A campervan is one of the best ways to travel.

But it’s not always easy to find a safe, comfortable, and affordable place to sleep for the night, especially near cities and towns.

Whilst nothing beats a night in the forest or at the beach, stealth camping can be a convenient way to stay in places that are not specifically designated for overnight camping.

This is us stealth camping at the botanical Gardens in Melbourne after the Aus Open tennis.

The goal isn’t to be deceptive like some people think, but rather avoid attention, sleep peacefully, and leave no trace behind.

There are a few basics to stealth camping. Over the years, we’ve come up with some ways to find a good stealth camp spot for the night – and we’re sharing them all!

Let’s start with a pretty important question…

Is It Illegal To Stealth Camp In A Van?

Well, it depends on where you are.

In Australia, the laws around sleeping in your vehicle differ between each state and territory as there is no overarching federal law:

While these differing laws are frustrating, it’s easy to understand why they are there.

If camping was legal in every popular tourist spot, everyone would probably want to camp there and amenities like toilets, bins, and shared spaces would be overrun.

The best way to avoid a fine is to be informed on local laws when you travel.

Note, laws around sleeping in your car may be different for anyone intoxicated with drugs or alcohol.

Our Guide To Stealth Camping In A Van

Stealth camping can take a bit of trial and error.

Sometimes it’s easy, but other times you’re driving around and around at night trying to find somewhere to sleep.

We’ve been there, so we got some strategies that help us find a good spot for the night.

Here are our 11 tips for stealth camping in a van:

1. Build A Stealthy Van

If you ever plan on stealth camping, it’s a good idea to design a stealthy van. For example, we have flexible low-profile solar panels so they’re harder to see, we concealed our shore power outlet inside the van, and we made black-out window coverings (not curtains though) to stop people peeking in (and not for the front windows because this could potentially draw more attention). Our van isn’t 100% stealth as we do have a skylight, but we’ve done what we can to draw less attention. And if you park strategically, everything is even less noticeable!

2. Plan For BEING Stealth

If you plan on stealth camping on your trip, consider how the outside of the van looks. For us, we intentionally don’t have roof racks, an awning, bikes, stickers, etc. on the outside of our van. Of course, we would love to have these things, but we have prioritised being inconspicuous as it gives us peace of mind because we stealth camp a lot when travelling.

3. Arrive Late And Leave Early

Your stealth parking spot should be for sleep only. Wherever we end up stealth camping, we always aim to arrive late (preferably just or after it’s dark, although not too late) and leave early (ideally before people normally start to wake up). This way, there are less people around to notice your arrival and departure. And early morning starts are good for the soul anyways!

4. Set Up BEFORE Arriving For The Night

It’s tempting to get ready for bed at your camping spot, but brushing your teeth in a carpark with lights blazing isn’t exactly stealth. Instead, set up for the night somewhere nearby including eating dinner, preparing the van, and turning off all the lights. We call this getting into “incognito mode”. That way, you can take all the time in the world to wind down for the night before you drive to your final sleeping spot.

5. Scout Your Sleeping Spot In The Daytime

Whenever we plan on stealth camping, we always try to scout the location when it’s still light. That being said, we know it’s easy to get sidetracked adventuring and end up arriving at your destination well after dark. But, where possible, scout your spot in daylight so you can assess everything around you. That way, you’ll be able to see anything that might increase your chance of getting spotted.

6. Avoid Getting Out Of The Van Once You’ve Arrived

When we stealth, we avoid getting out of the van once we’ve arrived. We climb through the van rather than opening any doors and make sure we are ready for sleep before we arrive, including a quick bathroom stop. Needing the toilet overnight is one of the worst parts of stealth camping. You don’t really want to be dashing out of your van in the middle of the night to a public toilet. Getting a toilet on board is a great solve, but a She-Wee or a pee bottle of course works too!

