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.
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.
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
They just made that illegal in Florida. Well to be fair. They outlawed sleeping anywhere public and on the side of the road. Welcome to America, where pleasing dumb fucks with too much money and time is more important than safety.
The US literally has "rest stops" to prevent dangerous sleepy driving, yet some of them forbid sleeping "overnight". So, its ok to sleep earlier in the day, but just not between 11:59am and 12pm midnight, which contradicts what a rest stop is for.
@@drummer2532In my experience you can sleep at rest stops whenever you want regardless of signs. They just don't want people living there. Be discreet, quiet, and park out of the way and you'll probably be fine. When I was living in my car I rotated between rest stops and never had an issue.
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.
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!
Not many of those left. Thats such an awesome vehicle. Good for you man. 👍 you seen the Bob Wells video where he interviewed the chick about her chinook ?
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 ❤
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.
It isn't "the worst thing in the world," but it IS unsettling, in the middle of the night, and sometimes it can be someone slightly (or more) crazy/drunk, and/or looking for trouble. I could tell you stories...
For ladies RVing solo the best tactic is just to ignore the knock. That's what earplugs and window blinds are for. Eventually they give up & leave you alone. You can leave in the morning.
@@kenhoward3512 you want a story? 3am in a Guatemalan gas station my wife wakes me up saying there’s a guy in the drivers seat of our Promaster. Turns out I forgot to lock the van and he was drunk and curious and totally apologetic when I turned him out. Our dog slept through the whole thing. What did I do? Went back to sleep and drove on to El Salvador the morning. If you don’t want to be installed don’t live a mobile life. See you in Colombia next month?
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.
I presume you researched the area prior to driving from one edge of the country to the other. That would be a very disappointing reason for the trip to be ruined.
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.
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!
@@Weretherussos used! I got a 2019 GL :) I love it. Working out some kinks (a mysterious sometimes stinky black tank in particular) but I truly love it.
@@benbousquet1126 try a venturi vent top wind vane like device on the black tank vent tube on top of your roof. Its passive and will draw air out from you black tank so you don't get wind pushing orders up in to your coach. It works well!
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!)
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.
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.
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.
For the life of me I’ll never understand ppl being upset about a van, car etc parking on the side of the road. Life must be pretty good for them is this is the thing that upsets them. Most of the time I’m home, I couldn’t tell you who is parked in front of my house. I’m too busy dealing with more important things.
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
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.
Very true - hence why I don't think you need to be stealthy because they know it's a camper but again, not being stealthy hasn't prohibited us from parking where we want/need to.
@@Weretherussos Im a future van life camper, doing some preliminary research now... I brainstormed about this.......after purchaseing a conversion RV van with only two small windows, is having it painted all solid white or Amazon gray, and have some sort of vinyl signage on the sides and door to chase away camping suspicions... such as "Renfros Commercial Kitchen cleaning" or, " CasaNova Interior Decorators" or "LuckyDog Pet Grooming Services" obviously something that wont indicate there are tools or valuables inside to avoid triggering or encoutaging break-in thieves LOL
Man the real problem I can see for it at this point is, it’s been going on for awhile now. There’s no more secrets. Any bullshit you thought you could pull has been done before and 10,000 times. In other words, law enforcement and others know all the tricks now, they’ve seen all the shit. They are not stupid. This is the problem when you come into anything late in the game. The magnetic sign trick is probably easily the most well known. People still keep bringing it up like they are the first ones to think of it and they’re so slick. News flash, everyone has thought of it and it’s been being done for years upon years. Can it work? Sure. Will it work in 100% of scenarios? Probably not. So take that for what it is. Just remember, millions of ppl have been brainstorming upon all these issues for at least a good decade now and probably less as far back as you can go. There’s nothing original left that can anyone is going to come up with to trick the authorities and outsmart the crack heads. Crack heads and thieves are opportunists. They don’t care what you do because they don’t care if it’s someone’s home or just a vehicle. Personally I think the best thing to do to curb thieves, if you know it’s not a cop is to be loud and aggressive and if you don’t have a dog, set up some sort of device to mimic one. Personally, once I’ve confirmed it’s not a cop, and there’s not 20 ppl waiting outside, I’m coming out fast, hard, aggressive and armed. I’ll make sure the little shit thinks twice the next time they get that hair brained idea. Personally I don’t even care about cops because if they want you to move, I’d just start up and say see you later. No problem officer. Then find a spot just outside their jurisdiction, county for the sheriff, city for the cop. Is it inconvenient? Hell yes. Sitting in jail and having your home impounded and being charged ridiculous fees for impound and all the legal headaches are far more inconvenient. Humbly and kindness go a long way when dealing with police. Are there shitty cops that are just shitty humans? You bet your ass, but most cops don’t want more headaches than they have and if you show respect they’ll give it back. The world needs principled ppl that are willing to die on that hill. Me? I lived that life once and it sincerely isn’t worth it. The legal system in the US is so corrupt at this point that if you piss them off, no matter how right you are they will find ways to shove it up your ass including breaking the law themselves.
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.
I have to say if I was in a store shopping and was told to leave when I came out, I’d be returning everything I just bought and having a few choice words with the management before I left.
I bet they didn't say it like that and I bet the sour attitudes/ behavior from RVer's is why they have new restrictions like this. Private property has their rights. I hope we all will spread good will as we travel in cities and on private property.
It should be noted that what you are referring to is the legal situation in the USA. In Europe, regulations vary from country to country. Some countries allow boondocking, like Sweden, Norway, Finland, while others strictly forbid it, like Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium. In Germany you are allowed to sleep for up to 8 hours in case you are no longer able to drive (not due to consumption of alcohol or drugs, of course). France and Spain seem to be quite relaxed, in Spain there are lots of parking grounds for RV which are free of charge and sometimes even sport dumping grey water and your toilet plus getting fresh water. Some even have free electricity. In Portugal and Morocco, it's tolerated in parts, but forbidden close to the coasts. Especially Portugal has become very problematic. Therefore, a stealth camper can be very useful, but of course your are limited regarding windows, AC units and the like. I haven't heard of ordinary camp sites rejecting vehicles not looking like an RV.
I’ve traveled 26,000 miles in past ten months all over the US … mostly stealth or boondocking at Cracker Barrel’s or Loves truck stops … no issues! The very best spot was The Wall outside of north entrance to the Badlands NP. I get fuel and potty the dog at different location before arriving at parking spot and never get out of the van til morning, then quick dog potty and off I go!
Im a future van life camper, doing some preliminary research now... thanks for this video.... I brainstormed about this.......after purchaseing a conversion RV van with only two small windows, is having it painted all solid white or Amazon gray, and have some sort of vinyl signage on the sides and door to chase away camping suspicions... such as "Renfros Commercial Kitchen cleaning" or, " CasaNova Interior Decorators" or "LuckyDog Pet Grooming Services" obviously something that wont indicate there are tools or valuables inside to avoid triggering or encoutaging break-in thieves LOL
Another great video! Here’s something related that most videos about “stealth” campers don’t talk about - if you make your van/camper “stealth” you will have little or no windows, which makes the experience of being in the van like being in a closet. This really changes the ambiance of being in the van. People often say that they don’t care if they can’t see outside because they don’t spend much time in the van, but in reality the weather is often too hot, cold, windy to be outside all the time - it is so nice to be able to spend time inside the van and see out on all sides - you can take in nature and sunsets, etc. (see my video on TH-cam to see how I put windows in all around - there are ways to keep the van/camper cool/warm even with windows).
