If there’s one thing to know about what kind of person I am, it’s that I love to sleep. From four-minute power naps to ten hour hibernation periods, I appreciate every moment of shut-eye that I can get. And I’m not really that picky. I could lounge and stretch around on a California king in a beautiful villa on the Tuscan country side, or I could curl up with my sleeping bag in the back of my car, parked in the back of Love’s Travel Stop on the side of I-5.
A little tip I learned early on as a traveler is to travel at night. Especially if you’re going on a long distance trip, those 6-10 hours will be a waste if you decide to travel during daytime. Also, tickets tend to be a little cheaper then. So you’re saving money and also utilizing precious travel time by combining sleep and covering distance!
During my year abroad in Florence, my friends and I often found ourselves at train stations and airports in the very late hours of night that stretched into early morning. The comfortable public place I’ve slept –surprise– was the marble floor of Bolgona Airport, in front of a closed Victoria’s Secret. Just remember to wear a good amount of layers (comfy top, sweater, jacket, poofy scarf) for padding and use your backpack as a pillow. Who needs a Hilton?
Now this is a little different when you’re driving, which I do a lot now that I’m back in the states and have a car. But still, my boyfriend and I definitely still prefer the black coat of PM hours to hit the big miles. Less traffic (a HUGE deal in the Bay Area, home of asshole Priuses) and honestly, it’s a lot more peaceful. That being said, I definitely recommend having a good stock of energy-rich snacks and drinks to fuel you for your big drive. We usually have some low-sugar Rockstars or Monsters and some fruit or chips to munch on while we power through the endless highway. But we are human. And once your human brain decides it needs rest, then it needs rest.
So you’re in some unknown town in the middle of butthole nowhere and the nearest rest stop is 145 miles away? Have no fear! These are some places that I’ve tested out and have worked for me:
- 24-Hr Gas Stations, especially those with designated truck stops. These are great because you know there will be a bathroom and maybe some coffee for the morning.
- K-Mart. At corporate level, the company allows RV and overnight parking in their lots. They might not be 24 hours so you won’t have a bathroom but it’s a sure place to sleep without being bothered.
- 24-Hr grocery stores. Now some of these places have signs up against overnight parking, but that’s usually because they share a lot with other stores and want to reserve the main parking lot for customers. Something you can do is drive around to the back and sides of the parking lot. I’ve seen RVs and 18-wheelers parked in the back of these kinds of lots, and no one has ever been bothered there.
- Quiet Neighborhoods. Now these are iffy, and my last resort for overnight parking. Just be smart about where you park, try to be as far away from main driveways as possible and make sure you leave early in the morning.
In addition, here are some things you keep stashed to make car camping easy and comfortable:
- A bed! A big reason as to why we chose our Honda Fit was the space; our backseats come all the way down, which makes about the same room as an SUV. We bought a folding twin mattress that fits perfectly and it is perhaps the greatest decision we have ever made in our lives. It’s great for car camping, but it’s also useful for napping between work and school.
- A portable fan. Even during the winter, the car tends to get stuffy so we have a small, battery operated fan to keep in the front. Something I’ll probably do in the future when this one has run its course is to invest in a fan with charging batteries.
- Sun shade and/or Tinted Windows. We have all of our windows tinted because it helps keep the inside cool and also feels safer when we sleep in public places. This can get pretty expensive, so something we did is buy the tints ourselves and just pay the installation fee at a tinting service. The sunshade is great for the same reasons.
When traveling overnight and car camping, just remember to stay safe and trust your instincts. You don’t have to bust out hella cash on roadside motels but just know your surroundings. We have had trips where we planned on car camping, and ended up booking rooms last minute because I felt weird about the street parking and/or we just wanted a big bed and a shower. Remember this is about saving cash and having fun!
Thanks for reading
Dina Klarisse
Folding mattress:
Portable Fan:
Dina Klarisse 