The Historic Downtown McKinney is a pretty popular place, but it’s not always so easy to find parking there. If you are headed out for lunch or dinner with friends, family, or even on a date, having some knowledge about how downtown McKinney works can help save time and avoid stress.

If you don’t want to spend time circling the block for parking or money on parking, you can park in private surface lots like the lot at 306 E Virginia. However, free public spaces are available downtown too. Street meters near restaurants and shops will typically have an hour limit – although some might be two-hour limits – so avoid keeping your car there all day long.

So where are the public parking garages in downtown McKinney TX? There are two, each with their special benefits.

The first is the Library Garage, located at 120 W Virginia Avenue. This garage puts you near shops and restaurants on Houston Street or Tennessee Street after you’ve finished your business in the county library. And it’s open to visitors from 7 AM to 11 PM every weekday, and from 10 AM to 6 PM on weekends.

The other is the 400 Garage, which has an entrance at 401 N Kentucky Street in between Third and Fourth Streets. Here you can find free parking after 5 PM weekdays – although it will stay open through dinner time since dinner hours vary depending on what part of downtown you’re in. Free parking in the 400 Garage is also offered on Saturdays from 8 AM to 6 PM, and Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM.

If you aren’t sure whether your favorite restaurant or store is located in McKinney’s historic downtown, look for Texas street signs with a red band across them.  That’s the tell-tale sign of downtown McKinney, even though you can find businesses in other industrial or commercial parts of town.