Finding parking on campus is one of the most difficult things a College of Charleston student will ever have to do during their time there. Most of the parking lots on campus are reserved for staff, leaving everyone fighting for those metered spots. If you can’t find one, or if you don’t have any change because you gave it all to Tin-Tin (one of Charleston’s street characters), don’t worry. Parking on either Bull, Wentworth, and Pitt streets will be your best bet if you’re just parking for a couple hours. Any longer than that, you are subject to ticketing (which you have to pay, or one day you’ll return to your car to see a boot over the tire).
If you are looking to park your car somewhere for the whole semester, you can either get a parking pass at a Palmetto Parking garage or a student parking pass. Neither option is cheap, so make sure having your car is worth it.
Also, don’t forget about the Cougar Shuttle. Not only is it free for CofC students, but it’s safe, easy, and you can’t get a DUI for riding it drunk.
Art Institute of Charleston
Getting to the Art Institute in a car may be one of the most frustrating things a person can do. Located at the foot of Market Street, tourists and horses make driving the nearby streets a constant battle. Parking lots on Wentworth, Cumberland, and Concord streets save spaces for Art Institute students, but you will have to walk a bit to get to campus and feed the meters often. We recommend walking or biking instead.
Trident Tech
Parking on Trident Tech’s downtown Palmer campus isn’t much easier than the other area campuses. Their small amount of parking spaces means even students with a decal aren’t guaranteed a spot, so the school recommends biking or taking a CARTA bus. If you’re lucky, you can snag a street spot by the school, but leave your house early because you may be circling for a few minutes.
The Citadel
The Citadel is one of the easier places to find parking. If you’re a senior, then there are parking lots reserved especially for you, and there are some extra for visitors. Be careful though, because campus police will ticket you if you don’t have the proper decal on your car. Fortunately, the Citadel is across the street from a neighborhood with plenty of street parking — just be sure to leave yourself enough time to find a spot.
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