You don’t need a stealth camper van for urban camping

06:08 Tips for camping in the city in an RV

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#vanlife #rvlife #weretherussos

[Skyhawks]

I'm retired military. I spend about 90 percent of my nights on a military base. They are everywhere. I park at the gym, work out, shower and sleep. Next morning after the morning rush I shower and get on the road to my next stop. Super safe and quiet.

[ctzerbe]

We have a class B. For us, the ideal urban spot is beside an apartment complex, where there are other cars or trucks parked already. We have a curtain between the cab and the back. We often do NOT put up the front window shades and just draw the curtain. Anyone walking by sees an empty cab. While we may know where we will park for the night, we do not "hang out there" - we wait until close to our bed time or its dark out (8-9 PM). We also leave shortly after we get up in the morning (6:00-8:30 AM). We believe this has allowed us to return to the same area multiple nights in a row (though more than 3 nights would be very unusual for us) In some really tiny towns, we've just gone into the sheriffs office to ask if and where it's OK. We do not open windows. We use heat (propane)or A/C (large lithium pack) as needed.

[bettertoaster]

Staying over night for one night is no problem anywhere in Germany because you can claim that you had to sleep to regain your ability to drive. The German keyphrase for that is: Wiederherstellung der Fahrtüchtigkeit

[towanda]

I’ve had a VW bus for about 30 years. I’ve been stealth camping all during that time, from the west coast to the east. I only got “the knock” once in Martha’s Vineyard. Many times when I am on the road, I park in a motel parking lot at night because they are used to having a turnover of vehicles every day so I can basically lend right in. I was never bothered and always felt safe.

[NZKaupoi]

I live in New Zealand and have stealth camped for about 8 years. I have never had a knock at the door in the night nor a ticket despite our various camping laws which vary from area to area. I don’t have certification on my van as l don’t want the ‘sticker’ associated with camping. I camp in urban areas, beaches and paid/free camping sites and area’s. Your points in your videos are completely on point, I know others permanently doing what l do that more often than not overstay their welcome or generally make a mess or scene causing others to bare the consequences of their bad behaviour such as your Walmart rubbish incident. The key l think is to be respectful and responsible in your behaviour and most importantly leave no trace …. Happy camping everyone, stay safe ❤

[ldygzlle]

My Chinook Baja is anything but stealth. Draws attention everywhere I go. Occasionally I get to use it to my advantage and park somewhere because the owner of the business likes it in the parking lot. I have added a few spots to iOverlander when I find management sympathetic to us full timers. I also pick up trash everywhere I stay. There’s an apartment complex that I park at in California that the landlord saw me picking up trash one day and now I have a spot anytime I want. If I catch you trashing a spot I WILL turn you in. Happy travels!

[conchscooter]

Being asked to leave isn’t the worst thing in the world. No one gets arrested for sleeping, just be polite and move: no problem. It’s why you have wheels. This video is full of sensible practical advice and should be required viewing especially for the fearful. Very well done.
Our favorites are rest areas, hospitals and Cracker Barrel.

[NoMoreTears]

It's kind of ironic that I am watching this and trying to learn about van camping. Years ago, and I mean about 30 years ago, there was a regular van (not an obvious camping vehicle) that parked in front of our house. It was actually on the side of the street where no parking was allowed. That was Red flag #1. It stayed there for 3 days without moving (red flag #2). My husband and I were concerned that it was casing out the neighborhood or possibly looking for a child to abduct. We had a small child at the time and lived around the block from a school. Finally, we called the police to come check it out and the person moved the van. Perhaps this will give you some more ideas of where NOT to park from the perspective of a neighborhood watch and homeowner.

[supermpc]

Here’s one tip, magnetic door stickers. For example Joes Hauling 3 inch letters, real phone number ( no area code). Don’t over use them.
Here’s one I saw done, a u haul conversion, he put a small window in the back roll up door and put fake card board boxes taped up to look like he was hauling a cargo. Good luck.

[papag]

Very good video, thanks. Being from Canada I always wanted to visit the Florida key, so I drove down there in my class B. When I arrived in Key West, I paid for 24 hours to park at the post office $40. At 1145pm I got the knock. You can park there for 24hrs but you cannot sleep in your vehicle. Cops did an ID check and told me to leave after many questions. After spending a couple hundred dollars and after my 5 hour touring around, I left and never went back and never will.

[stevekrejsa]

Good tips! I have a white Solis, no A/C, no ladder, no bike rack. My small side windows are blacked out, and I don’t put up windshield blockers - I have a small tarp I put up behind the cab seats. The only time I’ve had the knock is at a Planet Fitness parking lot - security said the strip mall owner was particular about overnight parking. I’ve since learned if a PF has its own parking lot, they’re ok with it. The other thing, I don’t park in the spot I’ve picked until almost bedtime, and I leave pretty early.

