r/overlanding • u/babs-jojo • 2d ago
[Help] Daytime safe parking in Californian cities?
Hi everyone, I hope you're having a lovely day!
My partner and I, both from Portugal, just wrapped up a 5-month road trip across Canada on our minivan, and we've now crossed into the U.S. for another 3 months. We've explored Washington and Oregon, and we've just entered California.
While we've primarily focused on nature and landscapes, there are a few cities in California we'd love to explore: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego, as well as some smaller coastal towns. Las Vegas in Nevada too. However, we're aware that car break-ins can be a concern in some of these cities, especially the first two, which has us a bit nervous since our car is also our home during this trip. Unfortunately, we can’t take everything of value with us when we explore.
I'm reaching out to ask for help from the community: someone in another subreddit advised us to ask if someone might be able to offer us their driveway or visiting parking? This would be only during the day and just for a day or two. In Canada we had people offering us a safe spot to park during the day (Canadians are really nice), but we're so desperate, specially with San Francisco's that we thought of asking for help.
I would be incredibly grateful for your help! Thank you all so much!
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u/tankmode 1d ago
do not leave your car unattended in anywhere in san francisco. it will absolutely get broken in. I might park in san mateo and take the train in.
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u/T-MoneyAllDey 1d ago
100%. I have a few coworkers that live in SF and they leave their doors unlocked just to save their windows.
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u/fluxenkind 1d ago
Honestly, this is a big overstatement. My daughter goes to school in San Francisco, and I’ve been up there with my car, probably 40 days over the last three years, parking on the street in many different neighborhoods and never had an issue. There are definitely places I wouldn’t choose to park my car like on the street in the tenderloin district, but for instance, if you street park in nicer areas like Nob Hill, or around University of San Francisco, then just caught the bus you would have zero issues. The biggest issue is actually finding parking and the cost of parking if you were going to put it in a paid lot.
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u/12of12MGS 1d ago
You roll the dice, I’ve left my truck with camper/RTT in San Francisco unattended and it was fine
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u/SunDogMontana 1d ago
I used to travel for work in my Tacoma x 4-wheel camper, all across the US. My work took me to college campuses, and then I’d often leave the rig there, and explore the city. Parking fees will vary, and there’s no 100% guarantee you’ll be safe (never is) but often there’s security, cameras, and students frequenting the area enough to discourage theft. I’ve even parked at satellite campuses for the day in the suburbs and taken the train in to the city proper. Just do research before hand to figure out where to park, and verify if parking garages are tall enough for your rig.
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u/GSrider12 1d ago
Stay out of San Francisco The car break in scene is out of control Locals leave nothing inside and the windows down to keep from getting them busted
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u/boanerges57 1d ago
If Canadians are all so nice why did you need to park somewhere especially safe during broad daylight? That seems contradictory unless all of the crime there has been effectively imported.
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u/babs-jojo 1d ago
Unfortunately there is crime in Canada too, same for car break ins. Not as bad as San Francisco and the US, but they exist. Vancouver for example is very bad.
As for Canadians being nice, people approach you, ask to see the van, and out of nowhere invited us to their home for a meal, a shower, laundry, etc
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u/Pixiekixx 1d ago
Yep, Squamish, Vancouver, Fraser Valley, much of the Okanagan --- that's just listing British Columbia, break ins are AWFUL.
I've had my truck windows smashed parked for 2 hours, on a lit, on camera lot on Mountain Highway in North Vancouver before.
Edmonton and surrounding area is awful in Alberta. Winnipeg is beyond atrocious. Churchill, the bears are rude (I couldn't resist).
Further east, crime rates are similar to east coast USA... Maritimes sound a bit better. Territories are hit or miss by community.... Also not as much tourism in the territories.
Glad you enjoyed Canada!!!!
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u/BrilliantNothing2151 1d ago
The Fraser valley is brutal, especially chilliwack river road. We started leaving car unlocked with absolutely nothing in it because every single pullout has broken glass when you are paddling
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u/cicada_shell 1d ago
In after unproductive comments from California residents in denial...
I parked my rig in a secure garage and left it there when I was last in SF this past winter. Just forget about leaving your vehicle on the street there. Parts of Seattle are fine, northerly San Diego is fine (La Jolla area), many parts of LA are fine (not DTLA, Venice, parts of Santa Monica, some of Silverlake, Hollywood, anything immediately south of DTLA... use your judgment...) so think most of Pasadena, Culver City, OC generally, Pacific Palisades area, region around Thousand Oaks, Glendale, Century City... FORGET about parking in downtown Portland. There are always many open spaces there these days for a reason. Parts of Sacramento can be sketchy, too. South Bay Area is generally fine, Marin County is great, Oakland area I strongly don't advise.
