Parking tips for Portland Saturday Market at Southwest Naito Parkway (Portland 05/02)

going to the portland saturday market on 05/02 or any of the dates in may like 05/09 or 05/23 is always a blast but the parking situation under the burnside bridge is honestly a mess. it gets super crowded and the nearby lots fill up way faster than you would think especially when the weather starts getting nice in the spring.

you should definitely look at Prked before you head down there. it is an app where you can rent out private driveways or garage spots from people who live right by the waterfront. it is way cheaper than the commercial lots and it lets you skip all that circling around old town trying to find a spot. plus you can usually find a space that is a very short walk to the market stalls without having to deal with the heavy traffic right on naito parkway.

if you decide not to use Prked your best bet for official parking is the smartpark garage at naito and davis. it is the closest one to the market but it is almost always full by 10:30am on a saturday. there are other smartpark locations at 3rd and alder or 4th and yamhill which are a bit further of a walk but usually have more space. the city center parking lots on northwest couch street and northwest 1st avenue are available too but they can be pretty pricey on the weekends and sometimes have weird flat rates that cost twenty dollars or more.

street parking is available throughout old town and chinatown but it is all metered and strictly enforced. use the parking kitty app so you can add more time from your phone without walking back to your car. just a huge heads up though do not leave anything visible in your car. portland has a lot of smash and grabs especially in the old town area so even an empty bag on the seat can lead to a broken window. honestly it is better to leave your glove box open and empty to show there is nothing to take.

traffic gets really backed up around the burnside bridge and the intersection of naito and ash street so try to approach from the south if you can. if you want to skip the car altogether the max light rail is actually perfect for this. the skidmore fountain station is right in the middle of the market so the red and blue lines drop you off exactly where you need to be. if you are driving in from further out you could even park at a transit center and just ride the train in to avoid the headache.

timing is everything for the market. if you want the best street spots try to get there right when they open at 10am or even a little bit before. the crowds usually peak around 1pm and that is when the traffic on naito parkway becomes a total standstill. hope this helps and you have a great time at the market.