I plan on making my windowless cargo trailer into a nightclub lol. I will probably buy one with great vents. We'll see how it goes. I'll be Urban camping with a sedan and SUV to pull the trailer.
There was a van that used extension ladders as the mounts for their solar panels, so it just looked like a work truck with ladders on top. They put the AC in between so you couldn't see it. A good way to have solar without giving up stealth!
Parking in residential areas directly outside someones home is going to cause you issues. Residents who've had problems with RVs or vans are very sensitive to seeing this because very often bottles of urine or trash is left behind.
If your schedule will allow it, drive at night and sleep during the day. No one notices or cares where anyone parks in the daytime. Even parking at a 24 hour Walmart into the evening, going to bed early and leaving before midnight when most of the shoppers disappear. Drive 6 or 7 hours and at 6 AM you stop somewhere else for a few hours. Sleep until 10 or 11 AM when stores open.
My camper doesn’t look stealthy whatsoever. But I do use a lot of the points in this video. I also made a video myself, because I am full time and a lot of the times I camp on the streets.
My wife and I started camping in a Kia Rondo in 2017 and got only one knock, probably because we were using all your tips and the Kia was just a car with reflectix blinds. It was a Walmart in Quebec City that was part of a power center not managed by Walmart and there were more than a dozen RVs in a cluster. At 1 am security knocked on the door of all RVs and we soon joined a convoy of RVs moving to the other Walmart across the city. That was our second or third time camping in a vehicle. Just yesterday I was designing the roof of our 2023 Ford Transit (mid-high top) and giving thought to how all but one vent will not be visible from street level. We are also talking ourselves out of adding any flairs or extra windows. We've always scouted out prospective locations and then returned just before turning in for the night to park there.
I'm starting the nomadic life very soon. I'll be moving into my minivan in May. I've been planning for years and I'm finally getting to do it. So I'm very excited!
Congrats. Personally, I like having my house as a base. Then I go live out of my van for a week or two here and there. I can have that adventure and freedom when I feel like it and yet the stability of a house at other times. It's also nice knowing I will have a place to live once I get older and can't really handle the van life anymore.
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.
Agreed. 5 years and no knock. But, someone did tried to steal my bike off the rack while we were sleeping on a street in Ohio. He was super start l when I pounded on the window! Dropped all his gear and took off in his other stolen bike!
I worked at a public beach in Florida. We locked gates to the parking lots at night (the policy after Covid). It doesn’t matter what type of vehicle you have, if it’s still in the lot, we shine a light at it through all the windows. If the windows are covered, we’re going to assume someone is in there and knock. I saw some sad situations, including one couple that had removed the backseat of their sedan and were sleeping in a few sheets cramped in the back. There is no such thing as stealth camping if you’re in a place with patrols.
Next fall/winter I'll definitely need to stealth camp in SoCal beach camps so I can surf at my favorite spots. My Dodge GC has the "soccer mom" stealth factor, but as my nephew pointed out, a Ford Transit Connect in a hotel parking lot just looks like a contractor's van, especially with some tools and a hardhat left on the passenger seat. I may end up trading in on a Ford if I get too many knocks.
Exactly... my friend 'decorated' her stealth van with small lettered decals reading things like "No Ladders over 6' in Length" and numbers to make it look like a fleet vehicle, and put some old blueprints rolled on the dash @@G-ra-ha-m
Great video, I’ve lived full time in my camper van for more than half a year and you have inspired me to try some new things. ( Here in the Netherlands, urban camping is ‘semi legal’ ) so that makes it a bit more challenging. I have only gotten ‘the knok ‘twice
@@Weretherussos i was new to this and i was staying at a industrial zone. The police paroll the area for actual criminals. The other time was on a parking lot for my old high school. I was at the wrong place
I lived in a Metropolis, a cluster of individual Cities, each with their own Rules and Regulations. My NavSat had 31 overnight parking sites in it, all sequentially numbered 1 through 31. It also had 9 overnight parking sites, designated emergency parking and numbered 32 through 40. It was My practice to stay at each site only on the night with the corresponding date; thus 11 on the 11th and 23 on the 23rd; thus each site only saw Me once a month and on varying week day nights. Plus as time went by, less suitable sites were replaced by more suitable sites, so there was a evolution of sites also taking place. Coupled with this was late Arrivals and early Departures, which meant few Neighbours / Residents actually saw My vehicle and none of them actually saw / heard Me living inside it, thus it was always viewed as just a parked overnight vehicle, occasionally but infrequently seen in the area. I now live in a small 2 bedroom cottage.
Good tips for newbies but as far as the RV piggies go, they’ll never see this message and couldn’t care less. Many are homeless, on drugs, were never taught manners or a combination thereof. As you mentioned, they’ve ruined it for responsible RVers. The shutdowns of overnight parking will continue unabated.
True but we've also found that if you are respectful and have a camper that looks well maintained (doesn't have to be new), there are places that will allow you to park overnight even though they don't allow overnight parking. This was a great example as I went in to speak to the manager and after a little discussion, he allowed us to spend the night: th-cam.com/video/8zuo0tNiET8/w-d-xo.html
Here in Colorado there are a lot of campers on the streets. Not even hiding that they're camping. Generators going, lights on... one even has a trash pile 5 feet out of his. Cops get called, no knocks. One has been there for over a year. That's why I'm curious about this "knock" people are so afraid of. All they'll do is mark your tires, that's it.
Yes police will mark your tires & then you have 72 hours to move to a different location. Except when you in a very wealthy neighborhoods like in some DC suburbs etc. Otherwise it is ok.
As a former California resident, I can understand the hostile atmosphere. So many homeless, so many people living out of their cars or vans, and you always seem to find the mess, realize they ran an extension cord to your power, used your water, left their trash, etc. Add that many are not nice people, you have increased crime as well. We had a neighbors house that was ransacked. Sadly we were clueless, they had pulled into their driveway, had been there for days, and we assumed they were guests.. not. That’s why California has such restrictive rules, and people come out immediately if you park in front of their house.
We've used Love's truck stops in Texas and S Carolina (so far). In Texas we asked for permission and got a "sure". I got the impression that people just do it and no one asks. So In S Carolina we parked a little more out of the way near an employee entrance and did not ask. The employees went by all night long and didn't bother us. I suggest parking as far away from the pumps as possible. B vans tend to stick out a lot further than cars and I've seen a lot of vehicles towing something come awful close to the parked cars while maneuvering to get next to a pump.
I'm a big fan of Love's and Pilot. I'm in a blacked out SUV. I use those all the time to sleep overnight or during the day and have never asked. There are usually 5 or 10 others doing the same.