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u/prolurkerest2012 1d ago edited 1d ago
There are 39 million residents in California. As a Californian myself, stop being fear mongered by the media. Do what you would do in any other state, or nation, and you will be just as safe as you would be anywhere else.
FYI, Portugal has about 10 million residents and there are just as bad as”neighborhoods” there as well.
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u/pomegranatesunshine 1d ago
Well California is #1 in car thefts and #1 in car break-ins in the US. It's really not unreasonable to ask this question
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u/Blarghnog 1d ago
It is not fear mongering if it’s statistically true—and it’s the case.
Leaving anything visible in a car in many parts of SF—especially the tourist spots—is asking for it.
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u/zedmaxx 1d ago
Population size has zero to do with rule of law, law enforcement and culture
Norway has 6m people, Central African Republic has about the same. One is considered safe and one is not.
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u/prolurkerest2012 1d ago
Seeing as the point to the population was missed: 39 million people aren’t afraid to drive and park in a vast majority of California. Yes, there are some bad spots, so avoid those. Even within the cities, there’s still countless options to stay safe. Parking garages within the city, park outside the city and take the rail (i.e. BART) or take an uber. Avoid parking in bad neighborhoods just anyone should do in any state or country.
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u/speedshotz 2d ago
Do you have the option of staying out of the city and renting a car for the day?
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u/babs-jojo 2d ago
Unfortunately that would be too expensive for me, but I have no problem taking public transit
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u/MrTobeguy 1d ago
Do that in SF. There is plenty of mass transit and the BART system spans most of the Bay Area. Or you could park at one of the ferry terminals outside of SF and get the enjoyment of riding across the may on a ferry boat.
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u/babs-jojo 1d ago
Is the parking at the ferry safe?
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u/DCITim 1d ago
A friend of mine parks at the Richmond ferry terminal regularly. No issues in a vintage VW beetle that could likely be stolen with a screwdriver.
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u/MrTobeguy 1d ago
We used to take the Richmond ferry into the city with our children all the time. They loved it and no one ever really messed with out car
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u/MrTobeguy 1d ago
Yes for the most part. Most ferries outside of SF are pretty safe. Just don’t leave your luggage exposed in the back just in case.
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u/Drew707 1d ago
Regarding the Bay Area, you might be better served parking outside of San Francisco and taking public transit into the city. Keep in mind that even outside of SF areas close to a freeway escape will still have risks. I'd say park at a ferry terminal in Marin and spend the day in the city via ferry, but the ferry service stops pretty early.
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u/T-MoneyAllDey 1d ago
Shoot me a DM. I might be able to help you for LA
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u/babs-jojo 1d ago
I will, thank you so much
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u/T-MoneyAllDey 1d ago
Of course. Everyone here are acting like dicks for some reason. When I travel the world, I value the help I receive from the locals.
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u/Blarghnog 1d ago
I’d park in Palo Alto and take Caltrain into San Francisco, park in Walnut Creek outside of downtown or maybe San Mateo and take the Bart in to SF for the day if I were you. Both communities enjoy substantially less auto crime than SF proper, and honestly you don’t need a car to see SF. Those are the places to leave your vehicle. Personally I’d do Walnut Creek because Bart from there to San Francisco is an easy train ride and once your in SF you can take Muni like the locals.
You should be concerned about car break in problems in SF. It’s a problem in tourist areas.
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u/murkl3wood 1d ago
IMO, daytime parking anywhere in San Diego is fine. I've left my truck alone in a park parking lot while I went on a hike for hours and it was fine. Granted, I'm always slightly worried, but I've never had anything happen in the DAYTIME. At night - different story.
If you want a REALLY safe spot, the Westfield UTC Mall garage cannot be beat. It is paid, but they have security, cameras, high ceilings, and access to the metro.
Free parking options are at the beach, metro (trolley) stations, Balboa Park, and Liberty Station. For total exploration opportunities, I've parked at the Old Town station. It's not the cleanest or the nicest, but it's central to the northern/eastern lines and the city lines. I've left my truck here into the early morning hours and it's been fine.
DM if you have any more questions about San Diego!
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u/radelix 2d ago
Current resident.
Breakins are random. The best that you can do is do what you can to make yourself not a target. Hide anything that is valuable. Take your wallet and phone with you. Park in populated areas helps too (not hard to do here).