If you struggle to find parking in downtown San Antonio, chalk it up to user error. A new study says there’s no shortage of parking spots in the city’s tourism hub, but whether or not locals agree — or find parking downtown convenient or justifiable for the price — is a different question entirely.

Downtown advocacy nonprofit Centro San Antonio’s recent study of downtown parking found that it “does not currently face a systemwide parking shortage.”

The study, which Centro says is the first full assessment of downtown parking in a decade, reports that “perception, not supply, is the primary challenge.” In other words, residents tend to believe that downtown parking is more scarce than it actually is. To that point, the nonprofit noted that during Fiesta 2025, peak occupancy during Saturday night events was only 53 percent.

However, the study did find that “existing technology and infrastructure are outdated, limiting customer convenience and operational efficiency,” pointing to a need for modernizing the system. Centro’s suggestions included real-time parking technology, digital payment, a more efficient use of existing parking structures through shared parking agreements, and “policy tools that support long-term investment in infrastructure and operations.”

Lastly, Centro says city-owned garages, which offer free parking after 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, are cheaper than similar private facilities.  

But how do locals really feel about that? In response to social media posts from MySA, readers told us they think parking downtown is “great for tourists, dumb for the locals.” Citing confusion over payment methods and which lots are free, readers expressed frustration at the lack of consistency in pricing across the area and said they don’t want to find out that it’s “going to be $200 because George Strait is in town” or due to other major events.

Rather than complaining of a lack of availability, a few commenters said they feel there’s too much. As of 2023, over a quarter of downtown San Antonio was dedicated to parking. All in all, some feel it’s “easier just to [use Uber]” and skirt the problem entirely, as one local wrote.

Locals came up with suggestions. One Instagram user said all downtown parking should run you $15 per day. Others said it “should be free for locals.” Another problem area a commenter identified was a need for more handicapped parking downtown, and many people mentioned that they want more public transportation. 

In response to locals’ concerns, Centro CEO Trish DeBerry told MySA in a statement that parking and construction are “items of frustration we hear about daily.” However, she took an optimistic view of the future, saying that when construction wraps up, downtown will be “much easier to navigate” resulting in “more accessible and affordable” parking.

What the city needs, according to DeBerry, seems not to be more parking but more wayfinding and directional signage, plus a user-friendly platform for finding prices, choosing a facility and even reserving a spot. She said Centro and the City of San Antonio will work together to create such an app “so that the intimidation barrier and confusion are removed” once the City selects a vendor to update parking tech.

“The last thing Centro wants is more surface parking lots taking up valuable real estate in the urban core that could be used for housing or retail,” DeBerry said. “The study made clear we have plenty of parking, we just must make it easier to access and we are on fast track to get that done.”