Stealth campers

[daboognish88]

Is stealth camping a thing of the past? I've heard that cops are so on top of it that its nearly impossible to do it full time.
Do you or anyone you know do this on a regular basis? (Please only speak from experience or once removed.)

[Jean_S]

Stan, be careful of the advice you get from cheaprvliving.com. Not all of it is good.

I recently saw a question from an inexperienced person camping thruthe winter in a SUV on how to keep warm. Hundreds of people freeze to death in cars every winter and hundreds more end up in hospitals and losing body parts. Yet most of the advice given to this person was about sleeping bags and hot drinks. The fanatic stealthers were actively hostile to the idea of getting into a park or seeking electrical hookup for a heater for the colder months and tried to discourage the questioner from doing so. Their advice was both reckless and dangerous.

I would consider the source and think twice about anything I heard over there that may affect your health or survival.

[Jean_S]

Tom, I don't care if someone is in a Mercedes that is worth more than my house is. I don't want him parked in front of my house or blocking my driveway. There are plenty of campgrounds around. If someone can't afford one, there are plenty of seasonal jobs in that very popular tourist area that will give him the money.

[tatest]

It depends on where you are and what you are trying to "camp" in.

Resort areas, and places popular with the urban "homeless" are difficult no matter what your skills.

Something that looks like a RV or mobile home makes stealth camping difficult. An unmarked commercial van is a lot easier. Signage that makes it look like a local business helps, but not if you move around; HVAC company from Pennsylvania will raise questions in small town Nebraska, so better to be a blank van.

If you want to fake it in a passenger van, you need to be blank, or a church. Best cover the windows in either case, when you are sleeping in it.

Old conversion vans work pretty well too, a lot of them are used as daily drivers and are parked on the street. Having local plates helps.

[Jean_S]

We used to hate "stealth" campers when we lived in FL. We were in a prime beach area where everyone, including the transient bums, wanted to be. They parked in front of our house and even blocked our driveway. One #$@/% parked his ratty van IN our driveway! We caught one bum sleeping behind our work shed with an extension cord running to our outside outlet. They emptied their trash into our cans so ours didn't fit. They were a plague and a nuisance and we called the cops everytime we spotted one.

[Sailordive]

drsolo wrote:

Kimbopolo wrote:
Best database for free overnight parking (not really stealth as the etiquette is to obtain the OK from the business): http://www.overnightrvparking.com

At 24.99 the website isnt free....

While not free, if you update or add to the database they extend your membership. My November 2014 expiration is now June 2015 due to providing updates.

[Kimbopolo]

Yes, I am aware the database membership is not free.

If you read my comment more carefully, you will see that the adjective "free" is the modifier for overnight parking, not the website.

[drsolo]

Kimbopolo wrote:
Best database for free overnight parking (not really stealth as the etiquette is to obtain the OK from the business): http://www.overnightrvparking.com

At 24.99 the website isnt free....

[drsolo]

Kimbopolo wrote:
Best database for free overnight parking (not really stealth as the etiquette is to obtain the OK from the business): http://www.overnightrvparking.com

At 24.99 the website isnt free....

[Kimbopolo]

I just traveled across the country and only stayed in 1 campground. (Craters of the Moon NP - which has no hook-ups or showers). I haven't had a problem. My RT is fairly stealthy; maybe it helps that it is graphics-free.

But I always ask permission. Best database for free overnight parking (not really stealth as the etiquette is to obtain the OK from the business): http://www.overnightrvparking.com

[Joecool255]

Last year my wife and I went from Maryland to Orlando Florida and back. While we did stay at a camp ground the majority of the time we did stay the night at a few Wal Marts and Cracker Barrel Restaurants. We only were ask to leave from one Wal Mart in Florida. This did not occur until around 3:00 am. I just moved across the street to a grocery store parking lot. We traveled around Florida in our Class "B" for close to a month. the camp ground at Disney was terrific and we stayed on the beach in Ormond Florida at a beautiful little camp ground. Great time and going again this year!!!

[Davydd]

I and a few others I know have stayed in Prejean's Restaurant in Carencro, LA overnight. They allowed it. It's worth it. They have a great breakfast.

[bar_20]

There are all kinds of places you can park for free like WalMart, Most Indian casinos offer free overnight parking. WalMart sells a road atlas for under $10.00 that lists the address of all their stores.
Camping World sells a book on free overnight casino camping.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/casino-camping-6th-edition/70670

I would stay out of large towns and off the main highway that goes through the town. Our town is so small it doesn't even have a police department. Another place to look for are trail heads which are usually within a couple of miles off the road. they normally have parking places for hikers to park their cars and are seldom visited by the authorities.

[reppans]

My stealth camping primarily consists of sleeping in paid overnight parking lots that don't allow RVs, although a stealth sub-20' B can usually get through. This is usually in crowded tourist destinations where it's difficult to find parking for anyone (living on the Eastcoast). Sometimes it's just nice to be able enjoy a night on the town and not have drive back to a campsite** and sleep in my hot B (from engine/transmission heat).

** if one can even be found without reservations far in advance.

[wincrasher65]

Yes, it basically comes down to appearances and how you conduct yourself.

The problem is the "squatters". Tatty, dirty RV and they stay for several days, or weeks or months if they can get away with it. Of course these types want to stay in the very best places, or neighborhoods. Problem is, for them anyways, is that these homeowners are usually people of means that can fight them with police enforcement, new laws, etc.

So my advice, if you want to stealth - following the advice of several bloggers I read:

Keep a neat RV. Give it a wash now and then and fix anything that is falling off.
Keep a low profile. Keep your noise down. Don't be grilling outside, setting up chairs, hanging your laundry, etc.
Blackout curtains. Keep these behind the drivers section so it looks like you are just parked.
One night only in one spot.
Don't park in front of someone's million dollar mansion.
Park in a moderately busy area - a section with apartment buildings works great as no one really cares or will notice you.
Never park in the best spots. Park in back, or the side, out of the way.
Park in business districts on the weekend (when no business is going on), park in tourist spots during the week (when tourists are at work).
Go against the "seasons". Don't go to the beach during prime tourist season.
Most small towns don't care what you do as long as you're friendly, don't stay too long, and spend some money.
If you are wanting to squat in one place for a long while and live on the cheap, then BLM land is the way to go.

There are many others, but mostly keep a low profile, don't make yourself a nuisance, be nice and maybe spend some money in the local shops and restaurants, and you should be welcome most anywhere.

[stan909]

Alaska. Still the land of the free. There are many people that must live in their vehicle due to economic situations. They don't break the law on purpose. Some cities look the other way and even accommodate them by providing trash pick up and porta johns. I think if they don't trash areas, break other laws(drugs etc...)and are generally good neighbors then they should be given some slack. Unfortunately the U.S. is a different place economically than it used to be. I imagine having to live in your vehicle is bad enough without having to worry about being ticketed and having yet another expense that you can ill afford added to your life.