Parking near Vanderbilt depends on why you are going there. Attending a game at Memorial Gymnasium or Vanderbilt Stadium is different from visiting a patient at Vanderbilt Medical Center, which is different again from having coffee in Hillsboro Village. The campus is large, bounded roughly by West End Avenue to the north, 21st Avenue to the east, Hillsboro Pike to the south, and 25th Avenue to the west.
Visiting Vanderbilt Campus (Non-Medical)
Vanderbilt’s visitor parking uses hourly paid spaces across multiple campus lots and garages, managed through ParkMobile. As of July 1, 2024, the rate is $9.00 per hour. A $0.45 transaction fee applies to each ParkMobile session. Most hourly locations have a 4-hour maximum; the 25th Avenue Garage allows up to 8-hour sessions.
Current visitor parking locations marked on the campus map include lots 5A, 5B, 16B, 18A, 25, 63, 71, 76A, 95, 102, 130, 298A, and 301, as well as the 25th Avenue Garage, Wesley Place Garage, and West Garage. Check the ParkMobile app before arriving as construction periodically affects availability.
25th Avenue Garage (401 Highland Ave): One of the most useful visitor garages on the west side of campus. $9/hour, up to 8 hours. Approximately $18 for a 2-hour visit.
Lot 71 (near 2531 Jess Neely Dr): $18 flat rate, close to the athletic complex.
For Vanderbilt Medical Center Patients and Visitors
Vanderbilt Medical Center has its own parking system. Free self-parking is available in designated locations including the East Garage at Medical Center East and the Vanderbilt University Hospital towers. For patients, validate your parking ticket at the facility you are visiting. The Medical Center is on the east side of campus along 21st Avenue South and Medical Center Drive. Navigation: enter the specific clinic address rather than general Vanderbilt to reach the correct parking structure.
For Hillsboro Village (Adjacent to Campus)
Hillsboro Village sits just east of the Belmont/Vanderbilt area along 21st Avenue South. Street meters in this area enforce during business hours at the non-CBD rate. Free parking exists on residential side streets a block or two off 21st Avenue. The 2200 Elliston Place lot runs about $10 for casual visits to the area.
For Vanderbilt Sporting Events
Vanderbilt Stadium (football, 40,000 capacity): Multiple campus lots used for event parking, with permit access prioritized. Visitor event parking is available but limited. Arrive early. The surrounding Hillsboro Village and West End neighborhoods have street meters that fill up fast on game days.
Memorial Gymnasium (basketball): Campus lots nearby. For casual games, on-campus visitor spaces usually suffice. For big games, plan ahead.
Off-Campus Options Near West End/Vanderbilt
The commercial corridor along West End Avenue has several private garages and lots. The 2525 West End Garage is approximately 0.2 miles from the core of campus at about $20 for a session. The Loews Vanderbilt Hotel garage is about 0.4 miles away at $30. The Café Coco lot on Elliston Place (210 Louise Ave) runs about $8 and puts you a 10-minute walk from campus.
The Practical Reality
At $9/hour, a 2-3 hour campus visit costs $18-27 in visitor parking. Street parking in the residential streets surrounding Vanderbilt (Linden Ave, Acklen Ave, Compton Ave) has free and metered spots. The West End Avenue meters are non-CBD meters, enforcing from 6 AM to midnight at the current non-CBD rate (starting at $2.00/hour for the first two hours as of April 2025). Side streets off West End near campus are often free with no time limit on weekends.
Sources
- Vanderbilt University Transportation and Parking, visitor parking page: vanderbilt.edu/transportation-parking/parking/visitors (hourly rate $9/hour as of July 1, 2024)
- Vanderbilt University: parking rates and program details 2024-25
- Vanderbilt Health: parking and transportation, nashvillehealth.com
- BestParking: nearby garages and rates for Vanderbilt Student Life Center area
- Metro Nashville parking rates: West End non-CBD meters $2.00/hour (0-2 hrs) as of April 2025