In our younger years we had a van that had a bed in the back. We would be on vacation and stopped in rest areas to sleep until we got to where we were going, we never had a problem. Unfortunately, I have heard this is not the case anymore, due to, too many people, and garbage left behind. Sometimes, when traveling you need to stop to rest for safety on the road and hotels can be expensive, or there are non around when you need to rest. I would rather have people pull off than have their eye lids close while driving.
In my opinion, you forgot the most important reason to get a stealth van in urban camping ---> "Crackheads" . It's all fine and dandy to camp any where, until all your stuff is stolen. A non-stealth camper van in an urban environment says please come rob me now!!!
I'm not sure about that. I think a vehicle that people think someone might be sleeping in would be a lot less likely to be vandalized or broken into. Especially if you are in an area with high crime... and that person inside probably has a weapon.
Agreed .....my campers have never been broken into.....my "work" van got broken into multiple times for tools etc. Think about it.....would you break into a home if you knew people were inside? Or an empty house down the street.
We got our knock before we even finished checking in. Nebraska state park, as we filled out paper work to camp at campground, found we were sleeping in our truck with a topper instead of a camper top. We were told no truck camping and told to leave.
In over a year and a half, we've gotten a knock twice. Not by cops. First, we spent the night in Anytime Fitness parking lot, then stayed to work a bit. I worked out in the morning and my wife was planning to work out on lunch. On my way back out from the gym, I saw the parking lot security lingering nearby. I went in, began to work, and he knocked. Asked us to move out of his area (across a divider) so the furniture store wouldn't call him. Another time, we went to a little bar and parked along a road across the street. Kinda industrial area, there was a single homeless guy 100 yards ahead of us. We went out after a couple beers and dinner, watched a few shows, got in bed, and then I heard a knock. Quietly got up and peeked out, saw the homeless guy walking back to his spot. I'm still curious why he knocked, but I'm glad it wasn't a cop. We felt safe and stayed the night. I prefer streets to parking lots. Across along a park, across a wall on the side yard, in front of drainage area, near businesses that open late, industrial areas, street parking near apartments, etc. I did get a ticket once by being dumb. Some van dwellers on the beach in San Diego told me I could park up at a little dirt lot and be fine. First night I parked at the entrance to the beach with a few other vans and only got a note from an angry homeowner threatening to call the cops. He gives this to everyone in the area, every night. Second night I went for the dirt lot. It had signs, but I ignored them and ended up with a ticket in the morning. I have stayed where there was a no camping sign and felt fine. Under an overpass in Phoenix after a small DJ event permitted as a birthday party. There was one nice homeless lady in a camper, one of the event organizers, and the Wuzabus. We were fine overnight there.
We have also spent over 2 months right in front of my parent's house, with 2-3 days per week at other family's houses. The neighbors barely say anything. We sit in the van with the door wide open working all day. People just walk by and don't seem to care in the slightest.
You also don't need a real camper or a sprinter van glamper to urban camp. I built a little camper setup out of plywood in the back of my '94 F150. Very non-descript, but I'll protest that she's also a nice-looking old girl, not all rusty, so I feel comfortable camping in a city. I stayed a night in Chicago earlier this year on my way to see the solar eclipse in Muncie, and it was great. I toured the city for the weekend and went on my merry way late Sunday night.
When I put covers from the inside (reflectix) I was a lot less paranoid and police haven’t really bugged me at all. It seems like when you don’t draw eyeballs to eyeballs there is a lot less conflict. Take the time to make your privacy covers. Your quality of life will improve.
The thing about "stealth" is not looking like an eye sore (like your rig is ghetto AF with tarps, rusting, etc...) and MOVE around. If you're going to live in an urban area have at least 7-10 spots that you can go back and forth from. You have wheels - use them! It's the ones that park and then to proceed to use other parking spots as their home, leave trash everywhere - and then they wonder why they are getting knocks on the door. And as a result, places like Walmart aren't letting vehicles stay overnight b/c people abuse the system. If anyone is familiar with Justin -from JustINcredibleTV he's view of being "stealth" is basically the same things that I pointed out. It's not about having a box truck with no windows, if you'er constantly there, then eventually you''re going to get a knock on the door.
Make sure to do a walk around before you leave. Check for nails, screws, glass, etc., under tires. Friends' neighbors didn't like us parking in front of our friend's house so some time during the night, someone pulled the handle on the sewer outlet valve. Luckily it was just the safety valve they pulled so nothing happened and they didn't see the valve handle further in under the rig. We will, never again, stay overnight in front of their house.
@@leifgiering Makes sense. When I woke up, the guy driving the truck that was wheel locking vehicles pulled up to me. I told him, "Why didn't you knock and ask me to leave?" And, "who gave you the authority to lock my wheel?" He then unlocked my wheel.
I have managed HOA's and condos for two decades. A truck built out as a stealth camper may be a bigger problem, as most governing documents don't allow commercial vehicles. Calling ahead makes a lot of sense.
Depends on the property owner. If it's private property, they can. On the street, police will usually tag and give 24 hours. It depends on location. ~ 🦋
I'm in a bunch of vanlife/camper build groups, and some people really seem to have the idea that their camper needs to be "stealthy". Sorry, but nobody is falling for it. Your white panel van with air vents and a solar panel on the roof is so painfully obviously a camper. The alternative is leaving the van completely stock on the outside, but at that point you have a van without air circulation or windows and thats not really gonna work. Where I live there's a custom for RV drivers to give each other a wave on the road - some of the "stealth" van drivers look positively shocked when I give them a wave from my very obviously built-out camper.
Do you need a camper? I slept in the front cab of my Toyota, the best sleeps I’ve ever had. I gave up stealth camping because of that one an knock. Once even getting a knock at a truckstop, or a bunch of people were sleeping. They made everyone move. That’s when I started staying mostly at rest stops. Made for that purpose. I always did my bathroom business, at Cracker Barrel’s, before going to arrest up. And I don’t mind saying I would have a gallon jug for late night business.
I hated stealth camping, but there was an event in Colorado Springs were, and I would do that instead if a hotel. For showers, I have joined planet fitness, LA fitness, where I got to swim my mile a day, and truck stops. Pilot was my favorite shower place.
When you travel about simply stay in campgrounds you can spend up to 14 days straight in these places before you have to move on then when you move on move to another campground
Many cities have vehicle codes for street parking as you mentioned but did you know that many have a height (pronounced hyte not hyth), length, width limits, and if you violate just one of these ...you are oversized. Don't push rules, you are not entitled. Ignorance is never an excuse with the internet now. On streets and also in parking lots - don't take up more than one space, find parking spaces that have dead zones behind for your overhang. Never straddle over the top of lines because you're big or want space around you, even in a big empty lot. There are all kinds of bad behavior that we are doing on private properties like in shopping centers. Residents see full timers as not helping pay the property taxes that enable city streets and resources to exist. Follow the codes and practice best behaviors, and there will be less new laws and restrictions for all of us. We protect our freedoms by our actions. Happy Trails!
Word to the wise: check laws in the state you're in. Afaik, it is illegal to stay inside your vehicle overnight parked on any property owned by a government or municipal entity. In this case, it was to break up a long-term protest happening in the city of Nashville, but it's a state law.
