What times can you park on the street in downtown and not have to worry about parking meters? Also what time do the stores open if you were to park in the strip mall lot? I have heard they are very strict on parking down there and any help would be appreciated.

Most of the stores should be closing for the season soon.
You can park in that strip mall parking lot well into the morning at this time of year. The best fishing at WHL is at dawn anyway - the stores don't open until 10 on Sat and noon on Sunday.
Technically, the rules are the same all year but the enforcement tends to back way off this time of year - I've never had a problem in the off season.
Joe

Thanks Joe

there is no parking w/o a sticker on the marked areas near the top of the lighthouse. park in the watch hill inn. there is NO PARKING down at the lighthouse unless you are handicapped or over 65 years of age - period! too many people are doing this and as every year, the locals are getting upset. outside the gate is not allowed. and, please, do not clean your fish onthe wall. blood stains, scales, and racks does not present a good image for fisherman. i can't tell you how many racks i've thrown into the surf. nevermind the trash!

this is a nice treasure to be able to use, but because of some we could one day lose it. every year they threaten us. do your part, please.

watch hill is very much a private area and full of people with lots of money. it wouldn't take much for them to do what they can to make fishing around there (even parking) nearly impossible.