Sort of Legal

“Wait, do you really not know where you’re sleeping tonight?” my sister asked me during a phone call around 5:30PM in early July.  I was parked next to a visitor center for a teenie-tiny Idaho town so that I could catch enough WiFi to make the call.  The area, and areas I’d had been driving through for the previous few hours were devoid of cell-service.

“I don’t,” I told her, with a laugh, but there were a few potential national forest campsites I had seen on my Rand McNally.  Not knowing where I’d sleep at night and sleeping in my Honda CRV had initially been stressful as f&*k (see the tone of this article) but was becoming the norm.  And shortly thereafter, it became a norm that I loved.

There were of course, nights where finding a spot to sleep was stressful, but overall, it was outweighed by the freedom of being able to drive as long or as short as I wanted and the excitement of the possibility of finding that dream spot (you know, the one with the mountain views and no one else around.)

Learning the types of options for van-life* sleeping, played a big role in the transition from being stressed about finding a place to sleep to being confident that I could find a spot to post up for the night.  If you’re new to van-lifing or just curious where people sleep, the following is a list of 20 different places you can sleep, divided by category.  I’ve tried most of them (non-van life festivals and other business parking lots being the exceptions).

*Technically, I was CRV-life sleeping, but despite my efforts, that term has not become a part of the general vernacular, so I use “van-life,” even though, I was not in a van.

OPTIONS FOR VAN-LIFE SLEEPING

PAID CAMPSITES

Types of Paid Campsites

Private Campgrounds
City Owned Campgrounds
State Parks
National Parks

Pros/Cons of Paid Campsites

Pros:

• Amenities like running water, flushing toilets, showers, trash disposal, and even a pool and hot tub at some KOAs!
• Sometimes additional paid amenities such as laundry, a small food stand, and a camp store with basic groceries.
• Feels more secure because there are more people in a close vicinity and staff patrolling the grounds.
• More likely to have cell service than at most free spots.
• In nature or very close access to nature.

Cons:

• Paid and can be expensive (think: $50 per night) at private campgrounds and busy state parks in locations such as southern California.
• Some popular campgrounds fill in advance up during high season so you can’t just walk-up and book a site.
• Some popular campgrounds such as Apgar Campground in Glacier National Park are first-come, first-serve only so you cannot reserve them and have to get there early and stalk people to see if they are leaving.
• More regulated than free campsites.
• Less privacy and more likely to have noisy neighbors than at free campsite

Photos of Paid Campsites I’ve Stayed at Solo

FREE CAMPSITES

Types of Free Campsites (US/Canada)

National Forest
US BLM Land
Canadian Crown Land

Pros/Cons of Free Campsites

Pros:

• F-R-E-E
• Get to sleep and wake-up right in nature.
• Can be difficult to find, often down dirt roads.
• Designated spots usually have some sort of fire pit – on rare occasion a metal one, but more often a circle of rocks created by a prior camper.
• Quiet mornings.
• Can often stay for a week plus.
• Fewer people around (also a con).

Cons:

• Typically no amenities like bathrooms (not even pit toilets), running water, trash bins, etc).
• Fewer people around (also a pro).
• Usually no cell-service.

Photos of Free Campsites I’ve Stayed at Solo

PARKING LOTS AND STREETS

Types of Parking Lots and Streets

Rest Stops
Wal-marts
Sno-Parks
Other Business Lots
City Streets

Pros/Cons of Parking Lots and Streets

Pros:

• F-R-E-E
• More likely to have cell service.
• Some lots like Wal-Marts, Sno-Parks, and rest stops have bathrooms or at least pit-toilets.
• Better visibility to assess the situation if you arrive at night.
• Close to stores (or in the case of Wal-Mart right at a store) to stock up on supplies.
• Don’t have to drive far off a main road or highway.
• More people around than camp sites (also a con).

Cons:

• Legally more sketchy.
• Can be difficult to figure out where you’re allowed to sleep if you’re not local.  For example, you can overnight at many but not all Wal-Marts.
• Typically limited to a night or two.
• Increased likelihood of getting “a knock,” i.e. someone like the police, business owner, or homeowner knocking on your vehicle to tell you that you can’t sleep there.
• Typically bright from city or business lights.
• May not have bathroom access, which is problematic if you don’t have one in your rig.  (What to do?  Drive somewhere, find a bush off the property, use a cup, but do not be that a-hole that pees in the parking lot.)
• More people around than camp sites (also a pro).

Photos of Parking Lots I’ve Stayed at Solo:

FESTIVALS

Types of Festivals

Van-Life Festivals
Music Festivals
Outdoor Festivals
Other Festivals

Pros/Cons of Festivals

Pros:

• They are FUN! 
• There are things to do and people to meet.
• These days there is a festival for almost every interest.
• Don’t have to worry about finding a new spot once you set up.
• Can have a few drinks without worrying about having to drive somewhere after.
• Usually port-a-potties available.
• Some van-life festivals are cheaper than campsites.

Cons:

• Festivals cost money, though van-life festivals are relatively inexpensive.
• Only for a few days.
• Since the focus is fun, it can be noisy until late at night.
• Can be difficult, or impossible, to leave and come back during the day.
• Often have to bring some or all of your own supplies.

Photos of Van-Life Festivals I’ve Stayed At

PLACES OUTSIDE YOUR VAN

Yup, you heard me right, outside your van.  Even as a van-lifer, you don’t have to stay in your van every, single night.  If you don’t like being too far away, from your home on wheels, you can camp right next to it, or even stay in your van at friends and families’ places.

Types of Outside of Van Spots

Friends & Families’ Homes
Vacation Rentals
Hostels
Hotels

Pros/Cons of Outside of Van Spots

Pros:

• Staying with friends and family is F – R – E – E.  (But do make them dinner, or buy them a drink to show your appreciation.)
• Opportunity to socialize with existing loved ones or meet new people.
• Hostels are a good middle ground where you get cheaper pricing but fewer amenities and less privacy than hotels and vacation rentals.
• Luxury amenities like showers, running water, refrigeration, full-kitchens.

Cons:

• Price for one night at a hotel can be comparable to five days plus of camping.
• Separation anxiety.
• Further from nature than campsites.
• Your hard-core van-life friends will give you a hard time.

Photos of Places I’ve Stayed At Outside of My CRV

THE BEST VAN-LIFE SLEEPING SPOTS

You may be wondering which type of van life overnight sleeping is best?  The answer: none of them! The best spot for one person is the worst spot for another. For example, some people love the convenience of stealth sleeping within city limits.  I hate it and just don’t do it.  I’m afraid of getting in trouble for sleeping in my car somewhere I’m not allowed to (and my CRV, reflectix set-up is not subtle), and of someone trying to break in while I’m inside because of increased foot traffic.  I prefer campsites, paid and unpaid depending on the location, and have had great Wal-Mart experiences as well.

Finding what works for you takes some trial and error…and it’s a fun process if you have the right attitude.  So, get out your van-life apps and start asking your friends for the scoop on good parking spots, and ENJOY THE RIDE!