5 Best and Worst Westcoast Cities for Urban Boondocking

So you’ve got the urge to live in your van? Undoubtedly, here in the United States, the west coast is the best coast for vanlife. The weather is mild. The culture is laid back. And the views out of your van window are guaranteed to be unbelievable. But just like anyplace with so many positives, there are bound to be some drawbacks.

While vanlife is all about being open to experiencing life as it comes to you, it’s always good practice to be prepared. Before you say goodbye to conventional living and hit the road check out my list of the 5 best and worst cities for urban boondocking.

**Before you get to the list it’s important to note that I have successfully spent multiple nights boondocking in every city on the list. Even the worst cities can be slept in, but why add the unnecessary stress to your life. Especially in San Jose or Salt Lake City where the no overnight parking signs are EVERYWHERE!! Better to just hang out for the day and keep it pushing.

The 5 Best Urban Boon Docking Cities: These cities standout because of their ample free parking, lenient overnight parking rules, and welcoming vanlife culture.

San Diego, CA

Eugene, OR

Santa Barbara, CA

San Jose, CA

Vancouver, WA

The 5 Worst Urban Boon Docking Cities : These cities are fine to explore during the day, but not so awesome as a place to park for the night because of strictly enforced parking laws, lack of flat land to park on, and overall lack of enthusiasm for vanlife culture.

Salt Lake City, UT

Las Vegas, NV

San Francisco, CA

Seattle, WA

San Luis Obispo, CA