According to the latest issue of U.S. News & World Report, for the 27th straight year, North Dakota leads the nation in parking availability. 'Once again, the Peace Garden State comes out on top,' Gov. Edward Schafer said. 'Whether you're visiting Lawrence Welk's birthplace, the Victorian Dress Museum, or the Ft. Union Trading Post, you're guaranteed a great parking spot right out front.' Schafer added that less than 1 percent of the state's parking spaces are metered. 