Being living in my suv for just about a yr. Summers I find campgrounds and stay there...fall and winter I park along streets where other cars are. Never gotten a knock.
Our awning style windows are pretty obvious when open, so we try not to open them on the curb side, or just a crack, open wider on the street side and run roof vent at 50% speed or less to keep it quiet. Our a/c can run on batteries but the sound it quite noticeable at night so we only use if we are in an open parking lot or some other space away from homes and pedestrians.
I've converted only the inside temporary on my very small Ford Transit Courier (Fiesta based cargovan) last year. The first night was already in stealth mode at the parking lot at the Miniatur World in Hamburg. At the border between Germany and Denmark, all the campervans and RV's may pass, while all the trucks and cargovans where picked out for a cargocheck. The look off his face when he noticed that I didnt lied when I said I was on a camping trip. Same happened when I crossed the border with Sweden. At the camping site in Malmö, it was a strange view, me with my litlle car between al those big caravans and RV's. But for next time, I have a roofbox wich make it not that stealthy anymore. And for larger trips outside of city-centres, I've recently bought a 2005 classic 7 meter long RV on a Fiat base.
Great info! Our biggest issue with Stealth camping or camping in parking lots in general has been the noise from outside the van. Have you found any sound insulation tips that work well for you? Or just earplugs? 🤣
It’s doesn’t really bother us too much. Running the exhaust fan will drown out some of the noise and if you’re able to run your AC, even just the fan, you won’t hear a thing outside.
Have you looked into sound deadening mats? I've seen someone on yt doing a van build and they added to the sound deadening mats to help with decreasing the outside noises. Hope this helps.
Orange County, CA is vicious. Anything over 7 feet high (which is any cargo van with stuff on top) gets you a ticket. Street cleaners will narc on you and send parking enforcement your way.
I’m getting ready to make a stealth camper from a Toyota Sienna minivan. I’ll have nothing on it to give it away except maybe blacked out windows so you cannot see inside.
I lived in seattle for 20 yrs on the street I found a commerical high top exterded industral plane jane White with cab seperator dbl locks and chain your hood lock your gas tank hatch install out side camera's. Best place is around other commercial vehicles and Blend in stay inside and keep quite I was parked in the middle of the day in the public parking lot, the Renton cops nearly ripped the doors off trying to break in dont be a victim install camras its crazy how they target us Dennys or 24 hr restaurant s or truckstops emergency rm parking lots are the least hassle at nite Like I said 20 yrs living the van life I wont have it any other way
25 years ago, I lived in a house on the corner. One day, a van parked on the side street. Okay, must be visiting the neighbors. Several days go by and it became obvious that someone was living there. I wasn't entirely comfortable but also didn't want to make a fuss in case of retaliation. My breaking point came, after several weeks, when the van's occupant set up a charcoal bbq grill in the street. Nope! Keep it tidy, temporary and stealth but when it's clear that you think you've found a permanent place, nope! I called Las Vegas Metro Police to get them to tell the van to move on. I was flabbergasted that i had to push the issue with the police. They wanted to adopt the attitude that despite the BBQ grill and lawn chairs, I should allow the van to remain indefinitely. I finally got the officer to get the van to move. 🙄
It doesn’t matter where you are, whether in a campground, RV Park, Stealth Parking on a city street, in a business parking lot or on BLM land, DON’T throw your trash out or play your music loud, don’t pull out chairs or your awning and don’t pull out your slide out in a Walmart parking lot. I have to wonder when you got hit in the head that made you think that a) you are more important than everyone else? b) that nasty behavior is acceptable ANYWHERE? Just in case it needs to be said, you don’t own the road either. If you can’t behave like a normal adult, park in your driveway and stay there.
Those that think a cargo van is stealth should rethink that. A cargo van parked on a residential street looks like a perp van if no one knows who it belongs to.
![ร้อยพ่อพันแม่ - WanMai [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XY2pNYASEbg/mqdefault.jpg)
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.
Most VA hospitals as well. I'm speaking of the large medical centers that have 24 hour Emergency Departments.
San Diego bases are good for that. I concur.
@@Swimdeep Miramar The Inn on base has the Best breakfast. All you can eat.
Disabled Vets can go?@@SuperBajafresh
Can a disabled Vet do the same?
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.
Great info! Thanks for sharing
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
😜😳
They just made that illegal in Florida. Well to be fair. They outlawed sleeping anywhere public and on the side of the road. Welcome to America, where pleasing dumb fucks with too much money and time is more important than safety.
In America they'll ticket you for sleeping in your car in some places but also ticket you for driving while too tired to drive.
The US literally has "rest stops" to prevent dangerous sleepy driving, yet some of them forbid sleeping "overnight". So, its ok to sleep earlier in the day, but just not between 11:59am and 12pm midnight, which contradicts what a rest stop is for.
@@drummer2532In my experience you can sleep at rest stops whenever you want regardless of signs.
They just don't want people living there. Be discreet, quiet, and park out of the way and you'll probably be fine.
When I was living in my car I rotated between rest stops and never had an issue.
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.
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!
Not many of those left. Thats such an awesome vehicle. Good for you man. 👍 you seen the Bob Wells video where he interviewed the chick about her chinook ?
@@rubiconoutdoors3492 lol you found me
@@ldygzlle1291 no way, that was you ? What are the odds ? Lol you can tell Bob Genuinely loved it
@@rubiconoutdoors3492 odds are 25 to 1 I guess lol
I missed seeing Bob this winter but I bought some land and I’m playing with it
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 ❤
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.
Don't be so sure about making the "no one gets arrested" statement. Profiling absolutely exists.
It isn't "the worst thing in the world," but it IS unsettling, in the middle of the night, and sometimes it can be someone slightly (or more) crazy/drunk, and/or looking for trouble. I could tell you stories...
I lived in Campervans, larger RVs, etc. for 30 years never ever had a problem with the police
For ladies RVing solo the best tactic is just to ignore the knock. That's what earplugs and window blinds are for. Eventually they give up & leave you alone. You can leave in the morning.
@@kenhoward3512 you want a story? 3am in a Guatemalan gas station my wife wakes me up saying there’s a guy in the drivers seat of our Promaster. Turns out I forgot to lock the van and he was drunk and curious and totally apologetic when I turned him out. Our dog slept through the whole thing.
What did I do? Went back to sleep and drove on to El Salvador the morning.
If you don’t want to be installed don’t live a mobile life. See you in Colombia next month?
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.
You should go to a campground if you want to avoid private property rights of US land owners, is it different in Canada?
I presume you researched the area prior to driving from one edge of the country to the other. That would be a very disappointing reason for the trip to be ruined.
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.
There’s also a big difference between parking for a night and living there
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!
Hey Ben! Of course I remember you! Did you end up going new or used on the Travato? I know you were looking at some used pre-covid models.
@@Weretherussos used! I got a 2019 GL :) I love it. Working out some kinks (a mysterious sometimes stinky black tank in particular) but I truly love it.
@@benbousquet1126 try a venturi vent top wind vane like device on the black tank vent tube on top of your roof. Its passive and will draw air out from you black tank so you don't get wind pushing orders up in to your coach. It works well!
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!)