7. Always Look At The Parking Signs

Sometimes we find ourselves in places with parking restrictions, usually when we want to be near the hustle and bustle. Wherever you end up, always make sure to read the street signs. This includes any time restrictions, overnight rules, no parking signs, or street cleaning times. As annoying as they are, rules are rules so make sure to follow them to avoid a fine!

8. Blend In

To avoid detection, we try to find places that have at least one or two other cars nearby because it’s easier to blend in. Better yet if there’s another work or commercial van nearby. However, we avoid parking near other campervans (although it’s fun to be around other campervaners, it could potentially draw more attention to you when you stealth camp).

9. Consider Your Parking Direction

If the opportunity is there, try position the van strategically. For example, if you are near foot traffic, maybe park facing outwards to reduce visibility into the van. Or, to hide your out-of-state number plates and any condensation, parallel park between two cars. In some cases though, it might be less noticeable to just drive straight into a parking spot rather than reversing, such as when arriving late at night.

10. Add Decoys

To look more like a work vehicle (and not a campervan) we add “decoys” on the dashboard like a measuring tape, random papers, a hat, or a clipboard. We recently got a car magnet that says, “Paws On Wheels” to stick on the outside of the van and blend in more like a work van.

11. Trust Your Gut

When it comes to stealth camping, trust your gut! We’ve driven away from the “perfect spot” when something didn’t feel right, even if that meant a bit more driving when all we wanted to do was snuggle up in bed. Always have an exit plan and a back-up location (or two) just in case.

How To Find The Best Spot To Stealth in a van

While camping in a national park is unbeatable, sometimes you just want to be in and around the city. So where is the best place to park overnight in town?

These are our top 5 favourite places to search for when stealth camping:

1. Car Dealerships

No one would look twice at a Renault van that is parked next to a Renault dealership. So we often look for Renault or other car dealerships like Toyota or Ford when arriving in a new town. It’s easy to blend in and we usually feel right at home. It doesn’t work everywhere because the dealerships are usually in larger cities, but it’s a good place to start!

2. Bars

Stealth camping near bars has become a recent favourite for us. It’s pretty normal for people to leave their car overnight at a bar and just get a taxi home, so there are usually cars around all night. Having lots of different cars around helps hide the van so we’ve slept really well when we’ve done this. Cheers to a good sleep!

3. Small And Mid-Sized Apartment Buildings

Because apartment buildings are so densely populated, there are often lots of different cars parked around them. We usually look for mid-sized apartment buildings that have street car parking – not the big apartments because they commonly have internal parking, but also not too small either because they don’t offer enough anonymity. Just be aware that residents might be able to see the top of your van (i.e., solar panels, fans, rooftop decks) which could be a bit of a giveaway that you’re inside.

4. Gyms

Gyms are commonly in or near shopping centres or strips, so there are often always various cars around (especially if the gym is open 24 hours). We have an Anytime Fitness gym membership and often stealth camp near the gym when we travel. So long as we park near other cars, it’s usually pretty inconspicuous. And you can just roll out of bed and head straight to the gym for a workout in the morning (and a hot shower afterwards!).

5. Parks Or Sporting Grounds

If you find the right one, parks and sporting grounds can be a great place to stealth camp. They have the added bonus of being a good place to exercise in the morning or have a picnic breakfast. However, if there are a lot of single family homes around, you might stand out like a sore thumb, so be careful when choosing one. Try find one with apartments or stores surrounding it to help with blending in.

Other places to keep an eye out for:

· Car Mechanic/Repair Shops

Like with the dealerships, car mechanic shops usually have lots of different cars parked around them. Adding a van to the mix is just another car so can you blend right in.

· Shopping Strips

Around shopping strips, there are usually lots of cars and not many people paying attention. We’ve found that usually makes for a peaceful night’s sleep! You just have to watch out for mall security.

· Industrial Areas Or Construction Sites

It’s normal for a van to be parked near construction sites or industrial areas, especially one with a clipboard on the dash. Pick and choose the location wisely though and don’t block any access points.

