If you’re parking in downtown Indy, you might pay anywhere from $1.75 per hour to $60 for an event.
Parking on the street is usually the cheapest option but might mean a longer walk to your destination. The parking meters operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., so it’s free to park before or after those times, on Sundays and on holidays.
Apps to use to look for parking:
- ParkWhiz
- SpotHero
- Park Mobile (to pay for street parking)
But sometimes, a garage is the closest or best option.
I drove around downtown and tried 14 parking spots, looking at their convenience, pricing and location. I’m someone who parks in the same place every time (Circle Centre Mall’s garages) out of habit. I learned that there are much cheaper options, even if it means I’ll have to parallel park.
I’ve mapped out each of the spots I tried, and there are more details below the map about what I thought of parking there.
Rolls Royce Garage
📍 25 W. Henry St.
🏆 Best hidden gem for big event parking
Most days, this garage is only for Rolls Royce employees. During events, though, Denison Parking leases the garage and opens up some spots. You have to buy the spots ahead of time, so check for pricing and availability on ParkWhiz or other apps.
The parking attendant I talked to has worked there since 2012, when Indianapolis hosted the Super Bowl. It cost $200 then, so major events (like a Taylor Swift concert) could be similarly expensive.
Plaza Park Garage
📍 109 S. Capitol Ave.
🏆 Best for people who don’t like being in cold weather
Plaza Park is close to Circle Centre Mall, the Indianapolis Artsgarden and other downtown destinations. It connects to the sky bridges on the third floor, so you can walk around downtown without going outside.
The garage has a lower clearance, and lots of spots where you can back in.
I tried an option that lets you tap the same credit card as you enter and exit, instead of pulling a ticket. If you pull a ticket and lose it, you’ll pay $68, so be careful to put it in a spot you’ll remember.
Prices:
Up to an hour: $12
1-2 hours: $19
2-3 hours: $24
3-24 hours: $34
Surface lot
📍 28 E. South St.
🏆 Best for affordable parking near Lucas Oil Stadium
This is a small surface lot but had cheaper event parking prices than the lots south of Lucas Oil when I visited. I tried it out when the FFA National Convention was downtown in October, and it was $10.
Gate Ten Events and Parking
📍 917 S. Kenwood Ave.
🏆 Best for the Colts fan or concertgoer who likes to plan ahead
This grass lot is about half a mile from Lucas Oil Stadium. You can park and take a shuttle to the convention center. You can buy tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Prices vary, and this lot only sells passes for events.
Maryland Street spots
📍 220 W. Maryland St. (in front of Hudnut Commons)
🏆 Best for people who like a deal and are good at parallel parking
At $1.75/hour, these spots are cheap, and they’re close to Plaza Park Garage, Circle Centre Mall and the Indianapolis Artsgarden. If you’re comfortable parallel parking, these would be good options. There are a limited number of spots, so get there early for an event.
Download the Park Mobile app and know your license plate to make paying for street parking easy.
Washington Street Garage
📍 401 W. Washington St.
🏆 Best for people who like to be right in the middle of the action
This garage is right across from the JW Marriott. It’s close to the Indiana Government Center, Victory Field and Lucas Oil Stadium.
There’s loud construction going on in the garage, and one stairwell is out of commission.
Depending on when you’re there, some of the lanes to enter won’t be available for public parking. Losing your ticket is an expensive mistake ($80) if you park here.
Prices:
0-30 minutes: $11
30 minutes – 3 hours: $15
3-5 hours: $20
5-6 hours: $25
6-10 hours: $30
10-24 hours: $40
Major Taylor surface lot
📍 15 E. Washington St.
🏆 Best for people who want to visit Monument Circle
If you see a huge mural of Major Taylor, an international cycling superstar from Indy, you’re in the right place.
This surface parking lot is split in half — and both lots are easy to get into. If you park on the side closer to Major Taylor, it’s a lot owned by Denison Parking. The daily rate is $12, and special event rates are posted on a sign outside the lot. During the FFA National Convention, it was $25.
If you park on the other side of the lot, you’ll use the green pay station. It’s $10 for 10 hours. If you have time to walk around before heading to your destination, this is close to Monument Circle.
IU Indianapolis Riverwalk Garage
📍 245 University Blvd.
🏆 Best spot for a college visit
Park in this multi-level garage if you want to visit students at IU Indianapolis and Purdue University in Indianapolis. It’s also an easy walk to places downtown.
You’ll find more available parking spots on weekends and evenings, since a lot of the spaces are reserved from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays for the NCAA headquarters and National Institute for Fitness and Sport.
There are no parking attendants — just pay stations at the entrance, exit and the third-floor elevator lobby.
Prices:
0-2 hours – $5
2-4 hours – $7
4-6 hours – $9
6-8 hours – $11
8-12 hours – $14
12-24 hours – $18
Lost ticket – $18
Alabama Street surface lot
📍 101 S. Alabama St.
🏆 Good spot if you’re catching a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Gainbridge has its own official parking garage, and right next to it, you’ll find a parking lot. There are monthly and daily parking options. If the attendants aren’t there, you can use the pay station with a credit card or exact change.
There are plenty of spots, but it’s on a hill and you have to use stairs to exit onto Alabama Street.
Prices:
As marked. I went on a weekday, and a sign advertised $30 for event parking. The attendant had me pay $4 to park for a few hours during the day.
Market District Garage
📍 101 N. New Jersey St.
🏆 Best spot when you’re spending the night downtown
This garage, which has pay stations and no parking attendants, is across from Whole Foods and a Tinker Coffee location. There are reserved spots on the first floor. My experience using the garage went smoothly. There are 36 ADA-accessible parking spaces, and the price caps at $8 per day.
Prices:
0-1 hour: $3
1-2 hours: $4
2-3 hours: $5
3-4 hours: $6
4-24 hours: $8
Maximum daily rate: $8
North New Jersey and Walnut street parking
📍 Near 725 N. New Jersey St.
🏆 Best affordable spot if you’re catching a show at Old National Centre
Along most of New Jersey Street, there are metered street spots that you can pay for using ParkMobile. Hint: Close to the Center for Inquiry School 2, there are free spots. But you can’t park in those spots from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays.
White River Underground Garage
📍 801 W. Washington St.
🏆 Best for subterranean enthusiasts who don’t like valet parking
This garage is right in the middle of the action: Indiana State Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, White River State Park and more. Headed to the JW Marriott for a gala? You can wait in line and pay for valet, or you can park in this garage, about a five minute walk away.
One mild irritant: The haughty voice of the virtual parking attendant. And it’s not always easy to find your way out once you’ve parked.
Prices:
2 hours: $10
2-3 hours: $15
3-6 hours: $20
6-10 hours: $25
10-24 hours: $30
Lost ticket: $40
Circle Centre Mall Garages
📍 26 W. Georgia St. (Blue) and 48 W. Maryland St. (Red)
🏆 Best for people who like the most obvious solution
These garages are underneath Circle Centre Mall. So if it’s cold or rainy, you can use an escalator to get up to the mall and walk to your destination inside through the third-floor sky bridges.
It’s close to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the many downtown steakhouses and the Indiana Convention Center. Event parking typically costs $30, but if you spend $30 anywhere in Circle Centre Mall, the receipt from that transaction means you can pay normal parking rates.
There are lots of spaces. Take note of where you parked–it’s easy to get lost.
Prices:
0-2 hours: $7
2-4 hours: $13
4-6 hours: $25
6+ hours: $30
Lost ticket: $30
Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
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