Everytime I see a curtain, I know you're in there.
~ 🦋
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.
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.
I don't think things are much different. We carried a motorcycle on the back of the van, unlocked and never had an issue in over 30k miles.
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.
Good to know, thank you!
Thanks, I'm in Wales UK, but this feels totally relevant to us as well!
For the life of me I’ll never understand ppl being upset about a van, car etc parking on the side of the road. Life must be pretty good for them is this is the thing that upsets them. Most of the time I’m home, I couldn’t tell you who is parked in front of my house. I’m too busy dealing with more important things.
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
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.
Very true - hence why I don't think you need to be stealthy because they know it's a camper but again, not being stealthy hasn't prohibited us from parking where we want/need to.
@@Weretherussos Im a future van life camper, doing some preliminary research now...
I brainstormed about this.......after purchaseing a conversion RV van with only two small windows, is having it painted all solid white or Amazon gray, and have some sort of vinyl signage on the sides and door to chase away camping suspicions...
such as "Renfros Commercial Kitchen cleaning" or, " CasaNova Interior Decorators" or "LuckyDog Pet Grooming Services" obviously something that wont indicate there are tools or valuables inside to avoid triggering or encoutaging break-in thieves LOL
Man the real problem I can see for it at this point is, it’s been going on for awhile now. There’s no more secrets. Any bullshit you thought you could pull has been done before and 10,000 times. In other words, law enforcement and others know all the tricks now, they’ve seen all the shit. They are not stupid. This is the problem when you come into anything late in the game. The magnetic sign trick is probably easily the most well known. People still keep bringing it up like they are the first ones to think of it and they’re so slick. News flash, everyone has thought of it and it’s been being done for years upon years. Can it work? Sure. Will it work in 100% of scenarios? Probably not. So take that for what it is. Just remember, millions of ppl have been brainstorming upon all these issues for at least a good decade now and probably less as far back as you can go.
There’s nothing original left that can anyone is going to come up with to trick the authorities and outsmart the crack heads. Crack heads and thieves are opportunists. They don’t care what you do because they don’t care if it’s someone’s home or just a vehicle. Personally I think the best thing to do to curb thieves, if you know it’s not a cop is to be loud and aggressive and if you don’t have a dog, set up some sort of device to mimic one. Personally, once I’ve confirmed it’s not a cop, and there’s not 20 ppl waiting outside, I’m coming out fast, hard, aggressive and armed. I’ll make sure the little shit thinks twice the next time they get that hair brained idea.
Personally I don’t even care about cops because if they want you to move, I’d just start up and say see you later. No problem officer. Then find a spot just outside their jurisdiction, county for the sheriff, city for the cop. Is it inconvenient? Hell yes. Sitting in jail and having your home impounded and being charged ridiculous fees for impound and all the legal headaches are far more inconvenient.
Humbly and kindness go a long way when dealing with police.
Are there shitty cops that are just shitty humans? You bet your ass, but most cops don’t want more headaches than they have and if you show respect they’ll give it back. The world needs principled ppl that are willing to die on that hill. Me? I lived that life once and it sincerely isn’t worth it. The legal system in the US is so corrupt at this point that if you piss them off, no matter how right you are they will find ways to shove it up your ass including breaking the law themselves.
Here’s one for you, if you get a knock where parking is allowed DONT ANSWER
True, but I bet that can cause unwanted anxiety levels for the rest of the night LOL
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.
People forget that parking lots are private property. We are not entitled to behave like that.
Gratitude is the best attitude. @@jr.6199
I have to say if I was in a store shopping and was told to leave when I came out, I’d be returning everything I just bought and having a few choice words with the management before I left.
I bet they didn't say it like that and I bet the sour attitudes/ behavior from RVer's is why they have new restrictions like this. Private property has their rights. I hope we all will spread good will as we travel in cities and on private property.
You are technically on private property. Don’t act so entitled. You are not paying property taxes!
No, you would be getting hsuked off by the police and ruining goid things for everyone else. You are way too entitled.
It should be noted that what you are referring to is the legal situation in the USA. In Europe, regulations vary from country to country. Some countries allow boondocking, like Sweden, Norway, Finland, while others strictly forbid it, like Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium. In Germany you are allowed to sleep for up to 8 hours in case you are no longer able to drive (not due to consumption of alcohol or drugs, of course). France and Spain seem to be quite relaxed, in Spain there are lots of parking grounds for RV which are free of charge and sometimes even sport dumping grey water and your toilet plus getting fresh water. Some even have free electricity. In Portugal and Morocco, it's tolerated in parts, but forbidden close to the coasts. Especially Portugal has become very problematic.
Therefore, a stealth camper can be very useful, but of course your are limited regarding windows, AC units and the like. I haven't heard of ordinary camp sites rejecting vehicles not looking like an RV.
I don't think it should be noted. I think you are just bossy.
I’ve traveled 26,000 miles in past ten months all over the US … mostly stealth or boondocking at Cracker Barrel’s or Loves truck stops … no issues! The very best spot was The Wall outside of north entrance to the Badlands NP. I get fuel and potty the dog at different location before arriving at parking spot and never get out of the van til morning, then quick dog potty and off I go!
Walmart is perfectly safe and good place
Im a future van life camper, doing some preliminary research now... thanks for this video....
I brainstormed about this.......after purchaseing a conversion RV van with only two small windows, is having it painted all solid white or Amazon gray, and have some sort of vinyl signage on the sides and door to chase away camping suspicions...
such as "Renfros Commercial Kitchen cleaning" or, " CasaNova Interior Decorators" or "LuckyDog Pet Grooming Services" obviously something that wont indicate there are tools or valuables inside to avoid triggering or encoutaging break-in thieves LOL
Another great video! Here’s something related that most videos about “stealth” campers don’t talk about - if you make your van/camper “stealth” you will have little or no windows, which makes the experience of being in the van like being in a closet. This really changes the ambiance of being in the van. People often say that they don’t care if they can’t see outside because they don’t spend much time in the van, but in reality the weather is often too hot, cold, windy to be outside all the time - it is so nice to be able to spend time inside the van and see out on all sides - you can take in nature and sunsets, etc. (see my video on TH-cam to see how I put windows in all around - there are ways to keep the van/camper cool/warm even with windows).
Very true!
I plan on making my windowless cargo trailer into a nightclub lol. I will probably buy one with great vents. We'll see how it goes. I'll be Urban camping with a sedan and SUV to pull the trailer.
Of course it helps to have newer vehicles. Looks like a middle-class vacationer, and they dont automatically assume "homeless".
There was a van that used extension ladders as the mounts for their solar panels, so it just looked like a work truck with ladders on top. They put the AC in between so you couldn't see it. A good way to have solar without giving up stealth!
Flexible solar panels that lie flush on the roof of a van are also a lot more stealthy. Also lighter and easier to mount.
Parking in residential areas directly outside someones home is going to cause you issues. Residents who've had problems with RVs or vans are very sensitive to seeing this because very often bottles of urine or trash is left behind.
Gross & inconsiderate. Vans in private residential areas would bother me dut to the above mentioned issue and human trafficking predators these days!