· Hospitals Or Health Centres

In smaller towns, district hospitals or health centres with street parking can be a good spot. However, be respectful about it and avoid getting in the way of any emergency services.

What To Avoid When Stealth Camping

Although stealth camping offers a lot of freedom, there are a few things to be mindful of:

Don’t Disturb The Locals

Our golden rule is “Don’t disturb the locals”. This means being quiet, never leaving any mess behind, and not parking right outside someone’s front door. If you don’t disturb anyone, no one should care if you’re stealth camping!

This is a permit zone and right outside someones front door, so we wouldn’t be stealth camping here.

Leave No Trace

When it comes to stealth camping, it should be like no one knew you were ever there in the first place. Park thoughtfully, collect your rubbish, and save any grey water for a proper dump site.

Avoid Parking On A Main Street

While we like to park near other cars, we avoid parking on the main street in town. Instead, we usually opt for a side street off the main street. Otherwise, there is too much traffic, which is noisy and can increase the likelihood of you getting spotted. And it doesn’t make for a restful night!

Avoid Overly Residential Areas

While the suburbs may be more peaceful, we still try to avoid them — particularly if there are single family homes on both sides. It’s really hard to blend in because most people know their neighbours’ cars, so a random van appearing might be suspicious. Instead, we try to find apartment complexes or parks with street parking.

Don’t Stay Too Long

Although it would probably take an observant person to notice your van, avoid parking in the same spot more than once. We always move parking spots when staying in town for a few days so that we are in a completely new location each night.

Don’t Park Next To Vehicles That Look Like Campervans

While we love making friends on the road, we try to avoid parking near vans that look like someone is living inside. That is because we are doing the same thing! And two of the same could potentially raise suspicions. Instead, we opt for parking near other cars or work vans.

Avoid Parking Outside Certain Organisations

This is probably a bit obvious, but pay attention to avoid accidently parking outside places like police stations, courthouses, law offices, council buildings, school zones, government facilities, and anywhere that might have patrolling security or cameras. You might be pushing your luck otherwise!

Safety In Stealthing

Crime prevention is always something to consider when stealth camping. Your campervan is your home, and you are usually carrying everything important to you inside. It’s a good idea to invest in security measures, like an alarm system, cameras, internal locks, and hidden storage.

We also try to be aware of where we park and avoid leaving any valuables within sight. We try cover all our windows and always lock the van when we leave it. Overnight, we put the keys in an easy spot to grab at night and have a getaway plan so we can quickly drive away if we need.

Free Camping

Although we love stealth camping, we always look for a free campsite first — mainly because camping in nature is better, especially as it doesn’t have the risk that someone is coming to knock on the door in the middle of the night!

We use a few apps like Wikicamps and Hipcamp, and there are Facebook groups like Vanlife Australia. But actually, our favourite way to find a free campsite when we travel is with the Camps Australia Wide book — it’s old school but it comes in very handy when you have patchy internet or forget to plan ahead.

We got this book from a friend (thanks Ang!) and never travel without it.

Sleep Well Whilst Stealth Camping

There are so many wonderful places to explore in Australia, from the national parks to the coast.

But sometimes stealth camping in a city is simply the best option on your adventure.

People seem to get so cross at people trying to LEGALLY sleep in their van on the street.

Maybe it’s because they’ve seen other campervaners abuse the trust of communities by leaving trash or setting up camp on the nature strip.

But that isn’t stealth camping!

The keyword is stealth.

Stealth camping is about getting rest overnight when travelling and leaving without a trace.

While it’s taken a while to find a strategy that works for us, we love the freedom and lifestyle stealth camping offers.

Just make sure to check the local laws and regulations to avoid that early unwanted wake-up call!

This information is for general purposes only and is not intended legal advice. Always check the relevant state or territory laws or seek professional legal advice.

Stealth Camping In A Van Around Australia