Newport Marina's Old School Honor System Parking Lot

In a world oversaturated with trust issues, it's a relief to know that there are still people out there willing to give society some credit.

Over on Spring Wharf in Newport is a quaint Marina with an old-school pay-to-park honor system I've never seen anywhere else. It's off the beaten path of Thames Street and if you're not from the area, it's easy to drive past it.

Thankfully, local samaritans pointed me in the right direction.

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A couple of weeks ago, my fiancée and I planned a last-minute trip to Block Island and decided to take the Newport junction rather than taking the usual Point Judith Ferry. The goal was to get to the port as soon as possible without hitting traffic, so since Newport was closer, that was the plan of action.

Little did we realize that since the drive was shorter from New Bedford, the ferry ride was longer. That's beside the point.

Eventually, we found our way over to Casey's Marina where we spotted a parking sign. There was no sign of an attendant, but plenty of parking spaces. That's when we noticed the "honor system" signage on a tiny shack.

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We were only spending the day on Block Island, and surprisingly, it was only going to cost $10 to park. Talk about a great deal.

Although the sign said 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, as long as the car doesn't stay overnight, you will not get charged extra. However, if the owner sees your vehicle is still there in the morning, it's going to cost you an extra $10. There were envelopes by the door and it was a cash-only system. We put the ten bucks in the envelope, slid it into a mail slot on the shack door, and we were good to go.

Now, locals might find this article silly, but I've never seen such a payment system like this anywhere. Not to mention an affordable one and in Newport of all places. So the next time you're looking for a place to park along the waterfront, I'd check this place out first. It's within walking distance of the ferry (about a five-minute walk) as well as the busy waterfront.

You're welcome.

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