Don't be silly... you are supposed to pour the pee bottle out in their lawn and use it again later. Now, poop bags, yeah, you can leave those. lol jk.
I'm glad you opened with recognizing that many of us definitely do need to be staelthy.
If your schedule will allow it, drive at night and sleep during the day. No one notices or cares where anyone parks in the daytime. Even parking at a 24 hour Walmart into the evening, going to bed early and leaving before midnight when most of the shoppers disappear. Drive 6 or 7 hours and at 6 AM you stop somewhere else for a few hours. Sleep until 10 or 11 AM when stores open.
Good point
And then just.... drive around all nigt?
My camper doesn’t look stealthy whatsoever. But I do use a lot of the points in this video. I also made a video myself, because I am full time and a lot of the times I camp on the streets.
My wife and I started camping in a Kia Rondo in 2017 and got only one knock, probably because we were using all your tips and the Kia was just a car with reflectix blinds. It was a Walmart in Quebec City that was part of a power center not managed by Walmart and there were more than a dozen RVs in a cluster. At 1 am security knocked on the door of all RVs and we soon joined a convoy of RVs moving to the other Walmart across the city. That was our second or third time camping in a vehicle. Just yesterday I was designing the roof of our 2023 Ford Transit (mid-high top) and giving thought to how all but one vent will not be visible from street level. We are also talking ourselves out of adding any flairs or extra windows. We've always scouted out prospective locations and then returned just before turning in for the night to park there.
Good deal - thanks for sharing!
I'm starting the nomadic life very soon. I'll be moving into my minivan in May. I've been planning for years and I'm finally getting to do it. So I'm very excited!
Congrats!
Congrats. Personally, I like having my house as a base. Then I go live out of my van for a week or two here and there. I can have that adventure and freedom when I feel like it and yet the stability of a house at other times. It's also nice knowing I will have a place to live once I get older and can't really handle the van life anymore.
It’s good to know that some campgrounds won’t accept non traditional campers. Thanks for another very informative video.
Thanks for watching!
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.
90k a year? Is that measly. Come and live in England, where a web developer, coding in 4 language and using 3 different software packages gets 40K
What do you do? Can I get a green card, seriously ? thats £70K thats experienced doctors salary money here.
Agreed. 5 years and no knock. But, someone did tried to steal my bike off the rack while we were sleeping on a street in Ohio. He was super start l when I pounded on the window! Dropped all his gear and took off in his other stolen bike!
Over the last five years we have camped at Cracker Barrel’s and a few parking lots and friends driveways Thanks for sharing your tips👍 Safe Travels.
Our pleasure!
I worked at a public beach in Florida. We locked gates to the parking lots at night (the policy after Covid). It doesn’t matter what type of vehicle you have, if it’s still in the lot, we shine a light at it through all the windows. If the windows are covered, we’re going to assume someone is in there and knock. I saw some sad situations, including one couple that had removed the backseat of their sedan and were sleeping in a few sheets cramped in the back. There is no such thing as stealth camping if you’re in a place with patrols.
At Ohio highway rest stops, I have received multiple knocks from the highway patrol stating that I couldn't sleep in my vehicle overnight.
Well not rested driver - more work for them 😅
Next fall/winter I'll definitely need to stealth camp in SoCal beach camps so I can surf at my favorite spots. My Dodge GC has the "soccer mom" stealth factor, but as my nephew pointed out, a Ford Transit Connect in a hotel parking lot just looks like a contractor's van, especially with some tools and a hardhat left on the passenger seat. I may end up trading in on a Ford if I get too many knocks.
Magnetic stickers for sewer flushing etc may also keep it secure :D
Exactly... my friend 'decorated' her stealth van with small lettered decals reading things like "No Ladders over 6' in Length" and numbers to make it look like a fleet vehicle, and put some old blueprints rolled on the dash @@G-ra-ha-m
Great video, I’ve lived full time in my camper van for more than half a year and you have inspired me to try some new things.
( Here in the Netherlands, urban camping is ‘semi legal’ ) so that makes it a bit more challenging. I have only gotten ‘the knok ‘twice
Why did you get the knock those two times?
@@Weretherussos i was new to this and i was staying at a industrial zone. The police paroll the area for actual criminals. The other time was on a parking lot for my old high school. I was at the wrong place
Hey Joe, you have the best hairstyle bro! I tried to keep mine just as clean-cut as yours!
Thanks. I needed a non-fiction book for an English class. Walden on Wheels will be perfect.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the tips, guys!-Very smart and helpful advice/information!👍🤗
Our pleasure!
I lived in a Metropolis, a cluster of individual Cities, each with their own Rules and Regulations.
My NavSat had 31 overnight parking sites in it, all sequentially numbered 1 through 31.
It also had 9 overnight parking sites, designated emergency parking and numbered 32 through 40.
It was My practice to stay at each site only on the night with the corresponding date; thus 11 on the 11th and 23 on the 23rd; thus each site only saw Me once a month and on varying week day nights.
Plus as time went by, less suitable sites were replaced by more suitable sites, so there was a evolution of sites also taking place.
Coupled with this was late Arrivals and early Departures, which meant few Neighbours / Residents actually saw My vehicle and none of them actually saw / heard Me living inside it, thus it was always viewed as just a parked overnight vehicle, occasionally but infrequently seen in the area.
I now live in a small 2 bedroom cottage.
NavSat??? Can you explain, please? I'm interested in what you did.
How I would love a little cottage....or The Penthouse!
~🦋
Good tips for newbies but as far as the RV piggies go, they’ll never see this message and couldn’t care less. Many are homeless, on drugs, were never taught manners or a combination thereof. As you mentioned, they’ve ruined it for responsible RVers. The shutdowns of overnight parking will continue unabated.
True but we've also found that if you are respectful and have a camper that looks well maintained (doesn't have to be new), there are places that will allow you to park overnight even though they don't allow overnight parking. This was a great example as I went in to speak to the manager and after a little discussion, he allowed us to spend the night: th-cam.com/video/8zuo0tNiET8/w-d-xo.html
Here in Colorado there are a lot of campers on the streets. Not even hiding that they're camping. Generators going, lights on... one even has a trash pile 5 feet out of his. Cops get called, no knocks. One has been there for over a year. That's why I'm curious about this "knock" people are so afraid of. All they'll do is mark your tires, that's it.
Yes police will mark your tires & then you have 72 hours to move to a different location. Except when you in a very wealthy neighborhoods like in some DC suburbs etc. Otherwise it is ok.
Have a great weekend!!🎉🎉🤗🤗
As a former California resident, I can understand the hostile atmosphere. So many homeless, so many people living out of their cars or vans, and you always seem to find the mess, realize they ran an extension cord to your power, used your water, left their trash, etc. Add that many are not nice people, you have increased crime as well. We had a neighbors house that was ransacked. Sadly we were clueless, they had pulled into their driveway, had been there for days, and we assumed they were guests.. not. That’s why California has such restrictive rules, and people come out immediately if you park in front of their house.
