ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – In just a matter of days, St. Augustine will be throwing a huge party to celebrate its historical past and its 450th birthday. It's an exciting time for many people who have helped organize the event, and for people looking to partake in all the festivities.
But with all the festivities and all the revelers coming into town, a major concern for officials, residents and attendees is parking and hotel rooms.
Several hotels in the area already said they are completely booked, while others said they still have rooms available. But it all depends on where people are looking to stay.
The city thinks that people are going to choose to visit St. Augustine at the last minute though, and by the weekend, officials said the city will be packed.
"It's like any other event, like most people's lives you set a date and all of a sudden it's here. We noticed about a week ago that we stopped going from a month from now, a week from now, it's here," St. Augustine Public Affairs Director Paul Williamson said.
Though it's easy to see the city prepare for the festivities in some ways, white tents decorating the old market and wall hangings garnishing nearby windows and balconies, some things people may not notice are all the parking spots.
"Some of our regular, frequent visitors to St. Augustine, sometimes they are a little deterred by what they think is a parking problem," Williamson said.
But Williamson said for the city, it shouldn't be a problem.
There are multiple spots at the parking garage near the visitors' center with four parking levels, and if that garage gets full, Francis Field across the street will be opened for parking as well.
"We've also got a network of private lots around town, banks, churches that are partnering with some nonprofits to make those lots available. We're running shuttles, there's even a water taxi, and we're telling everyone who can bicycle, bicycle. We have plenty of parking for bikes," Williamson said.
PARKING INFORMATION: Interactive parking map
Williamson said Labor Day is typically a slower holiday in terms of tourism, but he believes this event is drumming up excitement and will hopefully add to the local economy.
Resident Sherry Lloyd hopes so, too.
"I think we have great tourism here. I believe we're known worldwide. It's a wonderful small town with so much history and so much nature," Lloyd said.
News4Jax also has an app for mobile devices that tells visitors where the parking lots are plus what traffic and weather look like in real time. It also has a personal guide to restaurants, sightseeing and events. To download it, head to the Apple app store or Google Play and search St. Augustine 450.
