Worst Parking Lots in Cochise County: 3 Are in Sierra Vista!

We're pretty lucky with parking in Cochise County. There are some cities where you have to parallel park and then remember to feed parking meters so at least we don't deal with that very much here.

So, where can you find (and possibly avoid) Cochise County's parking nightmares?

PARKING IN BISBEE

We’ll start with the situation in Old Bisbee. First, finding parking anywhere in Bisbee is challenging. After all, Bisbee was built on the mountainside and their notable 1,000 stairs is a pretty good clue you’re going to have some issues finding a place to leave your car, but some places are worse than others. If you’re shopping on Main Street, you have to park and expect to walk. If you’re able to find a parallel spot anywhere on narrow Subway Street or in front of the Bisbee Visitor’s Center, you’ve struck gold! Or copper, to keep things ‘Bisbee’!

If you can grab a spot near the post office or in front of the Bisbee Coffee Company, you’re gonna need a compact car, because those spots are so narrow most cars don’t fit. Most folks park down in the bigger parking lots located near the entrance of Old Bisbee. Thankfully, those lots are still free. Remember when the outcry over the folks who tried to charge for parking some years back? Bisbee-ites were LIVID!

BENSON VISITOR’S CENTER

Next, the Benson Visitor Center parking lot causes a lot of heartburn! Benson is often the first stop for anyone visiting Cochise County, since it’s just off Interstate 10, so travelers from all over the world stop by, often in RVs. That’s where the snarling begins. The 50-foot, narrow parking lot eats RVs for lunch, often scraping the vehicles with trees as visitor come and go. The narrow sharp turn to get in and out of the parking lot causes a lot of frustration, too!

BENSON VISITOR CENTER: ZEARING'S MERCANTILE

Across from the Benson Visitor Center is Zearing's Mercantile – a must-stop in Benson. But the parallel street parking makes it nearly impossible for RVs and other large vehicles to park nearby. That’s if you can even find a parking space near the store.

 SAFEWAY PLAZA IN SIERRA VISTA

This parking lot is a nutty, free-for-all. Getting in and out of the entrances on Fry Boulevard is not for the distracted. As soon as you enter, you must be aware of the traffic coming from Jimmy John’s and Carl’s Jr. The cross traffic does not stop and the traffic going into and out of the main Safeway parking area doesn’t stop. So, who has the right of way? That’s anyone’s guess. The whole lot is a scary test of will. Add in the fact Safeway recently took out the handicapped spots near the store to create grocery pick up spots, and you have a snarled, parking mess. But that’s a great parking lot, compared to our NUMBER ONE PARKING NIGHTMARE.

 HONORABLE MENTIONS

The parking lot near Dutch Bros and Subway got honorable mentions for parking lots that cause strife and pain. And the Subway parking lot on Fry Boulevard is no better.

If you've ever tried to grab a morning beverage at the Sierra Vista Dutch Bros, you'd better be committed! The line of cars can snake into the adjacent parking lots causing a morning snarl.

What about getting in and out of the parking lot at the Subway/Josie's Yogurt building. This narrow lot has caused tension and angst for many.

Ever been caught in a downpour and Fry’s parking lot? The quick flooding means death to suede boots, as I’ve learned the hard way! Finally, the parking lot near Little Caesar’s leaves a lot to be desired with the narrow lot and scarce parking.

AND THE WINNER IS...

Say it with me...the worst parking lot in Cochise County is the Charleston Crossing parking lot next to Walmart. This whole parking lot was, in my opinion, designed by grade schoolers working in crayon. It’s the only explanation, because this is the weirdest and likely the most dangerous parking lot in all of Cochise County.

Entering the lot from Martin Luther King Boulevard, drivers immediately see the bizarre, semi-blind curve causing you to misjudge the distance and number of cars coming your way. Then, turning into the narrow, poorly designed parking lot is not for the weak. Or anyone driving a vehicle larger than a Smart Car.

The spaces are small, the lot is narrow, the spaces seem to be hidden behind each other, and the hairpin turns to get in and out of the lot is a true test in patience and fortitude!

Listeners told me they’ve had their cars dinged in this lot more than anywhere else, and I've seen aggravated drivers exit their vehicles and yell at each other more than once. Many of us just avoid this lot at all costs, said one listener, often parking in the main Walmart lot and walking across to Chipotle, Navy Federal Credit Union or any of the other shops located there. As a matter of fact, as I was trying to exit this very spot, I nearly got into an incident with a truck going the wrong direction exactly 10 minutes after I took this photo! Next time, I'm gonna park somewhere else!