No camping in your car.

[Physicslawyer]

We originally had an Airbnb reservation that was cancelled by the host at the last minute. We are a few hours away from home for a festival. They have tent pads with electric. I just bought a mattress for the car, so I thought this would be a perfect chance to camp in the Tesla.

So, we got here a few minutes ago. If you don't have a tent, you can't camp. No camping in your car. We might go to Walmart and buy a tent to set up next to the car so they don't bother us.

Has this happened to you, where you are not allowed to camp unless you set up a tent?

(I had the festival promoter tell us we should be okay, but the fairgrounds camping rep seemed pretty serious. I don't want a knock in the middle of the night asking us to leave. And, this is not a fancy place)

 

[Tam]

...fairgrounds camping rep seemed pretty serious...

It all depends on the location's policy.

Some would welcome sleeping in your car, some would not.

You can certainly sleep in your car at the Bureau of Land Management and National Forest Land.

 

[Physicslawyer]

This place has hundreds of tent sites with electric that are separate from the RV sites. About 5% of the tent sites are taken. I have been told by one person they would look the other way, and by the woman in charge of camping, no way. I was initially planning on paying for a tent site so I could park on pavement and charge. It's only $25/night. There is a Supercharger not too far away also. Home is two hours away, so we could go home at night. We were planning on sleeping here and going home in the morning and going to the gym, checking on the pets, etc.

 

[brkaus]

Get the tent. Set it up. It’s their rules.

 

[bourgain]

We originally had an Airbnb reservation that was cancelled by the host at the last minute. We are a few hours away from home for a festival. They have tent pads with electric. I just bought a mattress for the car, so I thought this would be a perfect chance to camp in the Tesla.

So, we got here a few minutes ago. If you don't have a tent, you can't camp. No camping in your car. We might go to Walmart and buy a tent to set up next to the car so they don't bother us.

Has this happened to you, where you are not allowed to camp unless you set up a tent?

This happened to me at KOV campsite in PA. I had reserved it and prepaid. They told me it was state law. When I asked to get my money back, they called the owner to make an exception for me. I was testing out camping in my Model 3 with my dog. If I had to bail, fortunately I was just a couple of hours from home.

 

[bourgain]

I forgot to say that space was pretty tight in my Model 3 camping experience. I did this experiment when my wife was traveling. There was (barely) enough room for me and my dog. It wouldn't have worked for 2 adults. I somewhat regret not getting a Model Y for this reason, although we don't camp that often.

 

[Physicslawyer]

Target has a tent for $29. We will go there after we eat and set up a tent next to the car. This is also in PA.

 

[Yelobird]

Target has a tent for $29. We will go there after we eat and set up a tent next to the car. This is also in PA.

Just drape the tent over the car and done.

 

[Physicslawyer]

Just drape the tent over the car and done.

Hah!!

 

[Brolan]

I carry a little pup tent for this reason. It’s a good place to store your stuff that is normally in the trunk while sleeping.

 

[kelpcar]

I carry a little pup tent for this reason. It’s a good place to store your stuff that is normally in the trunk while sleeping.

I have a to scale tent suitable for my smaller cat. Has zipped doors, a rain fly, is 16" square. This also meets the literal requirement of having a tent, but all of this is a problem of reasonability. I think the tarp over the car is the best idea suggested.

No sleeping in cars is an awkward response to our nation's problem with homelessness. It attempts to restrict camping to those who do it voluntarily, but is inappropriately applied to the OP's circumstance. Are they really walking around all sites to inspect and enforce?

 

[bourgain]

Target has a tent for $29. We will go there after we eat and set up a tent next to the car. This is also in PA.

I was told that some states, such as PA, have laws on the books that prevent car camping that were enacted before there were EVs. Of course, you'd want to prevent people from camping in an ICE car and using AC, but PA, evidently, hasn't kept up with the times. I didn't have any issues in VA when we used a RV site in order to charge the car; however, in that case we also slept in a tent. At the KOA site in PA they challenged me when they saw that I only had a car for an RV site...

 

[Physicslawyer]

When I got back to the camp ground, I was literally followed around by a guy in a golf cart, every direction I went, he went. I pulled over. He yelled at me, "And don't you dare park on a tent pad and don't go down that way, it's not a road..etc..etc...and if you park on a pad you will never come back to this place!!" I was not parking on a tent pad, I had not planned to, and it was interesting how many people were camping in vans, because that apparently is okay.

One of the local businesses has welcomed us to park at their location.

I was going to buy a tent. I told them I will not be staying here, now, or ever, so they don't need to worry about it. I'm supposed to be here for a relaxing trip.

 

[Physicslawyer]

I have a to scale tent suitable for my smaller cat. Has zipped doors, a rain fly, is 16" square. This also meets the literal requirement of having a tent, but all of this is a problem of reasonability. I think the tarp over the car is the best idea suggested.

No sleeping in cars is an awkward response to our nation's problem with homelessness. It attempts to restrict camping to those who do it voluntarily, but is inappropriately applied to the OP's circumstance. Are they really walking around all sites to inspect and enforce?

Oh, there are people here driving around in their golf carts looking high and low for.....a Tesla. The vans all are fine, as well as an SUV parked on a tent pad. Just the Tesla.

 

[jcanoe]

Place liner in frunk and fill with water. Drop in a fishing line with a bobber. Tell them you're fishing not camping.

 

[CaptUAL]

These Camping places are stupid- I got yelled at to IMMEDIATELY put out my Tiki Torches, or they would call police. I said, “blow it out yourself“. So 20 minutes later the cops show. They just laughed And laughed…..For God sake…they are Solar LED torches

 

[NudleBoy]

Music festival? Get a foldable canopy and then sleep in your car. I did that at Coachella.

 

[Watts_Up]

I wonder if a camping car, or a van with sleeping accommodation (like a VW Vanagon) would be allowed ?

 

[Physicslawyer]

All of the vans are allowed.

They would not permit a canopy, it has to be a tent.

We drove home. I was so annoyed yesterday. We have a tent in the garage we could bring, but I don't want to give them two cents or stay there. They had some major power trips. I feel bad for them, since they enjoyed ordering me around as much as they did.

One of the guys actually works for the promoter of the event, and not the location. I spoke with the daughter of the promoter last night. She told me we could stay in the Tesla and it would not be an issue. She then went to tell me about everyone who stays in their cars and how some of them use drugs/get drunk. I explained the interaction, and she said golf cart guy works for her dad. I left my name and contact info, so hopefully they will speak with "Mr. Never Come Back." The mean woman patrolling I believe works for the location.

I want to know how much we would have been bothered had this not been a Tesla? I once had an older woman go off on me about "you think you are so special," when I got out of my Vette, that I had parked away from the other cars. Nobody says anything when I'm driving the Prius.

 

[JohnB007]

I was told that some states, such as PA, have laws on the books that prevent car camping that were enacted before there were EVs. Of course, you'd want to prevent people from camping in an ICE car and using AC, but PA, evidently, hasn't kept up with the times. I didn't have any issues in VA when we used a RV site in order to charge the car; however, in that case we also slept in a tent. At the KOA site in PA they challenged me when they saw that I only had a car for an RV site...

So every camping sites in PA disallow car camping? Darn. I wonder which other states would have this rule, since we are planning to do more trips in the future.

Looks like we will need to carry a backpacking tent and set it there, just to pretend that we are sleeping in the tent instead of the car... It's so much more comfy sleeping in the Tesla than in the tent...