[justlookin]

I had a RED Chevy van and in 1972 there was no such as stealth camping. I had an aluminum canoe on top with a roof rack.
I did a cross country trip and parked places I would never park today and got away with it.
The one and only knock came in Yosemite. I parked in front of a swimming pool and stayed over night. Got a knock but didn’t respond. The next night we got a knock and the ranger said, “I know you’re in there. Leave in the morning.”
I responded, we will, thank you.
I was in a van before van life.
Things are different now. People have guns and would probably cut the lock to the canoe and steal it before we knew what was happening. Sad.

[benbousquet]

Thanks, Joe. I don’t know if you remember, but back in early 2022 I hired you for a consultant call to help me figure out what type of camper to buy. I ended up getting a Travato nearly a year later, and I’m moving into it full time next month. Really appreciate this video-and all your help. I need to get more used to and comfortable with urban camping!

[eldonshea]

Great video and advice. Echoing what others have said, make it look like the vehicle is just parked, not being used as a camper, and you will usually be fine. If you cover the windshield and cab windows it screams that there is someone inside or the vehicle has been parked for a long time, either of which draws attention. Instead, drop a heavy curtain behind the driver and passenger seat, making the cab visible and . Use blackout curtains on windows in the back and keep the interior lighting very low so even if there are light leaks it's not glaring. We avoid using the TV when parked on the street for that reason. In our class B that looks like a camper to anyone who knows campers, we have overnighted on the street in many cities including Toronto, Washington DC (Arlington), Chicago, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cleveland, Denver and Savana. Haven't yet received a knock. (Knock wood!)

[RobertMintonPhotography]

Thanks, I'm in Wales UK, but this feels totally relevant to us as well!

[JamesSymmonds]

I've noticed that if a place is absolutely strictly no overnight camping, even just a simple van gets checked. Doesn't matter how stealthy it is. About your only way around this is to have a small enough vehicle that they don't think there's anyway someone would be sleeping in it. Think small hatchbacks. The whole vanlife thing is so well known at this point that vans do not equal stealth. Might be better to go back old school to the days where we used to dirtbag out of a truck with a simple topper.

[freeshrugs]

Of course it helps to have newer vehicles. Looks like a middle-class vacationer, and they dont automatically assume "homeless".

[TalismanShops]

As more people move to van living out of necessity, the municipalities are developing laws to disallow. Those who take a cavalier attitude in urban overnighting help speed that process. I travel from November through April each year, and 90% of my overnights are in an urban environment. 90% of those are at a Walmart, but on occasion that's not an option. My "pro tip" would be that the overnight parking space should be ONLY for a place to park and sleep. Meals being made? Do that at a local park. Doggo needs a walk? Anything beyond a basic potty walk at a Walmart type lot should NOT be done where you park/sleep. Sounds should NOT be heard outside your rig, doubly so if you aren't in a "sanctioned" okay to overnight spot.

Have I gotten the knock? In the last 5 years, only once. It was a Walmart in Tucson, and bad actors had made the lot unsavory. Big schoolies with dogger tied up to the open door, a woman who actually set out a big plastic bin and took a sponge bath one morning, and the straw that broke the manager's back was a 5th wheel that - why, I don't know - had the sewer tube unfurled, and left the rig set up the next day while they drove off for sightseeing. When I pulled in that evening, a manager and 2 employees were there waiting. They were really nice about it, but said "no overnight." They said "okay up to 11 when we close, but not after that." I didn't blame them - there had to be 12 to 15 obvious overnighters there in the days previous.

[Weathernerd]

I couldn't afford a place within 1 hours commute of my Seattle job because I only make a measly 90k a year so I live in a Van during the workweek and go back to my little house in the country on the weekend. I could get an apartment near work if I spent every penny on rent but I don't want to live paycheck to paycheck. I rented a room in a house full of strangers for a while but I got tired of messy inconsiderate housemates and crazy landlords. I park in residential neighborhoods because its quiet and safe. The key I've found is to not arrive until dusk, keep an eye out for no parking signs, cover all the windows so no light escapes, do not make alot of noise and minimize how much you get in and out of the Van. During the day I park at park/shopping center. Parking during the summer is alittle tricky because I need to go to bed around 9pm for my 6 am job but it doesn't get dark until 10pm and I also need to park in the shade or the Van gets to hot parks tend to have the most shade. Some cities make it very hard to park other cities are more parking friendly. I'm an electrician and I make it a point not do any work in the cities/neighborhoods that make it hard to park. If you won't accept as part of you're community than you can fix whatever electricial problem comes up you're self.

[vanlifewithsteve]

Great tips. I typically leave the cab open and use a sheet to close off the coach of my van. Avoiding opening the sliding door unless necessary is also a good idea. Attracts less attention and doesn't let any potential thieves see inside your van. There's also the frequency illusion. I can't say I remember seeing a class b van in person before I bought mine and now I see them everywhere. It's the same way with urban parking. As long as you don't attract attention by making a mess, getting in somebody's way, etc. average people mostly likely won't even notice you're there. It's the people that are already looking for campers: cops, security, aggressive homeowners where making sure you know the parking rules comes in