free camp motorhomes rentals rv caravans for hire los angeles

The listings given here are a courtesy of FreeCampgrounds.com and are intended to assist in the location of organizations that provide a special service and not as an endorsement of these firms. No liability or responsibility is assumed for the services rendered by any organization that is listed. Do not take anything written here literally as it may or may not apply to your trip. Information can change at any given day.

Occidental: The Union Hotel offers some of the best Italian dining in Northern California. RVers who partake of a meal at this wonderful old hotel can park overnight in the parking lot. Occidental is a picturesque little community inland from Bodega Bay. No hookups. For more information call 707-874-3555.

Redding: The Win River Casino offers free overnight stays in its parking lot. The casino is located west of I-5, north of Anderson and south of Redding. Exit I-5 at Bonnyview Road and travel south to the third street signal. Turn right and you are there.

Ripon: Jimco Truck Plaza allows an overnight stay "as long as it's in a parking space," according to the person we spoke with. Look for Jimco at 1022 Frontage Road alongside California Route 99.

Bakersfield Vicinity: East of Bakersfield: Hiway 58 just east of the intersection with Hwy 395 around and behind the ARCO gas station. FREE parking. When we were there, parked were everything from truck campers to 18 wheelers. Not fancy, but free.

Boron: "A rest area just outside of Boron, Calif., permits overnighting. There are no hookups or dump, but it's free."

Lone Pine: Turtle Creek BLM campground is located off US-395, west of Lone Pine. Go west about 3 miles on Whitney Portal Road, turn left onto Horseshoe Meadows Road, just under 2 miles turn right onto the campground road. There is water available but is not tested and is not certified safe for drinking. There is no charge for camping but they do accept donations to help maintain the campground, water, trees, etc.

Southern California

Adelanto (near Victorville): Adelanto allows overnight camping in its city park just one short block off Highway 395. The restrooms are not the cleanest I have ever seen but then, for that price, what do you want?

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Twelve campgrounds are available in this huge park, but it is one of the few California parks that allows open camping throughout its 600,00 acres. A fee of $5 is required for such primitive camping, and slightly more at designated sites.

Baker: A large, free, overnight parking lot for trucks and RVs isl ocated across the street from the Bun-Boy Restaurant and Motel. It's right downtown -- can't miss it.

Death Valley Junction: Actress/ballerina Marta Becket permits overnight RV camping in the parking lot of her Armagosa Opera House for a $2 donation. Be sure to see her one-woman show, staged in the winter season only (too hot in summer).

Joshua Tree National Park (29 Palms): "Seventeen miles east of the Twentynine Palms on Highway 62 is the Star's Way Out Cafe. Owner Dave will let you dry-camp on his property at no charge. If your rig is not self-contained he will even leave the restroom open after closing time."

Niland/Slab City: Slab City, on the shores of the Salton City near Niland, is a haven for boondockers. Camp for free forever here on an abandoned military training center. Hundreds of RVers hole up in the mild winter, many in organized groups with special interests (single RVers, for example). Bring your own water and power (solar panels are popular) and a little extra cash to shop at the ongoing, informal swap meet. Slab City isn't just a place, it's an experience.

Needles: The city park by the old railroad station downtown provides free overnight parking for self-contained RVs.

Oceanside: A reader reported that the Oceanside Wal-Mart kicked her out late at night. So avoid it. (7-00). But if you park at the the Sam's Club right next to the Wal-mart in Oceanside you will have no problem. Actually it's inland a bit in the town of Vista right off of Hwy 78 just east of Oceanside.

Palo Verdes: Palos Verde County Park is 92 miles from State Route 78. Up to three days of free camping is permitted. Thirty sites are available, 45 foot maximum on RVs.

Santa Barbara/Malibu: WalMart is at the Rose exit off Route 101 near Oxnard/Ventura. There are also other locations close by, and across the freeway as well from this location. Another location for overnite is down behind the gas station on the cornor of Harbor Blvd, and Seaward, which is near central Ventura. Behind this gas station is a little used area for parking and is adjacent to the west end of a strip mall. The advantage here is it is extremely quiet, dark and close to grocery store and other strip mall type stores.

Now for all day parking: This area is sometimes tricky when you're not from this area, but starting from Malibu and going northward, there are many, many locations to park along the road overseeing the ocean, and in most cases, the water will be your doorstep!

The next good location is going up along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to an area called Cabrillo State Park. There is paid overnight camping here, with wonderful shade and quiet atmosphere, but just outside and up along the PCH is daytime parking where you can soak up the sunshine, have a BBQ, and swim in the great Pacific ocean. After all is said and done, there are outside showers there to get off the salt water, and after dark, a full shower is not uncommon.

Traveling north, up along the PCH, we next come to a place just before reaching the naval bases in Oxnard, a vista cutout called Point Mugu Rock, which is popular for viewing stunning sunsets. When traveling north along the coast, it is easily recognizable even in the dark. Parking is permitted until 10 pm.

On the other side of Ventura, is numerous coastal locations where day parking is abundant, as well as paid camping up to Santa Barbara. Emma Woods area is another place where many campers stop and spend the days as well as the evenings.

This stretch along the coast between Malibu and Santa Barbara, is unique, in that the temperatures year around are almost always moderate, even when Los Angeles Is baking, and even in the winter months, is kept at a comfortable level when other areas are un comfortably cool. but don't be fooled, in the summer, just over the mountains, it can jump as much as 25-30 degrees warmer. When its 104 in LA, its most often under 75-80 degrees in Ventura.

Tecopa: Many RVers and tenters often camp on an open piece of BLM land at the intersection of Tecopa Hot Springs Road and Highway 127. There is a lot of free camping in this area.

Walker Pass: A BLM campground is located on California route 178 east approximately 30 miles past Lake Isabella; the campground visible from the road. This is fairly close to U.S. 395 and Ridgecrest.

Towns in California where you cannot stay overnight in your RV

Corona: It is illegal to park an RV on a city street between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Pasadena: It is illegal to camp on city streets in Pasadena.

The Apricot Tree Restaurant, at exit 368 (north of the Coalinga exit) allows RVers to stay overnight for free in its parking lot. Be sure to order some apricot pie.

Harris Ranch A bit farther south, at exit 333 (state route 198), allows RVers to overnight for free in its quiet parking lot between the hotel and restaurant (good food).

California Highway Rest Areas Stays up to eight hours are permitted. Many RVers stay the night at rest stops.

California Highway Rest Stops; "Overnighting at highway rest stops in California: The law says "NO", but it really becomes the discretion of the Patrol Officer, or Commander for that area. Where we have high crime report activity we will 'suggest' moving along. Some of our rest stops, particularly those close to major metropolitan areas, are prime "Gimme all your cash and credit cards!!" opportunities for the missguided youth of the area. If you ARE going to hole up there, make it one night only, lock every entry to your coach to eliminate surprise visits, and don't open your door for ANYONE except a law enforcement officer no matter what the sob story, screaming or other enticement.

A lot of RVers hole up in these places. We have never heard of anyone being kicked out for spending the night. You can figure that if you see a lot of other RVers and truckers parked late in the evening, they will likely be around until morning. It's unlikely you will encounter any problems if you join them (other than noise from big rig trucks).

Frazier Park rest area on I-5 has dump stations at no charge. Also, there looked like a number of trucks and RV's overnighting in the rest area on Highway 99 near Tipton.