Sleeping in Truck in The Santa Cruz Area

[surfhb]

Traveling up to Santa Cruz next week and was wondering if anyone here is certain there won't be cops hassling me if i were to get 5 hours of shut eye in the various turns off on Hwy 1?     

Any other options / advice are appreciated.    Looks like the campgrounds are filled up

[iamlindoro]

Santa Cruz itself has banned sleeping in any vehicle at night, so you would need to be outside the city limits.  I presume from you saying along Hwy 1 that you know that.  Anywhere outside the city you are likely to be ignored.  There are hundreds of car sleepers up and down the highway, particularly around Davenport.

It's probably worth mentioning that the local residents are pretty unhappy about it, so there's no promise that you won't be hassled, but it's probable that you won't.

[nereo]

as a long-time SC resident I thought I'd chime in and say it can be really sketchy area to sleep in your van.  There have been plenty of incidents along that stretch, from simple vandalism to some serious assaults.  As a result, CHP like to 'check' (read; harass) cars that are pulled over at night.

As iamlindoro said, the locals hate it, and so you won't get much sympathy there.  If you are next to any of the ag fields you also might get harasses by the night patrols that make sure no one is helping themselves to free produce.

best of luck
N

[surfhb]

I guess times are different now.    :(

Thanks.....I'll keep looking for campsites or find a motel 6

[surfhb]

Are you looking for place right in SC or just for a place to stop enroute? If the later have you thought of taking 101 up instead? I know - boring - but there is a nice rest stop mid-way up where you can sleep in your truck without getting hassled. Plus it's a nice time of year and will be very green and flowery on 101 so might actually be a nice drive. There is a Motel 6 in San Simeon and Morro Bay if you do drive up the coast on 1 - also Pismo Beach and 2 in SLO - but all can be pretty expensive if you're going on a weekend but worth checking out their website. You could probably crash in your truck somewhere in SLO or even Morro Bay and not get hassled since they are both bigger towns then most places up the coast. And if you are driving at night - remember this is fog season so the coast may be blanketed with near zero visibility at night. Otherwise - have fun :-)!!

ETA - There's also a Motel 6 in SC as well as in Watsonville right off hwy 1 not too far away.

Wed- Staying with my cousin in SLO
Thurs - Surf and hangout out in SC all Day
Fri- San Fransisco / Berkeley
Sat- Drive home to HB

Im looking at the Motel 6 in Watsonsville but part of the point of this trip is to keep it under $200 total for the 4 days (gas and food basically)    Thanks for the tips

[ClaycordJCA]

Have you checked campsite availability at Sunset State Beach?  It is immediately west of Watsonville.

[surfhb]

Have you checked campsite availability at Sunset State Beach?  It is immediately west of Watsonville.

Thank You.    Not sure how I missed that....I booked a site for Thurs