Parking zones along the waterfront. N. 2nd and N. 8th streets, as well as the section of Portway Avenue that runs between them, are owned by the city, so parking there is free with a 3-hour time limit.
Summer has arrived, and with it a surge of folks wanting to park downtown and on the waterfront. The City of Hood River and the Port of Hood River each implement their own separate paid parking plans, which can cause some confusion for visitors. Below is a guide to help summer visitors straighten it out and, hopefully, avoid an unnecessary parking ticket.
Port of Hood River
Where is paid parking required?
See the graphic for a map of the port’s paid parking zones.
Parking zones along the waterfront. N. 2nd and N. 8th streets, as well as the section of Portway Avenue that runs between them, are owned by the city, so parking there is free with a 3-hour time limit.
Photo courtesy of the Port of Hood River
When is paid parking required?
9 a.m. to 8 p.m., all days, including holidays.
How much is it?
Zones 1-3: $1.75 per hour, four hours max.
Zones 4-6: $1.75 per hour, eight hours max.
Restrictions?
No parking between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. in all zones; commercial trucks may purchase overnight or monthly passes. Truck parking is only allowed in Zone 2 and Zone 6.
How do I pay for parking?
Parking pay kiosks are installed on the east and west blocks of Portway Avenue, both sides of N. First Street, the westernmost half of the Jensen Beach west parking lot. Payment can be made with debit or credit card at the kiosks. Coin or cash payment will not be accepted.
The port also accepts payment via the Way to Park app. Payment for parking can be made on the app with a debit or credit card, and the app can be set up to send alerts to your phone to remind you when your parking time is about to run out and can provide the option to add time from your phone.
Both options use the “pay by plate” method, which requires users to enter their license plate numbers into the meter or app but doesn’t require a sticker to be displayed on the car itself. Enforcement will be done by an officer scanning your plate number to check for payment.
Daily and season parking passes are available for the Event Site and Jensen Beach parking lots (Zone 4 and Zone 5, respectively) and are not valid for on-street parking. Check the Port of Hood River website, portofhoodriver.com/waterfront-recreation/waterfront-parking/, for prices and availability.
How do I pay a parking ticket?
Parking tickets can be paid or disputed in-person at the port office: 1000 E Marina Dr. Hood River, OR, 97031. Hours are 9-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; or online at portofhoodriver.com/parking/.
City of Hood River
Where is paid parking required?
Signs and meters indicate where paid parking is required throughout the city.
When is paid parking required?
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
How much is it?
$1 per hour
Restrictions?
Signs indicate time restrictions for each parking area.
How do I pay for parking?
Electronic meters accept nickels, dimes, quarters and $1 coins, as well as debit and credit cards — when the transaction is complete, it will print a receipt with the expiration time for the user to display face-up on the dashboard. Manual meters accept nickels, dimes, quarters and $1 coins, and will display how many minutes are left on the meter. These meters will start flashing red when time has run out.
Broken meters can be reported at 541-386-1488, option 2. Callers are asked to provide a detailed description of the problem and location.
How do I pay a parking ticket?
Fines may be paid in person at the City Administration Office, open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday: 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., located at 211 Second Street. Fines can also be paid by mail or over the phone with a credit card.
To pay by mail: Make a check or money order in the amount of the fine on the front of the ticket, payable to City of Hood River Parking Division (the city will not accept cash); write the ticket number on the check or money order; and mail it to the City of Hood River, Attn: Parking Division, 211 2nd Street, Hood River, OR 97031. The canceled check will serve as your receipt.
To pay over the phone with a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card, call 541-386-1488, option 2. A 3 percent service fee is collected on all credit and debit card payments. Parking tickets may be disputed in court within 28 days of the ticket date on any Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., in the Hood River Municipal Court, located at 211 Second Street. The original ticket must be present in court. If you feel the ticket was issued due to a meter malfunction, you may contest it by filling out a Parking Citation Review Form — obtainable online at ci.hood-river.or.us/parking, or at the City Administration Office, 211 Second Street — within two business of the ticket date.
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