For all other RV life tips and tricks, connect with us on all the channels.Needles, California was named after the unique jagged peaks in this region, which beckon to be experienced during the cool weather seasons. If you’re looking for more free spots to camp, check out our top 9 boondocking apps for RVers. We spent day 1 walking along the beach paths to Venice and rooftop cocktails to finish the evening while day 2 was all about the Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica camping was the best way to kick off our Pacific Coast tour (that’s what we’re calling our different routes). You’ll pass by Venice Beach and Marina del Rey along the way, giving you plenty of fun sights and beaches to explore. You can rent a bike and take the bike paths all the way to Santa Monica from Dockweiler. However, Dockweiler RV Park in Playa del Rey is the closest RV park to Santa Monica (and the only RV park on a beach in LA County)! There aren’t Harvest Host or Boondockers Welcome hosts nearby because of the parking restrictions. Without that connection, Santa Monica camping becomes much more difficult. Of course, this entire permit hinges on knowing a Santa Monica resident. is just a quick walk to Santa Monica pier (it was Ditto and Ziggy’s first time there) What to do without an oversized overnight vehicle permit in Santa Monica We arrived at 2pm, so we paid for 4 hours at the meter and stayed for 3 hours the next day exploring the pier. We spent a total of $12.50 while Santa Monica camping, making this a budget-friendly approach to exploring this fun beach city. And trust us, they check! That being said, you can request a permit for up to 30 days. Santa Monica camping is best for a night or two max because you must move your vehicle every 72 hours. Keep in mind you still must abide by all parking laws posted throughout the city even with the permit. Once you have all the required information, you’ll mail this completed application (it requires the resident’s signature) to They’re pretty fast at responding, but they may take up to 5 business days to review your application. Our favorite Santa Monica resident greeted us with rooftop Aperol Spritz. A way to pick up the permit from the resident’s home (the city mails the permit to the resident directly but you’ll also receive a temporary permit electronically).

Copy of DMV registration for the oversized vehicle.Proof of address for the Santa Monica resident (driver’s license with Santa Monica address and/or bill with resident’s name and address).Photo ID of Santa Monica resident (passport or driver’s license).Complete application for the permit (at least 10 days in advance).This was our spot on Ocean Ave overnight in Santa Monica What you’ll need for an overnight oversized vehicle permit for Santa Monica camping: For most RVers, this permit is the only way you can experience Santa Monica camping. If your rig is longer than 20 ft (ours is 23ft), you’ll need a free overnight oversized vehicle permit from the city of Santa Monica. Basically, you’ll need to pay at the meter (max 5 hrs) during the day and can park for free at night – this way is ideal for sprinter vans and shorter vehicles. There are plenty of signs throughout the Ocean Avenue area with the daily schedule to help you out. You can park your RV on and around Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica for free on metered spots from 6pm to 9am on non-street sweeper days and until 7am on street sweeper days as long as your rig is less than 20 ft long. Relaxing on the pier in Santa Monica Where can I park my RV in Santa Monica? Keeping that in mind, here’s how we navigated Santa Monica camping in an RV. The wealthier or tourist-friendly areas (like Santa Monica) also have more restrictions. We’ve noticed the more populated a city, the more restrictions they have on overnight street parking. Here are some more general tips on how to urban camp and boondock in a city

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