Tucson. Where to safely sleep in my car?

[Charmed Wolf]

I need to go to Tucson to explore the area for possible relocation. I have a 1995 Honda Accord.where would be a good place to sleep in my car in town?

 

[MikeRuth]

Truck stops would be my number one suggestion. Pull in and rest up. I did this just recently on a trip to KY from Ca. Had no issues what so ever. I even stayed in a couple of regular old gas stations with convenience store.

I generally look for a space away from the most activity.

 

[bullfrog]

Snyder Hill is just outside of town off Ajo Way (Hwy 86) and is a free boondocking site. Gilbert Ray State Campground is pay but has small tent sites, restrooms and showers and it is one of my favorites. If you are active/ retired military I believe Davis Monthan Air Base has a pay campground that is reasonable. TTT truck stop on Interstate 10 is old but has a tremendous Apple Pie Ala Mode! There is a nice Cracker Barrel to the north at Cortaro Road exit. Tucson is spread out and adjoins several smaller urban communities so boondocking is largely down the road aways. There are some homeless hangouts at older city parks but in general there are a few apartments in the $450 range but they usually come with at least a year contract. It is easier to find one in the $600 and above range as Tucson is a college town and also lodging is in high demand in winter with all the gem and mineral shows. Outside of town 75 to 100 miles there are lots of free 14 day boondocking areas and parks with cheap for pay spaces. Wages seem slightly low being a college town and close to the border and jobs slightly hard to find unless you are skilled. As an area with lots of retires the medical fields seem the easiest to find although wages are medium low.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Charmed Wolf!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Charmed Wolf]

I should clarify, no boondocking for me. Concerned for safety is very real for me. What about parking lots like Walmart etc?

 

[bullfrog]

I would contact the local police departments but as stated there are several 24 hour restaurants, truck stops and stores but most are in high traffic areas. Personally it is in my opinion safer to boondock than stay in town on the streets. I would also look at hospital parking lots and maybe some college students have apartments with parking they might let you use but staying on the streets in large urban areas close to the border would concern me. A tent at any of the pay sites like Gilbert Ray would be much better.

 

[maki2]

You could look at the crime reports and see what neighborhoods are getting the most car prowls and police calls for robbery, break-ins and such. Then avoid those areas.

 

[VanForNow]

Casinos are usually comfortable and secure campsites, and some offer free camping.

You might inquire at the Casino of the Sun in Tucson. Their webpage is at www.casinosun.com.

Casino del Sol, also in Tucson, used to be a superb free place to camp, but they recently ended free camping after opening their own RV park.

But I agree with other contributors that boondocking in rural areas is usually safer than cities. There is also safety in numbers, so you might consider taking part in HOWA's caravans. For details, go to the "programs" section of the HOWA website at www.homesonwheelsalliance.org

 

[Timmy Hawk]

I'm in Tucson right now.
I'm staying in a Cracker Barrel parking lot for tonight.
After driving most of the day (from Vegas), I made it to Tucson around 6pm.
I had dinner at Cracker Barrel, during which I talked with the manager and asked her if I could stay the night in their lot.
She said no problem.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Pipers_Dream]

There is a nice flat parking lot north of Tucson at Oro Valley next to the In n Out Burger just off North Oracle Road and across from Catalina State Park. I felt quite safe there and it’s a pretty area. It’s mainly used by truckers stopping for a few hours of rest so be mindful of that, but I have never seen it fill up as it doesn’t seem to be all that well known. Also, I felt quite safe at the Walmart on Speedway inside Tucson. I mainly drifted between those two locations with no issues from either one.