By Ricardo Roura
Dec 18, 2023, 3:41 PM EST
The Santa Monica City Council announced this Monday that it expanded free parking for local residents and visitors in Downtown public parking structures from 90 minutes to 3 hours starting December 22nd through the 24th.
The decision by city officials was made to support the public during last minute Christmas shopping in shopping centers located in the center.
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) which manages services and operations in the city center on Third Street Promenade, along with the Santa Monica Place outdoor shopping center, offer support to the city’s local business community with the opportunity to extend free parking hours to three hours.
DTSM is a private, non-profit organization that works with the city of Santa Monica to manage services and operations in the town centerin the area bounded by Ocean Avenue (W), Wilshire Boulevard (N), Lincoln Boulevard (E) and Santa Monica Freeway (S).
Santa Monica Place, just steps from the beach and the city’s iconic pier, is one of the most important destinations, with establishments of the Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Nike chainsamong other.
In 2009, the city of Santa Monica, DTSM Inc., Santa Monica Place and local merchant associations created the Buy Local Santa Monica campaignwith the purpose of supporting local businesses, particularly during the Christmas shopping season.
The extension of free parking hours in public structures in downtown Santa Monica during the days before the Christmas celebration provides important incentives for those who visit the area, with the benefit for residents, local businesses and visitors in general.
The city of Santa Monica has different parking optionsboth for visitors to the different shopping centers and for people who enjoy its beaches or sites with tourist attractions.
It is recommended Pre-schedule the time you plan to go shopping for Christmas to avoid the times with the greatest number of people and that the parking lots may also be saturated.
It is also important know parking service hours where you leave your vehicle. It is advisable to consult it before starting your purchases.
For more information on the various parking options available in downtown Santa Monica and where they are located, you can check out this link.
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