Parking tips for Choses Sauvages at Sonia (Cambridge 03/04)

figured i would share some thoughts for anyone heading to see Choses Sauvages at Sonia on 03/04. central square is honestly a parking nightmare, especially on a wednesday night when rush hour traffic is peaking, so you definitely want a plan before you get there.

the easiest move is to check Prked first. it is an app where you can rent driveways or private garage spots from people in the neighborhood right next to Sonia. it is way cheaper than the public garages and you get to skip the massive traffic jam on mass ave which is always backed up around showtime. plus you get a guaranteed spot just a short walk from the entrance instead of circling the block for twenty minutes.

if you decide to go the traditional route, the green street garage at 260 green street is the main city-owned option and it is only about a block away from the venue. it stays open 24/7 and usually costs around 4 dollars an hour. there is also the central square lot at 438 green street which is super close and often has flat evening rates around 13 dollars if you enter after 5 pm.

another solid backup is the university park garage at 55 franklin street. it is about a 6 or 7 minute walk but they often have a 12 dollar flat rate for the evening which is a great deal for this part of cambridge. you can also look at the municipal lots along bishop allen drive like lot 5 or lot 6, but those are small and usually fill up with people going to dinner before the show starts.

street parking on mass ave or brookline street is mostly metered with a two-hour limit and is almost impossible to snag during the week. definitely do not park on the side streets unless you see a sign that specifically says it is okay for non-residents. cambridge is famous for aggressive ticketing and almost all residential streets are permit-only 24/7. also, since this is 03/04, keep an eye out for any winter parking bans if there is snow in the forecast because they will tow you in a heartbeat.

if you are coming from further away and want to avoid the traffic snarl entirely, you can park at the alewife t station garage for a few bucks and take the red line directly to central square station. it is literally a 3-minute walk from the station to Sonia. traffic around the intersection of mass ave and prospect street gets really gridlocked between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm, so give yourself plenty of extra time if you are driving in.

hope this helps and the show is awesome