Camping in my car?

[User76443998]

To cut a long story short….

My child will be away for a week in the summer on a music camp. My child wants to go but often struggles being away from home and there is a 50/50 chance I will need to visit during the week or take my child out for a night “off” midweek (I would book a local hotel for a night if this happens).

There is also the possibility that they will be fine and not need me!

I would LOVE a break while they are at camp. A night or two away by the sea. The camp is in Devon and I love Cornwall.

I don’t want to book anywhere because a) money is as tight as tight can be and b) I might need to cancel for the reasons above.

I know Cornwall really well. Is it crazy to think I could go down for a few nights and camp in my car? Just parking on quiet residential roads? There is a local leisure centre in the town I would stay in that I can use for showers and I’d be swimming in the sea every day anyway. THIS IS JUST FOR ME, I ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT CAR CAMP WITH MY CHILD.

Is it safe? I’d curl up on the back seat with a window open a crack and be covered with a duvet…

AIBU? I’m sure I’ll get some interesting replies. Off to sleep now so hope for some wisdom in the morning!

The campsites I know wouldn’t allow sleeping in a car (I have checked) and are expensive in the summer anyway. And the problem remains that if I can’t make it down I’d lose the money…

I’ve only slept in my car once when there was an accident and the road was closed so I had no option! But it was surprisingly ok and not too uncomfortable!

Maybe take an eye shield and spongy ear plugs.

have you “curled up” and slept in a car before? I’d suggest it’s not as comfy 6 hours in when you’re dying to stretch out flat and have only fitfully dozed for hours….

I've done this at a festival once back in the 90s! The camping tickets were sold out so we got two day tickets and stayed in the car park (field) overnight. My friend and I wound down the front seats to almost flat and slept on them. Not comfortable, but served the purpose!

To everyone saying to OP to camp - you have to book and she didn't want to book.

I agree that this way you'll get the flexibility you need OP. And I hope you enjoy the trip!

Do it OP. I’ve sleepy on residential streets but in a van so no one callus see In.
Have a great trip!

... She's in her car... Don't you have a phone charger in yours? We use the cigarette lights d an adaptor.

People do it all the time here. If you are discreet, respectful and don’t stay in the same place for days on end then you’ll get away with it fine.

I wouldn’t park on a residential street though. You’re better off in a remote spot.

There have been problems with lots of van dwellers congregating in some towns and it pisses off the locals, but mainly because of mess, noise and clogging up valuable parking.

You would have to sleep with car unlocked or the alarm will keep going off!

Search for sites gives information on free and cheap places to stay in a vehicle. There is a cost to getting the App but the website is free. Many people wild camp on the SW coastal path so that’s an alternative idea if you are prepared to walk with a tent from an access point.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure.

Just buy a cheap tent.

Good for you, go for it, you'll be fine. I wouldn't notice someone asleep in a car and if I saw them I would think they're asleep! Who cares about looking fresh when/if had to pick your child up, that doesn't matter. Get some car blackout blinds and go for it I say. You'll figure out where to park when you're there, I'm sure it's not that unusual in Cornwall.

No it won’t.

I’ve car camped for 3 nights before, stayed at a 24h motorway services which was useful, a lay-by and a random field, had absolutely no issues and it was actually comfortable.

Go for it OP. I would suggest a more remote spot rather than residential areas as others have.

It’s the cost of the campsite that is the problem which is expensive whichever tent you have. DH who generally sleeps in the car for events used a campsite the other week and it was £30 a night. He slept in his car there as he couldn’t be bothered to pitch a tent then have it damp to pack away

This is madness....your child may well be homesick but will be supported by adults running the week and learn coping strategies. I have taken youth groups away many times and have experience of this. Stop worrying and have a break yourself.

Bloody do it OP! It sounds like a great adventure!

In DH car you can set the car alarm to not go off

Often these roads have bits that are not outside a house
you could check out parking spots on street view or maps beforehand

Why don’t you book a campsite and car camp there? Will be safer and not too expensive.

I've done it when arriving into a pre-booked campsite late at night in poor weather (plus when storms are battering the tent) and it's not much fun. Condensation, little space to move/ put stuff, awkward gaps between seats, length of daylight, no outdoor space to chill out and lack of privacy are my initial thoughts.

Then finding pleasant, overnight parking spots with no risk of fines/ intrustion.

Then dealing with sandy/ wet beach gear.

It doesn't sound like a relaxing break to me at all.

I take your point but honestly I don’t want to pack a camping stove and saucepan etc

Most have 2-3 hour maximum stay.

Church camping is indeed a thing

I think you want a remoter spot where nobody will look in. I did this once in Cornwall in a National Trust car park (which is not allowed) - cleared out at about 6am and nobody noticed.

I don’t understand why you’d not just go to a campsite since you already have a tent!

- The simple concept of camping in ancient churches champing.co.uk/ Church camping

Sorry, no idea what happened to the link I posted above. See if this works

Because OP is trying to save money and Cornish campsites in the summer can get pricey.

Edited to correct spelling