3 Ways to get free Parking in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is growing at a rapid rate and with more residents, it is becoming harder and harder to find free parking in and around downtown Columbus and Ohio State.

Here are some major tips and 3 ways to find free parking in Columbus, Ohio.

Free Downtown Parking in Columbus

At least for a little while longer, there are some hidden free spaces near Downtown Columbus if you are willing to walk a bit. Just south of downtown lies, German Village. Scattered through German Village is free street parking.

For those willing to put in a little leg muscle, there are parts of German Village with free parking just 1.3 miles from the Capital Square. Much[C1] [C2] of this parking is overnight as well. Be sure to look for street signs regarding snow removal or street sweeping to make sure the parking works for your specific day.

If you don’t want to take the walk, there are plenty of garages in Downtown Columbus that charge an hourly or nightly rate. Many of them even offer monthly programs if you frequent downtown.

Free Campus Parking near Ohio State

Parking on campus is going to require a pass or a daily permit. However, you can get within a mile of campus for free depending on where you need to go. Before you park you will want to look up the exact building to avoid parking on the other side of campus just to save a few bucks.

The Lantern, the independent newspaper for Ohio State, does a great job of summarizing the free parking options.

For North campus free parking is located on East Lane, Eat Woodruff, and Indiana. Only parts of these streets offer free parking.

Central Campus free parking can be found on parts of Waldeck, Luka, East 16th, and East 15th Avenues.

Lastly, South campus has some free areas on the streets of Highland Street, Worthington Street, Chittenden, East 11th, and West 9th.

Free Columbus Airport Parking

There is no free airport parking by the John Glenn International Airport. If you are traveling out of CMH, you will either need to pay or catch a ride to the airport.

For Daily options, expect to pay between $8 to $12 a day.

For Monthly Parking at CMH, you can expect to pay about $135 through STOW IT.

Other Exceptions

The city of Columbus does offer a few free days of parking on major Holidays. They do not include every holiday so be sure to check with the city’s website before parking.

The free parking holidays include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.

Of course, most shops and activities are also closed on these holidays.

Parking in Columbus, Ohio

Free parking is a very small portion of parking in Columbus and seems to be getting smaller and smaller every year. We recommend being prepared to pay if you are going near downtown or campus, especially if any sort of event or football game is happening.