Alexandria, VA, is close to Washington D.C. and has a delightful old town version that is a popular destination for those who enjoy strolls on cobblestone-paved streets and eating at small cafes. This can make parking limited, as many people try to park as close to the popular areas as possible. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you find free and cheap parking in Alexandria, VA, so you can fully focus on enjoying the local attractions.
Where to Park for Free in Alexandria, VA
Alexandria makes for a popular spot to meet your friends and show visiting family members the area’s beauty. Even though free parking may be ample, it fills up quickly, so it’s best to arrive early or be prepared for several rounds of circling the blocks to find that coveted free parking spot.
Because of this, it’s so important to know where all you can find free parking, so you can make sure not to waste time differentiating between metered and free parking. Parking is typically associated with a time limit. Most free parking spots in Alexandria, VA, have a 2-3 hour time restriction.
Each parking address is measured in walking distance from a central location. In this case, that central location is the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
Is there free parking in Alexandria, VA? You can park for free at the following addresses in Alexandria, VA:
- 1317 Prince St.
- 229 S. Payne St.
- 212 S. Fayette St.
- 124 N. Peyton St.
- 215 N. West St.
- 429 Earl St.
- 1523 Oronoco St.
- 1317 Princess St.
- 320 N. Henry St.
- 220 N. Payne St.
| Street Name/Address | Walking distance from George Washington Masonic National Memorial |
| 1317 Prince St. | 15 min. |
| 229 S. Payne St. | 18 min. |
| 212 S. Fayette St. | 18 min. |
| 124 N. Peyton St. | 14 min. |
| 215 N. West St. | 16 min. |
| 429 Earl St. | 16 min. |
| 1523 Oronoco St. | 17 min. |
| 1317 Princess St. | 18 min. |
| 320 N. Henry St. | 22 min. |
| 220 N. Payne St. | 17 min. |
What you need to Know about Parking in Alexandria, VA
When you park for free in Alexandria, VA, you’ll want to keep a few rules in mind due to a good amount of free and cheap parking being in residential areas:
- Respect residents and their space – especially since your car is parked in their space
- Don’t park in front of someone’s driveway – it’s proper parking etiquette
- Don’t park in front of entrances and/or doorways
- Park close to the curb so other cars can pass
- Don’t double park
- Lock your vehicle before leaving it – you won’t have to worry about it being broken into then
- Look for parking signs to check the rules around the parking
Cheap Street Parking, in Alexandria, VA
Even though there is a lot of free parking available, it does fill up quickly, so it’s helpful to have a second option on hand. The next best thing would be to find cheap street parking, aka metered parking. Unlike how metered parking used to be, where you always had to make sure you had a stash of coins in your car or wallet, most parking meters nowadays also accept credit and/or debit cards. Some even are high-tech enough to accept payment via a parking app.
Metered parking is often an excellent in-between for free and garage parking. It’s cheaper than garage parking and affordable enough that if you were expecting to pay nothing for parking, it wouldn’t bother you. Most metered parking costs $1/hour and has a maximum stay of 2 hours.
Is there cheap street parking in Alexandria, VA? You can find cheap street parking at the following locations:
- 115 S. Henry St.
- 360 Englehardt Ln.
- 113 S. Patrick St.
- 450 Andrews Ln.
- 2051 Jamieson Ave.
- 550 Elizabeth Ln.
- 502 Dulaney St.
- 2050 Ballenger Ave.
- 702 Prince St.
- 102 S. Columbus St.
| Street Name/Address | Walking distance from George Washington Masonic Memorial |
| 115 S. Henry St. | 19 min. |
| 360 Englhardt Ln. | 14 min. |
| 113 S. Patrick St. | 21 min. |
| 450 Andrews Ln. | 19 min. |
| 2051 Jamieson Ave. | 13 min. |
| 550 Elizabeth Ln. | 17 min. |
| 502 Dulany St. | 14 min. |
| 2050 Ballenger Ave. | 15 min. |
| 702 Prince St. | 25 min. |
| 102 S. Columbus St. | 24 min. |
Cheap Lot Parking, in Alexandria, VA
Sometimes it may seem like the lucky parking gods are not smiling down on you, and you have to go for option C – cheap lot or garage parking. Normally, garage parking is associated with expensive parking prices; however, that’s not always the case. Thankfully, there are plenty of safe, cheap, and weather-resistant parking garages in Alexandria, VA.
A benefit of parking in a garage is that the maximum parking limit is often much higher than street parking, whether free or limited. This is great if you’re visiting a friend and don’t want to cut it short due to parking.
Is there cheap lot parking in Alexandria, VA? You can find cheap lot parking in Alexandria, VA, at the following locations:
- 517 Cameron St.
- 111 S. Pitt St.
- 117 N. Alfred St.
- 480 King St.
- 920 King St.
- 418 Cameron St.
- 116 S. Henry St.
- 108 N. Fairfax St.
- 1800 Diagonal Rd.
- 1600 Duke St.
| Street Name/Address | Walking distance from George Washington Masonic Memorial | Price per 2 hrs |
| 517 Cameron St. | 29 min. | $5 |
| 111 S. Pitt St. | 29 min. | $5 |
| 117 N. Alfred St. | 23 min. | $10 |
| 480 King St. | 28 min. | $10.75 |
| 920 King St. | 22 min. | $3.50 |
| 418 Cameron St. | 30 min. | $9.75 |
| 116 S. Henry St. | 18 min. | $5 |
| 108 N. Fairfax St. | 31 min. | $5 |
| 1800 Diagonal Rd. | 10 min. | $15 |
| 1600 Duke St. | 13 min. | $14 |
Hopefully, this article will help you feel confident and hopeful in finding the right inexpensive (or free!) parking space for you!
Related Questions:
Where can I park overnight in Alexandria, VA? There are quite a few options listed above in the lot section that offer overnight parking. Check out these garages for overnight stays.
Is handicap parking free in Alexandria, VA? Yes. Handicap parking is free for up to 4 hours in Alexandria, VA. Make sure to have your handicap sign out on display.
