Stealth camping (sometimes called “urban camping”) means finding a place to park your camper and sleep in it with no one knowing. The goals are two-fold:

1. get through the night without a “knock” from police
2. do it for free

Common approaches to stealthiness include:

• arriving late to the spot and leaving early
• rotating spots instead of staying in one place. If you are stealthing in a particular city, build a rotation of sleep spots to keep from overusing any
• street parking around businesses where others street park
• parking near 24hr businesses
• parking between two 24hr businesses so each thinks you are at the other
• using the spot only for sleeping, not cooking or anything else
• staying inside, and keeping all belongings inside
• staying still to avoid moving the van
• tinting or blacking out windows to minimize light exposure
• parking under streetlights to help hide light leakage from your windows. Also helps with security.
• blackout curtain between van cab and living space
• staying in more working-class neighborhoods if residential stealthing is necessary. Park in front of vacant lots if possible to avoid police calls.
• entering vehicle through the driver's door instead of through back hatch or side doors

Some cities or counties forbid sleeping in vehicles, parking RVs, etc. Famously, the Los Angeles law against living in a car was struck down by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as being “unconstitutionally vague”.²⁾

Since the 9th Circuit covers much of the west coast this may have special value for snowbirds.³⁾

A similar shift occurred in 1972 when SCOTUS struck down Jacksonville, Florida's vagrancy law.⁴⁾

Some cities have for local zoning maps online⁵⁾

It is possible to get a DUI in a parked vehicle.⁶⁾

Normal activities like using the toilet or bathing could be considered indecent exposure if witness by the public.⁷⁾ Be discreet!