of parking available to me and my guests?
• Is the parking lot accessible for people who may need assistance?
• If you have a parking garage, is there an elevator within the structure?
• Do you offer valet services?

Scout the Area

We all know the importance of scouting your venue before booking, but sometimes we forget that scouting includes seeing the parking area your guests will be using. Is it easy to find? Are directions to the entrance of the venue from the parking area clear? Simply hearing the number of spaces an event venue offers over the phone may not be enough to give you a clear picture of the space. 

Valet vs Self-Park

Considering a venue with valet in San Diego? When given the option between valet parking and self-parking, you may be wondering which to choose. Valet-only works great for formal events. It makes the process seamless for guests and adds an elegant touch to the start of your event, but it can often be more expensive and may require more staffing. Self-parking is more cost-effective and easier to manage, but it also may cause congestion in the parking area and require signage to guide your guests. Then, of course, you could always choose to utilize a combination of both, allowing your guests to choose the option suited to their needs. 

Options For Spaces With Limited Parking

Totally in love with a space despite its limited parking? Besides encouraging guests to carpool or rideshare, you could also consider using a shuttle service and having guests park in a separate lot. Bear in mind, however, that your guests will have to time their arrival and departure accordingly. You can also use apps like ParkMobile or SpotHero to help guests find and reserve parking spots. 

Our Recommendations For Easy Parking Event Spaces

At The Centre we offer an on-site self-park garage conveniently located near our entrance. 

Easy parking event spaces aren’t impossible to find in San Diego. With a little planning and the right venue, your event can be smooth and stress-free from the moment guests park their car. As long as you remember to plan and ask your venue plenty of questions, you’ll be set.