Athens, Ohio is notorious for a few things. Being the only liberal bubble in Ohio, having the MOST bangin’ Halloween Festival, our beautiful historic downtown with brick streets, and being home to a top-notch School of Journalism at OU. But there’s another thing that will become synonymous with Athens once you’ve lived here for a bit: the nightmare of parking. Universities in Northern Ohio, where it’s flat forever everywhere, have the ability to create endless parking options for their staff and students. But here in Appalachia, on a 200-year-old campus that used to have a literal river running through it? Good luck.
Many students who move to Athens, Ohio rent a parking space to avoid the musical chairs game that is finding parking near uptown or on campus. And that option has its pros and its cons. But if you’re not down for the extra expense of a yearly parking space rental, there’s a few other ways you can navigate the perpetual parking scarcity characteristic of Ohio University and Athens in general.
Gotta love those narrow brick roads laid into hillsides, right?
Parking Options are Endless, but Parking Spaces are Limited
Because Athens and OU are over two centuries old, when two-lane roads lined with parking spaces didn’t exist, the only place you’ll find such an option is in the area directly around downtown, where most roads have been partially retrofitted to account for the fact that people drive cars now. But those spots aren’t good as permanent parking solutions in Athens – they’re paid with 2-hour limits. So we’re done talking about that.
There are a bunch of other ways to park your car near campus in Athens. You just have to expand your view on what “parking lot” means, and also what “close to campus” means.
On-campus parking garages (paid)
Parking garage downtown (paid)
Fairgrounds (paid)
Street-side parking on streets directly around campus (must move every 24 hours)
That weird hillside lot on the side of the cemetery on State Street (paid)
Residential neighborhoods (free, some with 24-hour limits, some unmonitored)
That sketchy gravel lot by KFC on State Street (free)
Apartment rentals with parking spaces (some paid, some included in lease)
Trend is, the farther you get away from campus, the cheaper parking rentals become, and the more free parking you can find. But you’re paying with the extra distance. That’s why the best option for securing a parking spot of your own in Athens is to go with parking spaces offered by your landlord, even if they’re paid. Everyone who’s lived here has had someone block them in or out of their uptown apartment at least once. Renting a designated parking space is the only way to park right uptown and ensure no one ever squats on your spot or blocks you in.
Don’t Want to Rent a Parking Space? Pro-Tips on Parking for Free in Athens
We’re going to drop some knowledge on you:
The neighborhoods in the East Side are all free to park on at least one side, but most have 24-hour limits. The good news is, you can just move your car one car length, and you’ve got another 24 hours.
Literally no one cares what anyone does with their cars on Columbia Avenue.
That little shortcut up North Lancaster after the South High Street light is public. It’s on a 24-hour limit, too.
For the brave: There’s free 24-hour parking on West State St along the side of the cemetery, where you can usually find a parking space even during Fests and events like Homecoming. It’s still a short walk to uptown, it’s just that the road is really narrow there; you may end up missing a rearview when you come back.
The West Side is pretty chill about the “24-hour” rule (read: lax), except on 2nd Street, since that’s the main ambulance path. Don’t park on Walker, though.
Bonus Tip: Running late and need to get to an exam ASAP? Some parking spots at Morton Hall are free without a campus parking permit.
Whether you’ve just moved in or you’ve been playing parking space roulette in Athens for some time, the choice you make of how to park long-term is really about your priorities. It is a significant cost to rent a designated parking spot, but you get access to off-campus parking super close to campus and uptown, and you can always be sure your spot will be open when you get back. Go the free-parking route, and you might end up paying in longer walks, the lack of surety of where you can park, and, of course, the occasional “I didn’t wake up in time to move the car” parking ticket. Those are pretty cheap, though.
The best way to get around all of this and defeat the final boss? Just rent a parking spot from your landlord. Even better, choose a rental that includes parking in the lease. Either way, in terms of Athens parking, there’s nothing better than pulling up to your uptown apartment at the end of a long day of classes without the worry of where to park or when you’ll have to move your car.