30 Minutes in OTO – Parking Tips!

Hello everyone! Welcome back to the blog! We apologize for the website errors last week, but we are so excited to be back and in full swing with a new blog post. We hope you are having an amazing week in Old Towne Orange. This week, we are starting a new series of posts on the blog! Do you have a short lunch break? Are you pressed for time between classes? A lot of times, I find myself itching to head down to Old Towne Orange for a snack, drink, or shopping spree, but feel like I will not have enough time to accomplish my task. That is why we want to share our tips, advice, and suggestions on how to visit Old Towne Orange without feeling short on time.

Throughout the next month, we will be highlighting quick drinks to grab in OTO, quick shopping sprees to venture out on, and quick bites to grab in OTO! And to start us off, we want to give our advice on how to save time with parking in the circle! After about 2 years of parking in Orange (for me – almost 15 for Kelly), specifically Old Towne, we have a few quick tips that will ensure parking is never too dreadful – and never gets in the way of you and your OTO destination.

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Take two laps around the circle! – Whenever it’s super busy in OTO (always!) I generally take 2 laps around the circle. First, because it is beautiful and second because sometimes a spot will free up on the second lap around! Take two laps – you won’t regret it.

Look on Glassell Street South of the Plaza – This seems to be the least busy leg off the traffic circle and I can usually find a spot or two by Blaze pizza or down by Impact Juice Bar! However, if you’re looking during lunchtime on any day – but especially Thursday or Friday – you’d have to get very lucky to find a spot here.

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Check the back lots – When I really cannot find a spot, I check the lots behind Blaze Pizza, Wells Fargo (just not in their marked spots), and Zito’s Pizza! This parking is entirely free and usually has a spot or two for the taking, but not always, especially during peak times!

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Best streets during the lunch hour – Alright so here’s the secret if you are in a rush and don’t get lucky right away! If you don’t mind walking a couple of blocks (5-minute walk) then head straight to E. Washington off of S. Glassell, the 200 block of S. Olive or the 200 block of S. Orange. You’ll usually find spots here that are not restricted like they are on the North side of Glassell. And if you go straight there, you will save all that time you would have spent driving around and get to enjoy a short walk outside.

Metrolink Parking Structure off N. Lemon Street – Under construction and making lots of progress! This new structure is slated to open at the end of 2018. Barring any delays, they are pretty much on track but if I get an update I’ll be sure to post it). Once this structure opens, it will undoubtedly relieve some of our parking issues in town, and will be a go-to parking solution for many of us!

When making a quick trip down to OTO, it is important to find quick parking to speed up the process – but this is only the first step. Make sure to keep checking the blog throughout the next few weeks, for all of our advice on making the most of your time in Old Towne Orange. We know that time is precious, and shouldn’t impact having a great time in OTO! Have a great weekend everyone and we will see you in Old Towne!

Last Updated on July 2, 2020 by