Urban camping in an RV

[JoeW]

I'm thinking seriously about buying a 35' Class A.  I need a big rig to house me and my 3 kids.  But I'm worried about stealth abilities in the city.  I have a great job in San Bernardino, CA.  There are RV dwellers all over Los Angeles and San Diego, but I don't see many of them here.  There are lots of car and van dwellers here.  It's very easy here to live out of my car.  And I think I have some good spots picked out for an RV.  But I am leery of purchasing an RV.  If I have to camp in the forest and commute everyday to work, it is not worth it.  Although I plan to go to the forest on almost every weekend.  Can anybody say if there is much difference between car and RV living in the city?  An RV really stands out compared to a car, but do people even notice?  I rotate between 10 sites near apartments and light industry zones, arrive late and leave early, show no signs of being inside vehicle- I've been doing this successfully in a car for 5 months, off and on.  Anything specific for southern California?
Thanks.

 

[Billyidol]

JoeW,

I live in SoCal near Monrovia. I have a 21 foot Roadtrek 200 Popular. I just do weekend trips with the wife. Im a big fan of class B Bplus and C.

I think 35 foot is way too long for the city. It will be hard to drive and park. A parking space is 22 feet long. Some class Bs can sleep 3 people, but since kids are tinier, you could sleep 4. Have a kid sleep on the floor. The Roadtrek Versatile 210 might be worth looking into.

You could go maybe a little longer, like 24 feet. Stay away from Sprinter/Mercedes diesels l though, they suck. Buy used. Rent one off rvshare or outdoorsy before you buy.

Id go to a few rv shows too. I went to the 2018 Pomona show and I was super impressed with Roadtrek Zion with underhood generator, Ecotrek and Voltstart. You  can have all the air con and power you want, just like a house!

John

 

[Billyidol]

JoeW,

For urban rv living, when in doubt, go smaller. Why? Easier to park. Easier to drive.  Easier to maneuver. Less attention. Drives more like a car.

Going big sounds good, but it quickly become a pain. You can go anywhere in it. Forget about going downtown...no parking. Then you go to sell it and nobody wants it.

The wife and I once went to a concert in a downtown location in the Roadtrek. The wife and I changed in the rv. We parked for $5 along with other normal cars. Brilliant!

John

 

[RoamerRV428]

Class A screams at ya it isn't stealthy in any way and the other advice on the board is spot on. Stay smaller for sure if you need urban. Rotating 10-12 spots in a car is almost not noticeable but in a Class A it will stand out like a sore thumb and there is always someone to call ya on it. best of luck!

 

[John61CT]

Only if you found a property owner willing to rent you a spot. Likely out of town, maybe look near the public transport commuter spots?

 

[deadwood]

I agree. It would be difficult to urban camp in a Class A. It is just so big and cumbersome to move and park. It would definitely stand out. You might be able to stealth camp for a little while but my big concern would be if I was living in it and then ran into problems with the locals (people or law enforcement). Then what?? Where do you go from there. With a smaller class B or van it is very easy to blend in and Urban Camp. But with a family and a Class A it would be more difficult. Not impossible. Just more difficult.

 

[TravelingFamily]

I’ve lived in a 30ft Class A with children for over a year now. I couldn’t really picture doing it with anything larger. I’ve been really successful at it I guess. I stay in cities very often because that’s where I make money and grocery shop. I have run into problems when I’ve stayed somewhere much longer than I should have, but it’s only a knock and being asked to leave. You can often find shopping malls that have no parking security. In Fresno, I stay at a Bed Bath n Beyond lot in a mall for a almost a month with no problem. You really have to call around and sometimes just try it and see if you get the dreaded knock. Make a list of places that are good to stay at. It’s not as easy as what I’m sure you’d be able to do in a smaller vehicle, but it’s been quite doable for my family. Good luck!

 

[lenny flank]

Alas, many cities have ordinances against parking an RV on the street, much less living in one.

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

Only if you found a property owner willing to rent you a spot. Likely out of town, maybe look near the public transport commuter spots?

Because no upvotes... just upvoting this.

 

[JoeW]

I’ve lived in a 30ft Class A with children for over a year now. I couldn’t really picture doing it with anything larger. I’ve been really successful at it I guess. I stay in cities very often because that’s where I make money and grocery shop. I have run into problems when I’ve stayed somewhere much longer than I should have, but it’s only a knock and being asked to leave. You can often find shopping malls that have no parking security. In Fresno, I stay at a Bed Bath n Beyond lot in a mall for a almost a month with no problem. You really have to call around and sometimes just try it and see if you get the dreaded knock. Make a list of places that are good to stay at. It’s not as easy as what I’m sure you’d be able to do in a smaller vehicle, but it’s been quite doable for my family. Good luck!

Good to hear of someone doing what I am thinking of doing.  Do you plan to be at RTR this year?  I want to meet with others with children to see how to best do this.

 

[JoeW]

Thanks for all the replies.  I think I will put off buying anything for now.  Will attend RTR to see how best to do this with children.