We've used Love's truck stops in Texas and S Carolina (so far). In Texas we asked for permission and got a "sure". I got the impression that people just do it and no one asks. So In S Carolina we parked a little more out of the way near an employee entrance and did not ask. The employees went by all night long and didn't bother us. I suggest parking as far away from the pumps as possible. B vans tend to stick out a lot further than cars and I've seen a lot of vehicles towing something come awful close to the parked cars while maneuvering to get next to a pump.
I'm a big fan of Love's and Pilot. I'm in a blacked out SUV. I use those all the time to sleep overnight or during the day and have never asked. There are usually 5 or 10 others doing the same.
In our younger years we had a van that had a bed in the back. We would be on vacation and stopped in rest areas to sleep until we got to where we were going, we never had a problem. Unfortunately, I have heard this is not the case anymore, due to, too many people, and garbage left behind. Sometimes, when traveling you need to stop to rest for safety on the road and hotels can be expensive, or there are non around when you need to rest. I would rather have people pull off than have their eye lids close while driving.
Nevermind RVs or even large vans.. have you seen the uptick in people living in their cars?
In my opinion, you forgot the most important reason to get a stealth van in urban camping ---> "Crackheads" . It's all fine and dandy to camp any where, until all your stuff is stolen. A non-stealth camper van in an urban environment says please come rob me now!!!
I'm not sure about that. I think a vehicle that people think someone might be sleeping in would be a lot less likely to be vandalized or broken into. Especially if you are in an area with high crime... and that person inside probably has a weapon.
Agreed .....my campers have never been broken into.....my "work" van got broken into multiple times for tools etc.
Think about it.....would you break into a home if you knew people were inside? Or an empty house down the street.
We got our knock before we even finished checking in. Nebraska state park, as we filled out paper work to camp at campground, found we were sleeping in our truck with a topper instead of a camper top. We were told no truck camping and told to leave.
We used to put up a small tent for show and then slept in the truck bed. The tent made a good changing room.
That's a great work around...plus tent sites are typically less expensive.
Nebraska law enforcement is the worst. 10:16 They pull over folks from Colorado assuming they have pot in their car. 😂
I really wanted to pay attention to what you were saying, but I could not take my eyes off that bottle of Old Forester BB!
Hehehe it’s pretty good 😉
In over a year and a half, we've gotten a knock twice. Not by cops.
First, we spent the night in Anytime Fitness parking lot, then stayed to work a bit. I worked out in the morning and my wife was planning to work out on lunch. On my way back out from the gym, I saw the parking lot security lingering nearby. I went in, began to work, and he knocked. Asked us to move out of his area (across a divider) so the furniture store wouldn't call him.
Another time, we went to a little bar and parked along a road across the street. Kinda industrial area, there was a single homeless guy 100 yards ahead of us. We went out after a couple beers and dinner, watched a few shows, got in bed, and then I heard a knock. Quietly got up and peeked out, saw the homeless guy walking back to his spot. I'm still curious why he knocked, but I'm glad it wasn't a cop. We felt safe and stayed the night.
I prefer streets to parking lots. Across along a park, across a wall on the side yard, in front of drainage area, near businesses that open late, industrial areas, street parking near apartments, etc.
I did get a ticket once by being dumb. Some van dwellers on the beach in San Diego told me I could park up at a little dirt lot and be fine. First night I parked at the entrance to the beach with a few other vans and only got a note from an angry homeowner threatening to call the cops. He gives this to everyone in the area, every night. Second night I went for the dirt lot. It had signs, but I ignored them and ended up with a ticket in the morning.
I have stayed where there was a no camping sign and felt fine. Under an overpass in Phoenix after a small DJ event permitted as a birthday party. There was one nice homeless lady in a camper, one of the event organizers, and the Wuzabus. We were fine overnight there.
We have also spent over 2 months right in front of my parent's house, with 2-3 days per week at other family's houses. The neighbors barely say anything. We sit in the van with the door wide open working all day. People just walk by and don't seem to care in the slightest.
You also don't need a real camper or a sprinter van glamper to urban camp. I built a little camper setup out of plywood in the back of my '94 F150. Very non-descript, but I'll protest that she's also a nice-looking old girl, not all rusty, so I feel comfortable camping in a city. I stayed a night in Chicago earlier this year on my way to see the solar eclipse in Muncie, and it was great. I toured the city for the weekend and went on my merry way late Sunday night.
When I put covers from the inside (reflectix) I was a lot less paranoid and police haven’t really bugged me at all. It seems like when you don’t draw eyeballs to eyeballs there is a lot less conflict. Take the time to make your privacy covers. Your quality of life will improve.
Very good advice
The thing about "stealth" is not looking like an eye sore (like your rig is ghetto AF with tarps, rusting, etc...) and MOVE around. If you're going to live in an urban area have at least 7-10 spots that you can go back and forth from. You have wheels - use them! It's the ones that park and then to proceed to use other parking spots as their home, leave trash everywhere - and then they wonder why they are getting knocks on the door. And as a result, places like Walmart aren't letting vehicles stay overnight b/c people abuse the system. If anyone is familiar with Justin -from JustINcredibleTV he's view of being "stealth" is basically the same things that I pointed out. It's not about having a box truck with no windows, if you'er constantly there, then eventually you''re going to get a knock on the door.
Make sure to do a walk around before you leave. Check for nails, screws, glass, etc., under tires. Friends' neighbors didn't like us parking in front of our friend's house so some time during the night, someone pulled the handle on the sewer outlet valve. Luckily it was just the safety valve they pulled so nothing happened and they didn't see the valve handle further in under the rig. We will, never again, stay overnight in front of their house.
Avoid Walmart- I was wheel locked in SLV, Utah.
That's illegal in some states. Here in Washington state, only police are allowed to use those - even if the person/business owns the property.
@@leifgiering Makes sense. When I woke up, the guy driving the truck that was wheel locking vehicles pulled up to me. I told him, "Why didn't you knock and ask me to leave?" And, "who gave you the authority to lock my wheel?" He then unlocked my wheel.
Thank you for sharing another awesome video guys
Our pleasure!
A big problem in my country Scotland is very few have consideration for anyone but themselves.
I have managed HOA's and condos for two decades. A truck built out as a stealth camper may be a bigger problem, as most governing documents don't allow commercial vehicles. Calling ahead makes a lot of sense.
“The knock” what happens if no one is inside the camper? Does it get automatically towed?
Depends on the property owner. If it's private property, they can. On the street, police will usually tag and give 24 hours. It depends on location.
~ 🦋
Great video! Solid information. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Good information
We don’t stealth camp. But good stuff to know
I'm in a bunch of vanlife/camper build groups, and some people really seem to have the idea that their camper needs to be "stealthy". Sorry, but nobody is falling for it. Your white panel van with air vents and a solar panel on the roof is so painfully obviously a camper. The alternative is leaving the van completely stock on the outside, but at that point you have a van without air circulation or windows and thats not really gonna work. Where I live there's a custom for RV drivers to give each other a wave on the road - some of the "stealth" van drivers look positively shocked when I give them a wave from my very obviously built-out camper.
What is a window is opened just a little bit ? I live in Canada. I guess it gets more ghetto in certain U.S. areas.
I knew a guy when I was in university who lived in a van in one of the school parking lots for a year (one that allowed overnight parking).
