About this Location

Facility Overview

The Howard Street Parking Lot, situated at 11 Howard St in the heart of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, is the primary municipal parking destination for visitors, shoppers, and harbor-bound travelers. Located directly adjacent to the Boothbay Harbor Town Office and Fire Station, this well-maintained surface lot features 79 designated parking spaces, including dedicated ADA-accessible stalls and spots allocated for town business. Because it is a completely open-air lot with no overhead barriers or height restrictions, it offers unrestricted headroom suitable for standard passenger sedans, crossovers, full-size SUVs, and large pickup trucks. The spacious layout also makes it one of the few designated locations in the town where oversized vehicles, campers, RVs, and tour buses may park with an authorized municipal permit.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Strategically positioned just a gentle two-to-three-minute walk (under 0.2 miles) from the Boothbay Harbor waterfront, the lot serves as an ideal base for exploring the coastal village. Key destinations within immediate walking distance include:

Boothbay Harbor Waterfront & Whale Park: Approximately 0.1 miles down Howard and Commercial Street, offering scenic harbor views, picnic lawns, and town festivals.
Whale Watching & Harbor Excursions: Direct access to major tour operators departing from Commercial Street piers, including Balmy Days Cruises at Pier 8 and Cap'n Fish's Cruises.
The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor: Located less than a five-minute walk away on Townsend Avenue, hosting live concerts, regional theater, and cultural performances.
Downtown Shopping & Waterfront Dining: Immediate walking access to boutiques, gift shops, art galleries, lobster shacks, and seafood bistros along Commercial Street, Townsend Avenue, and Wharf Street.
Historic Boothbay Harbor Footbridge: A picturesque stroll connecting the east and west sides of the harbor across the inner bay.
Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library: Situated directly opposite the lot area across Oak and Howard Street, providing community resources and visitor information.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Drivers can reach the facility easily by following Maine State Route 27 (Townsend Avenue), which is the primary arterial highway connecting Boothbay Harbor to Route 1 and the rest of coastal Midcoast Maine. Howard Street connects directly between Townsend Avenue and Oak Street, providing two-way access and straightforward ingress and egress without the tight bottlenecks often encountered closer to the water's edge. During the peak summer tourism season and autumn foliage peaks, traffic on Commercial Street can become congested; parking at the Howard Street lot allows drivers to bypass gridlock and walk easily down to the piers. Furthermore, during seasonal regional events such as the renowned Gardens Aglow winter holiday festival, the 11 Howard Street municipal lot operates as the official Park & Ride shuttle pickup point, transporting guests directly to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Generous Capacity: 79 paved, clearly delineated open-air surface parking spaces.
Pay-by-Plate Digital Kiosks: Multiple on-site solar-powered payment kiosks accepting all major credit and debit cards (cashless operation).
Mobile App Payment Integration: Drivers can conveniently pay and remotely extend their parking sessions via ParkMobile or Flowbird.
Unrestricted Vertical Headroom: Open-sky parking layout accommodates tall recreational vehicles, luggage racks, and commercial vans.
Accessibility: Clearly designated ADA-accessible stalls conveniently positioned near the lot entrance and town office walkway.
Free Municipal Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi access available from the town office and adjacent library to facilitate mobile payment downloads.
Public Safety & Attendant Presence: Maintained and routinely patrolled by Boothbay Harbor Police Community Service Officers for peace of mind.

Ideal For

Harbor Sightseers & Day Trippers: Visitors boarding whale watching tours, puffin cruises, or sailing charters along the Commercial Street docks.
Dining & Shopping Patrons: Diners visiting local seafood restaurants, cafes, and specialty coastal boutiques around the downtown loop.
Event & Concertgoers: Patrons attending evening shows at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor or community events at Whale Park.
Monhegan Island Overnight Travelers: Passengers departing on day or overnight ferries seeking approved long-stay municipal parking.
Winter Holiday Festival Visitors: Guests boarding the Gardens Aglow express shuttle buses during late autumn and winter weekends.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Paid parking enforcement runs seasonally from June 1st through Indigenous Peoples Day (Columbus Day), active daily between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Parking outside these hours (8:00 PM to 8:00 AM) and during the off-season is free, though overnight winter parking bans apply during snowstorms. Drivers should note that the kiosks operate strictly on a pay-by-plate system—take a quick photo of your license plate before stepping away from your car. For maximum convenience, download the ParkMobile app ahead of arrival so you can extend your stay while out on a cruise or dining without needing to return to your vehicle. When arriving for mid-day boat departures in July and August, allow an extra 20 to 30 minutes to navigate Route 27 and secure a space, as peak summer demand can fill town lots quickly.