3. Block out noise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Too much noise<\/a> can keep you awake all night long. Earplugs<\/a> can help. Or, if you prefer to offset road noise with a calming soundtrack of your own, then put on noise-canceling headphones and listen to soothing sleep sounds<\/a>, white noise<\/a>, or green noise<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you’re napping in the passenger seat or planning to camp out in your car after nightfall, it’s wise to pack a\u00a0travel pillow<\/a>.\u00a0Most travel pillows are U-shaped to offer neck support without taking up as much space as a standard bed pillow. Keeping your neck in a safe, neutral position can help you feel more comfortable sleeping upright with the seatbelt on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Always crack at least one window to avoid condensation on the inside of the windows from your breath,” recommends outdoor writer and editor Danielle Taylor Phillippi<\/a>. To stay safe, don’t leave a crack large enough for a person to reach inside the car. Even the smallest crack can help with airflow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t repeat travel writer Kaeli Conforti’s<\/a> first car camping experience. “It was too hot, so I kept opening the doors or window, which let the mosquitos in, so [my boyfriend] kept closing everything,” she recalls. She only later learned that most car campers put screens in their windows for bug-free ventilation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “In the US, truck stops, Cracker Barrels, and Walmarts are known for generally being friendly to road-trippers needing a place to park and sleep for the night,” says Phillippi. Still, she prefers the darker, calmer parking lots of churches, parks, and cemeteries.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, taking stock of your surroundings before drifting off for the night is up to you. If you’re in a place that doesn’t instinctually feel safe for sleeping, don’t stay. Drive for a few minutes until you find someplace better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I spent nearly six months road-tripping across the US and used peer-reviewed websites [and] apples like freecampsites.net<\/a>, Campendium<\/a>, the Dyrt<\/a>, and iOverlander<\/a> to find legal (and safe!) places to camp,” says Cassie Wilkins<\/a>, writer and founder of Wild & Free Roadtrips<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some states and cities have laws against overnight parking without a permit. Stay safe\u2014and legal!\u2014by looking up local laws and ordinances before camping in your car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the easiest ways to ensure you’re legally parked for sleeping? Drive to public lands, says Wilkins. Find more information about dispersed camping (camping on public land not explicitly designated as a campground) at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Another top tip would be to download offline maps on your phone before your trip, so you can always find your way even when you don’t have any service,” says Wilkins.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re car camping in remote places, then chances are high that you’ll have spotty cell phone coverage. Locate a few possible car camping spots in advance, then have a map handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find the best sleep mask for you at Saatva<\/p>\n \n Drift into dreamland with our sleep-enhancing eye mask made of the finest quality mulberry silk. It keeps light out for more uninterrupted sleep\u2014no matter where you are.<\/p>\n\n\n \n \n Shop Now\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n Drift into dreamland with our sleep-enhancing weighted eye mask made of the finest quality mulberry silk. It blocks out light for more restful sleep as it gives your eyes the calming, therapeutic effect of deep pressure stimulation.<\/p>\n\n\n \n \n Shop Now\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n If they stay buckled up correctly, then it’s safe for passengers to sleep in a moving car overnight. It’s also safe to sleep in a parked car overnight if you prepare by finding a safe, legal parking spot and ensuring you can regulate temperature and airflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like in your bedroom, minimizing light and noise are the best ways to fall asleep in a car. If you plan to go car camping for prolonged periods, then Phillippi and Wilkins suggest using a vehicle with room for a foam mattress<\/a> in the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don’t have access to ready-made car window sunshades, then you can block light and gain privacy by creating a window covering with cut cardboard and tape or blackout curtains with pins or velcro affixed to the sides and ceiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Get a travel pillow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Encourage airflow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Consider a portable window screen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Find a safe, free place to park<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Get recommendations from fellow car campers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Check local laws before car camping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. Download offline maps <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n <\/a>\n\n \n Silk Eye Mask<\/a>\n <\/h4>\n\n \n
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\n <\/a>\n\n \n Weighted Silk Eye Mask<\/a>\n <\/h4>\n\n \n
FAQs <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Is it safe to sleep in a car overnight?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What’s the best way to sleep in a car? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How do you cover car windows for sleeping? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n