Good News: Parking at SF & Marin Beaches Will Remain Free

Good news… Thanks to MarinIJ for sharing the news the National Park Service is dropping its proposal to charge parking fees at several popular coastal sites in San Francisco and Marin including Baker Beach, Lands End Lookout, China Beach, Stinson Beach, and others.

The proposed parking fees would have instituted a fee of $3 per hour or $10 daily, charged between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., according to the park service.

The agency gave the public 30 days to provide feedback on the proposed fees, and nearly 1,000 people voiced their opinion. Thankfully, the agency listened to the people who raised concerns about the increased congestion to side streets and the hindrance the proposed fees would be to lower-income residents.

However, the National Park Service is still considering several of the proposed fees including the commuter lot at the northwestern end of the Golden Gate Bridge and for the Point Bonita Lighthouse evening tour. Evening tours at the Point Bonita Lighthouse would cost $16 for people ages 16 and up, $10 for children between 7 and 15 years old, and $8 for seniors and access pass holders. The agency heard little opposition to these specific proposed fees.

The park service says the fees are needed to fund operations in response to the big crowds coming to national park sites in the region, citing the more than 12.4 million people who came to places in the GGNRA in 2020.

The new fees are scheduled to take effect in mid-to late-2022 if implemented.

Related Stories:
SF Beaches & Lookouts Might Start Charging $3/Hr Parking in 2022 – 8/29/2021
SF Might Ditch Free Parking at Beaches & Lookouts in 2022 – 9/26/2021