Forum Discussion

JulieB888's avatar
JulieB888
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014

Boondocking in the Bay Area

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!
  • WA7NDD's avatar
    WA7NDD
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    I grew up in the S.F. Bay Area and serviced Two-Way radio there for years driving the entire area with my service van. I left and move to Idaho in 1969 because the whole place was a large parking lot then, the freeways and side streets. I can imagine what it is like now.
  • Ex-Tech's avatar
    Ex-Tech
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    westend wrote:
    If you're affiliated with a church, that my might be a place to look. The parking lots are empty for 6 days of the week.


    Actually, many churches have events throughout the week such as Youth Groups, bible studies and some even have full time schools.
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    If you're affiliated with a church, that my might be a place to look. The parking lots are empty for 6 days of the week.
  • diazr2's avatar
    diazr2
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    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.
  • JulieB888's avatar
    JulieB888
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    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.
  • diazr2's avatar
    diazr2
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    Also Emeryville you gotta be tough to camp there though........Pretty scary place after dark.
  • auweia's avatar
    auweia
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    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
  • auweia's avatar
    auweia
    Explorer
    Mar 30, 2014
    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.net

    www.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 street

    Basically the bay area is horrible for boondocking, but if you can move around, you can park in lots of places

About RV Newbies

4,026 PostsLatest Activity: Jun 15, 2017