Idont understand why city officials are even concerned with overnight staying in the vehicle
Great video Joe.
Thanks 👍
Do you need a camper? I slept in the front cab of my Toyota, the best sleeps I’ve ever had. I gave up stealth camping because of that one an knock. Once even getting a knock at a truckstop, or a bunch of people were sleeping. They made everyone move. That’s when I started staying mostly at rest stops. Made for that purpose. I always did my bathroom business, at Cracker Barrel’s, before going to arrest up. And I don’t mind saying I would have a gallon jug for late night business.
I hated stealth camping, but there was an event in Colorado Springs were, and I would do that instead if a hotel. For showers, I have joined planet fitness, LA fitness, where I got to swim my mile a day, and truck stops. Pilot was my favorite shower place.
Lot's of good advice here.
When you travel about simply stay in campgrounds you can spend up to 14 days straight in these places before you have to move on then when you move on move to another campground
In Croatia "stealth" will cost you 500 Euro if you are found anywhere except in registered camping grounds/parks.
I work in Silicon Valley at a tech company. Every few weeks I see a tag on the windshield of the various RVs there. But they're always there.
Great advice thanks for sharing
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, Joe. Thank you!
My pleasure!
❤ Joe and Kait… You guys by far have the best intro roll for your videos. Just sayin.. safe travels❤
Thanks so much!!
Many cities have vehicle codes for street parking as you mentioned but did you know that many have a height (pronounced hyte not hyth), length, width limits, and if you violate just one of these ...you are oversized. Don't push rules, you are not entitled. Ignorance is never an excuse with the internet now. On streets and also in parking lots - don't take up more than one space, find parking spaces that have dead zones behind for your overhang. Never straddle over the top of lines because you're big or want space around you, even in a big empty lot. There are all kinds of bad behavior that we are doing on private properties like in shopping centers. Residents see full timers as not helping pay the property taxes that enable city streets and resources to exist. Follow the codes and practice best behaviors, and there will be less new laws and restrictions for all of us. We protect our freedoms by our actions. Happy Trails!
Word to the wise: check laws in the state you're in. Afaik, it is illegal to stay inside your vehicle overnight parked on any property owned by a government or municipal entity. In this case, it was to break up a long-term protest happening in the city of Nashville, but it's a state law.
Interesting! I'll be stealth camping in Nashville soon.
@@MrBoxofplastic *Private property.*
🤔🤓 Remember.
Good info. Thanks so much. (We travel /camp in 4WD Flat Bed
Hawk)
Being living in my suv for just about a yr. Summers I find campgrounds and stay there...fall and winter I park along streets where other cars are. Never gotten a knock.
Overlanding and camping was very differet in the 80-90th. "Volvo Laplander Camper"
Nicely done.
Thank you! Cheers!
Roll in late , pull the drapes, leave early
good video! what do you do for ventilation while "urban" camping?
Nothing different - we’ll open a window and put the fan on
Our awning style windows are pretty obvious when open, so we try not to open them on the curb side, or just a crack, open wider on the street side and run roof vent at 50% speed or less to keep it quiet. Our a/c can run on batteries but the sound it quite noticeable at night so we only use if we are in an open parking lot or some other space away from homes and pedestrians.
I've converted only the inside temporary on my very small Ford Transit Courier (Fiesta based cargovan) last year. The first night was already in stealth mode at the parking lot at the Miniatur World in Hamburg. At the border between Germany and Denmark, all the campervans and RV's may pass, while all the trucks and cargovans where picked out for a cargocheck. The look off his face when he noticed that I didnt lied when I said I was on a camping trip. Same happened when I crossed the border with Sweden. At the camping site in Malmö, it was a strange view, me with my litlle car between al those big caravans and RV's. But for next time, I have a roofbox wich make it not that stealthy anymore. And for larger trips outside of city-centres, I've recently bought a 2005 classic 7 meter long RV on a Fiat base.
Very cool - hope you enjoy the long Fiat based camper
Great info! Our biggest issue with Stealth camping or camping in parking lots in general has been the noise from outside the van. Have you found any sound insulation tips that work well for you? Or just earplugs? 🤣
It’s doesn’t really bother us too much. Running the exhaust fan will drown out some of the noise and if you’re able to run your AC, even just the fan, you won’t hear a thing outside.
Have you looked into sound deadening mats? I've seen someone on yt doing a van build and they added to the sound deadening mats to help with decreasing the outside noises. Hope this helps.
great video. very informative
Glad you think so!
...cool video keep up the great content.. Thank you…
Thanks, will do!
@@Weretherussos Thank you very mutch... have a nice Start of the week.... see you….
Orange County, CA is vicious. Anything over 7 feet high (which is any cargo van with stuff on top) gets you a ticket. Street cleaners will narc on you and send parking enforcement your way.
What are your feelings about length of the van? I’m interested in the Coachmen Beyond 22D. What is your opinion?
I’m getting ready to make a stealth camper from a Toyota Sienna minivan. I’ll have nothing on it to give it away except maybe blacked out windows so you cannot see inside.
Common sense to normal people passing through ugh / sad they ruined it for the travelers…
I lived in seattle for 20 yrs on the street I found a commerical high top exterded industral plane jane White with cab seperator dbl locks and chain your hood lock your gas tank hatch install out side camera's. Best place is around other commercial vehicles and Blend in stay inside and keep quite I was parked in the middle of the day in the public parking lot, the Renton cops nearly ripped the doors off trying to break in dont be a victim install camras its crazy how they target us Dennys or 24 hr restaurant s or truckstops emergency rm parking lots are the least hassle at nite Like I said 20 yrs living the van life I wont have it any other way
25 years ago, I lived in a house on the corner. One day, a van parked on the side street. Okay, must be visiting the neighbors. Several days go by and it became obvious that someone was living there. I wasn't entirely comfortable but also didn't want to make a fuss in case of retaliation. My breaking point came, after several weeks, when the van's occupant set up a charcoal bbq grill in the street. Nope! Keep it tidy, temporary and stealth but when it's clear that you think you've found a permanent place, nope!
I called Las Vegas Metro Police to get them to tell the van to move on. I was flabbergasted that i had to push the issue with the police. They wanted to adopt the attitude that despite the BBQ grill and lawn chairs, I should allow the van to remain indefinitely. I finally got the officer to get the van to move. 🙄
Yeah that’s uncalled for on their part. A night parked out there is one thing but after that move on.
It doesn’t matter where you are, whether in a campground, RV Park, Stealth Parking on a city street, in a business parking lot or on BLM land, DON’T throw your trash out or play your music loud, don’t pull out chairs or your awning and don’t pull out your slide out in a Walmart parking lot. I have to wonder when you got hit in the head that made you think that a) you are more important than everyone else? b) that nasty behavior is acceptable ANYWHERE? Just in case it needs to be said, you don’t own the road either. If you can’t behave like a normal adult, park in your driveway and stay there.
What are your thoughts on a large truck with a camper shell? I feel like this solves most of the issues, if you are solo camping.
Those that think a cargo van is stealth should rethink that. A cargo van parked on a residential street looks like a perp van if no one knows who it belongs to.