LEWES, Del. - Starting Wednesday, May 1, the paid parking season begins in Lewes with metered areas available in both the downtown and beach locations.
In the downtown area, parking costs $1.50 per hour and is enforceable from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The duration allowed ranges from 15 minutes to 3 hours and specifics are indicated on each meter and the accompanying signs. This pricing is applicable from May 1 through Oct. 14. Both on-street parking and parking lots are available, and handicap parking spaces are also metered.
One local, Morgan O'Neill, says she unfortunately tries to come to the downtown area as little as possible during the summer.
"It's a little bit harder because you know you're kind of pushed away because you're like I don't want to pay when you can do stuff in the off season and not have to worry about it," said O'Neill.
At the beaches, specifically Savannah Beach and Johnnie Walker Beach parking lots, the rate increases to $2.50 per hour with the same enforcement hours as downtown, from 9 a.m. to 8 a.m. The maximum parking duration here is 11 hours, and this metered parking is effective from May 1 through Sept. 30. Handicap parking spaces are also metered at the beaches.
For payment, several options are available. Quarters can be used at on-street meters, while credit cards are accepted with an additional fee of $0.50 per transaction and require a minimum of 2 hours. Cash is only taken in metered lots, accepting $1 and $5 bills downtown, and $1 to $20 bills at beach lots. A change machine is available at Mary Vessels Park but does not provide change. Alternatively, the ParkMobile app can be used with a $0.55 additional fee per transaction and a 2-hour minimum. When using ParkMobile, payment is made by entering your license plate details, including all letters and numbers.
Visitors like Mary Roche say she wishes there was more clear signage stating the paid parking season begins on May 1st.
"I was in a shop and found out I have to pay, so I ran back to my car because I was nervous about getting a ticket," said Roche.
A full parking guide for Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island and Ocean City is available here.