Everything You Need to Know About Parking Near the Port of Miami

The Port of Miami is located on Didge Island in a central part of the city. This makes it easy to reach from prime tourist spots like South Beach or Miami Beach but it also means that parking space is in high demand. Because of that, snagging a spot near the Port of Miami for a weeklong cruise isn’t going to come cheap.

Still, millions of people board ships in the Port of Miami every year so there is infrastructure in place to accommodate passengers who choose to drive to the port and park rather than use a ridesharing app.

If you’re planning to park in Miami while you set sail on a cruise, this guide covers everything you need to know about parking near the port. From the cheapest options ($4.50 per night) to the most convenient (covered and patrolled garages right at the terminals) and everything in between, this list of long-term parking options in Miami will help you plan the perfect cruise from the city!

Parking at the Port of Miami

Sometimes, convenience is everything. If you’re just looking for the quickest and easiest parking for your cruise, the Port of Miami has garages at every terminal. Parking costs $22 per night in the covered garages and all lots are patrolled by security.

If you’re regularly a debit card user, just note that the terminal parking accepts payment in cash or credit cards only. Disabled parking is available at the same rates while oversize parking costs an additional $22 per day.

Parking Near the Port of Miami

Of course, parking at the Port of Miami is the most convenient option for most cruise-goers, so it’s the most expensive as well. If you want to cut down on costs before you board your ship, consider parking at third-party lots near the Port of Miami instead.

Parkopedia is a great resource for finding alternative parking in Miami for your cruise. Enter your desired dates into the website and then you can conveniently sort available options by price or distance from the port.

Entering a seven-day trip a few months in advance turns up some surprisingly budget-friendly options, like the South Miami Metrorail Station, where parking is only $4.50 per 24 hours. The website does say that if you park in the lot you must board the Metrorail, but you’ll want to ride it into Downtown Miami to reach the port anyway.

If you’d like to be closer to the Port of Miami, there are plenty of lots to choose from within a few miles of the cruise terminals.

Premier Cruise Parking is one of the most popular because it’s only a mile from the port and offers a free shuttle. Here, parking in covered garages costs $58 per week (and they offer daily rates as well). Plus, you can reserve spots online and rest easy knowing that your cruise parking is completely taken care of and you won’t be driving around Miami searching for spots or comparing prices on the morning of your trip!

Cruise Parking at Hotels

If you’re planning to spend time in Miami before your cruise sets sail, consider cruise parking packages with hotels in the city.

Many hotels allow free parking for the duration of a cruise if you book one night in the hotel before you go. If you’re not planning to spend the night in Miami before your cruise, this option doesn’t make much sense financially, but if you do need a room then booking one that comes with free parking can save you hundreds of dollars.

Some hotels near the Port of Miami that offer cruise parking packages include the Hilton Miami Downtown and Extended Stay America along with many others – use this list to browse more options and book your cruise parking package today!

Cruise Parking at the Miami Airport

Parking at the Miami Airport costs $17 per day, so it doesn’t make sense economically to choose this over the other options near the Port of Miami that are cheaper and closer to the cruise terminals. However, there are always plenty of third-party lots near airports that specialize in long-term parking at cheap rates and the Miami Airport has a few that are worth perusing.

Airport Parking Reservations will list all the lots and prices available during your stay to help you find the best deals, some of which are as low as $4 per night! Take the free shuttle to the airport and then the $2.25 express airport bus into the city and you’ll find yourself saving some serious cash with this option.

Parking RVs and Campers Near the Port of Miami

RVs and campers considered oversize vehicles will be expensive to park during your cruise. The Port of Miami terminals do accommodate oversize vehicles but charge an extra $22 per night on top of the $22 parking fee already in place. So, a seven-day cruise will cost $308 just in parking fees alone – definitely not cheap!

If you’re planning to stay in Miami in your RV before or after your cruise, simply leaving your RV at an RV park can cost the same amount or even save you some money. For example, the Yacht Haven Park and Marina in Fort Lauderdale offers weekly stays for as low as $255.

They also offer off-site short-term storage for $20 per night, which would add up to only $140 for a weeklong cruise. Even with travel between Miami and Fort Lauderdale factored in, this option will help budget-minded RV travelers save money!

Free Parking in Miami

Is it possible to find free long-term parking in Miami?

If you have friends or family who live in the suburbs around the city, consider asking them if you can park in front of their house or on their driveway during your trip to save money. Of course, bringing them back a small gift from your cruise would be a great way to show your appreciation!

If you’re renting a car for your Miami trip, return it before you cruise and pick up another one afterward to avoid paying parking fees altogether.

If you’re driving in from cities around Miami like Orlando or Tampa, consider ditching the car from the outset and taking a Megabus to Miami instead of driving. If you buy in advance, fares can be as low as $5 each way and you’ll save on gas expenses as well.

Bonus: 3 More Money-Saving Tips when Driving in Miami

Whether you rent a car or drive into the city on your own, these four tips will help you cut costs on your next trip to Miami.

1. Buy a SunPass to save money on toll roads.

Most travelers in Florida who rent cars quickly discover that this state loves toll roads. Luckily, the SunPass is easy to buy and will save you money on every fare.

The SunPass mini sticker costs $4.99 but it will reduce toll rates by about 25 percent. Plus, the pass allows you to pass through tolls quicker and will save you the headache of digging exact change out of your pockets.

If you’re not sure you’ll use the toll roads enough that the $4.99 SunPass fee is worth it, use this SunPass Toll Calculator and input your route through the state to find out. Whether you opt to purchase the pass or not, remember that Google Maps always gives the option to “avoid tolls” on your route as well!

2. Use Uber or Lyft instead of driving in the city.

If you’re heading to popular tourist spots like Miami Beach or South Beach where you’d like to spend the entire day, don’t forget that taking an Uber or Lyft to and from the destination may be cheaper than paying for hours of parking in the area – especially if you misread signs or overstay your parking time. Getting a ticket or having your car towed is definitely not the ideal way to start a vacation!

3. Avoid Tickets with the Pay by Phone app.

The Miami Parking Authority released the Pay by Phone app that lets you easily find and pay for parking spots around Miami, Coral Gables, and South Miami.

Rather than keeping track of your time in a spot or rushing back up the street to add more money to a meter, the app will do everything for you. It sends out text reminders when your parking time is close to running out and then allows you to extend it with one click!

Download the app before you travel to Miami and rest easy that you’ll never get a parking citation in the city again.

-Di Minardi (that’s me!), travel blogger at Slight North