As families and friends plan to vacation in SEASIDE® this year, we anticipate a bustling town center, filled with award-winning shopping and dining, enjoyed by those staying in SEASIDE® and other 30A communities. Whether you're driving in for the day, planning to bike into town for the afternoon, or catching our complimentary shuttle, there's an easy way for everyone to get to SEASIDE®.
After numerous parking and traffic studies, input from well-renowned parking consultants, and three implementations of various paid parking methods, the pay-by-the-hour rate structure launched in 2022 offered the most flexibility and ease of use for our guests. Beginning March 1, the hourly paid parking program will be in effect. Parking rates will vary by day, occupancy levels, and events. This allows us to maintain proper vacancy levels so visitors have available parking to use and ensures that the parking is most efficiently managed.
Similar to last year, the paid parking experience will have guests park their vehicle on Smolian Circle. Upon arrival, you will notice signs placed around Smolian Circle letting you know what zone you have parked in. Input your license plate number and payment information, then head into SEASIDE® to enjoy your day! We encourage visitors to download The Passport Parking app in advance for a simple parking experience. The Passport Parking App can be downloaded here.
The below map outlines the location of hourly parking along Smolian Circle and the complimentary 1-hour and 15-minute parking for quick stops.
Please note, if you are staying in SEASIDE® Town Center, the vacation rental agency you booked with will provide you with a parking pass that allows parking in the areas for the duration of your stay.
In addition to our hourly parking program, we have increased the number of shuttles, bike racks, and golf cart spaces. Our complimentary shuttle services pick up on the east side of Highway 283 in Grayton Beach, across from the Shops of Grayton, in a public parking lot. Park in the lower lot and the shuttle will arrive within 15 minutes and drop guests off under the Lyceum Archway in the center of SEASIDE®. The shuttle is available to guests and employees and runs daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. See the map below on where to catch the shuttle and the route.
Over the last year, we have listened to feedback our guests have provided, and we are happy to address some of the biggest questions around our paid parking program.
"Why make people pay for parking?"
SEASIDE® has always been about enhancing and protecting the human experience. If you have visited during peak hours, you know the traffic can get backed up with people circling for up to an hour looking for a parking spot. Implementing paid parking has cut down on the constant circling of vehicles. Now you do not have to walk past constant traffic, filled with drivers hunting for a spot instead of focusing on the road. Now, you can simply enjoy the arrival experience.
"I miss the old days! Why can't SEASIDE® stay the same?"
Due to the attractive lifestyle, culture, and ever-growing popularity of our town's merchants and restaurants, people have grown to love our area; with growth comes change. We have monitored the growth over the past several years and have made adjustments to make your future experience as enjoyable as possible.
"There's already not enough parking."
People intuitively understand that if you give something away for free, you'll run out of it, which applies to parking. The idea is to price parking so that there's always ten to fifteen percent vacancy so that you can have an elevated and more convenient parking experience that was not possible without more efficient parking management. We may, periodically, need to adjust the price based on the vacancy levels, and we consider those changes with you, the customer, in mind and backed with the necessary data to promote a positive change.
"You're just doing this to make money."
People think we're operating the parking initiative to make more money and/or because we don't want people to visit, but the opposite is true. When paid parking was researched, monetary gains were never a focus. All of the revenue collected from the parking management program is used to provide the free shuttle service, which has had over 275,000 rides since 2017, and other town improvements that are necessary for the enjoyment of all visitors.
For more information on the New Urbanism principles on which this decision was made, please watch the videos below: