I just moved to the Bay Area from Colorado in my class B Roadtrek Van, and I am wondering how people boondock around here. Virtually all the Walmarts prohibit overnight camping, and parking is hard to come by as it is. Right now I am visiting friends who are renting an apartment in Lafayette, and I have been camping in a private spot in front of their building for a week, but I know that I am making life difficult for their neighbors by taking up a needed spot, so I want to move but I don't know where. I am open to going to different parts of the Bay Area, although it would be nice to have a place around here where I can stay for a few nights here and there. At this point any advice would be highly appreciated. Please feel free to private message me if posting would mean making information public would be better kept private.Thank you in advance!

HI, I'm from the Bay area and now live part time on an RV and face the same challenge. 2 website might help.http://freecampsites.netwww.rvparkreviews.com/right now we are at Oyster Point marina south of SF on the north side and have stayed overnight more than a few times, seems to be cool on weekends at least. You can park in many industrial areas around the bay. We went through downtown Oakland today and just south of Lake Merrit near the freeway was a whole row of RVs parked on the streetBasically the bay area is horrible for boondocking, but if you can move around, you can park in lots of places

oh also, contra costa fairgrounds RV in Antioch is 20 bucks a night, no frills, 2 week max, but good place to dump and fill up and charge batteries

Also Emeryville you gotta be tough to camp there though........Pretty scary place after dark.

Thank you Auweia, I will look into both of your suggestions. diazr2 which part of Emeryville do have in mind? I was told that some parts of it are posh. I am guessing those are not the parts where RV camping is tolerated.Anyway, I would love to hear more suggestions from the RV community here in the Bay. I know that there used to be lots of fulltimers here, and I know that people have become less tolerant of them, so I am wondering have they left the scene or did they become more creative. I am just struggling to get by and in need of some help.

JulieB888 wrote:Thank you Auweia, I will look into both of your suggestions. diazr2 which part of Emeryville do have in mind? I was told that some parts of it are posh. I am guessing those are not the parts where RV camping is tolerated.Anyway, I would love to hear more suggestions from the RV community here in the Bay. I know that there used to be lots of fulltimers here, and I know that people have become less tolerant of them, so I am wondering have they left the scene or did they become more creative. I am just struggling to get by and in need of some help. The place they let you camp in Emeryville is right on the water front. Next to the freeway. Lots of folks just parked in their cars and waiting to go to work. I believe you can park their over night but need to move your rig come morning time. Not sure how they have it set up but I know they have worked something out with the folks around there. Like I said it's kind of a rough place so be aware. Oh take your rod and reel you can fish from your rig as well. I use to do it all the time.

Boondocking in the Bay Area | Good Sam Community

Passin__Through
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
Ric Flair wrote:
I thought the bay area had the most loose laws in the country for vagrancy.

You don't understand the elitist mentality here. "Vagrants" are not only OK, they are almost venerated at times and in certain places. It is the folks who are trying to be solid , responsible citizens who are not OK because of their "lack of compassion", etc.
JulieB888
Explorer
Apr 02, 2014
Even of the Walmarts that do exist in the Bay Area, none of them allow it.

You see more homeless people in downtown San Francisco than anyone else, but they have now put up signs in many neighborhoods prohibiting RVs from parking on many streets overnight, even in places where parking spots aren't in demand. It seems that RVs endanger a housing market that makes it possible to charge two grand for a studio, and to literally rent out walk-in closets for $600 a month, all the while still allowing the renter to be ultra selective.
bikendan
Explorer
Apr 02, 2014
Ric Flair wrote:
I thought the bay area had the most loose laws in the country for vagrancy. I guess that doesn't extend to free camping at San Francisco WalMarts.

Substitute "RV" for "shopping cart" and I guess you're OK.

there are no Walmarts in San Francisco because they won't allow them.

heck, it took a long time of political wrangling just to get a Target store built there, because there was so much political resistance from the SF elite.
Ric_Flair
Explorer
Apr 02, 2014
I thought the bay area had the most loose laws in the country for vagrancy. I guess that doesn't extend to free camping at San Francisco WalMarts.

Substitute "RV" for "shopping cart" and I guess you're OK.
orfsotr
Explorer
Apr 02, 2014
I have a friend in MO who worked out a deal with a volunteer organization (thrift store). In exchange for four hours a day, five days a week, they allow her to park her RV in their lot. Of course where you are there may be city ordinances against this, but you may find an outlying community where it would work.
bikendan
Explorer
Apr 01, 2014
Ric Flair wrote:
WalMart

nearly all Walmarts, in Californa cities, ban overnight camping, due to city ordinances, ESPECIALLY IN THE BAY AREA.
doesn't mean that people don't do it, cause they do.
but they run the risk of being ticketed or towed.

luckily, some rural California town Walmarts do allow it.
but that doesn't help the OP who wants free camping in one of the worst areas in the country for it.
Ric_Flair
Explorer
Apr 01, 2014
WalMart
Passin__Through
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
As a general rule, I suggest you NOT consider anywhere in Richmond or Oakland. The Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton might be a possibility for you.
JulieB888
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
I don't belong to a church. I am a Buddhist not a Christian.
crabbin_cabin
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2014
Boy of Boy - you are in california thus expected to PAY!! LOL

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