Parking

Parking in Avila is easy most of the year and tricky on summer weekends. The town is small, and the spaces closest to the sand go first. Here's the honest version: where to look, what costs money and what to do when everything near the beach is full.

Free street parking in town

The streets of downtown Avila Beach, including Front Street, 1st Street, San Juan, San Miguel and San Francisco streets, have free on-street parking. Many spaces have a time limit, so check the signs. A 2012 county parking study found these streets were the most crowded part of town at peak times, with some blocks over 90% full on a busy Saturday afternoon.

If you're coming from Avila Beach Drive, try turning onto San Luis Street and then 1st Street, and take the first open space. It's a short walk to the beach.

The paid lot off 1st Street

The main paid lot sits in the middle of town with its entrance on 1st Street, a block or two from the promenade. It's the easiest option on a busy day if you don't mind paying. It charges a daily rate and closes overnight. We haven't confirmed this year's rate, so check the posted sign when you pull in.

Avila Beach Drive

Avila Beach Drive has the most parking in the area, along the road by the golf course east of town and west of town toward Port San Luis. In that same county study, the roadside spaces were never more than about 60% full, even on a busy Saturday. The trade-off is the walk. Spaces by the golf course are a few minutes from Front Street, and the spaces near Olde Port Beach put you on a different beach entirely.

Port San Luis and Harford Pier

The road ends about 1.5 miles past town at Port San Luis. The Port San Luis Harbor District runs two parking areas here.

• Harford Landing, the big lot at the base of the pier, has about 250 spaces. About 36 of them, marked with green striping, are paid with a two-hour limit. Check the signs before you leave your car.
• Harford Pier used to be free, but its 14 public spaces on the pier are now all paid, with a two-hour limit (the Port's rules list $3 for two hours, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; check the pay station for today's rate). The two accessible spaces and loading zones are exempt.

Paid spaces at both need a permit from the pay station between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. When paid parking started in 2021, the rate was $3 for two hours. Check the pay station for current rates. The Port lot fills up around midday on busy days, so arrive early if you want to drive out on the pier. See Harford Pier & Port San Luis.

Pirate's Cove

Parking for Pirate's Cove is a large dirt lot at the end of Cave Landing Road, off Avila Beach Drive east of town. The path down to the cove is short but steep.

Accessible parking

Van-accessible spaces with a hard surface are at the foot of San Juan Street and along Avila Beach Drive. There are two more at the end of Harford Pier, two in front of the restroom at the Olde Port Beach boat launch and two on the road between Olde Port Beach and the Avila Beach Pier. Accessible restrooms are next to the Avila Beach Pier, at Avila Beach Park, at Harford Pier and at the Olde Port Beach boat launch. The Avila Beach Pier itself is mostly closed for repairs.

Skip the car

In summer, the free Avila-Pismo Beach Trolley runs on weekends and Friday evenings between the Pismo Beach Premium Outlets and Port San Luis, with stops in Avila. You can also park at the Ontario Road staging area in Avila Valley and walk or bike the Bob Jones Trail into town. More options are on our getting around page.

When it's busiest

Summer weekends are the crunch. The main lot fills quickly then but is rarely a problem Tuesday through Thursday. Arrive before late morning, or come later in the afternoon as the day crowd heads home. Event days, like the Friday farmers market in season and big weekends on the events calendar, are busier still.