Anyone know a good place to park RV in Portland, OR?

Hey guys, I've known Tynan for some time, from back in the Life Nomadic days. My girlfriend and I are permanent gypsies, traveling in our '98 Rialta. We have been traveling up the Oregon coast, and will be arriving in Portland tomorrow. I was wondering if anyone had any experience parking overnight in any central locations in Portland (we are totally stealth, with capability for complete blackout and sound control), or, barring this, if anyone who lives in Portland might be willing to let us hang out in their driveway for a few days. We don't need anything other than a place to park (totally solar powered).

Thanks guys.

PS: @Ty, if this is the wrong use of the community area, slap my wrist and I'll take it down.

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  • Jason Martin

    Jason Martin

    Hi, my name is Jason, and I'm parked at the intersection of technology and humanity! My philosophy for life? Don't settle, let go, no obligations, single-task, and deliberate practice.
  • 6 years ago
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Hi Christian,

Glad to hear you're going to Portland :) I was just up there for a couple of weeks for the World Domination Summit; I live in a 1995 VW Rialta.

Parking and RV living is easy in Portland! We have a friend who lives in SE Portland, and just parked our RV on the street near her house for a week without any issue (street parking, not in the driveway). Plenty of street space. Lots of people in Portland are RV/van dwelling/hippy friendly. I love the city; it's a very laid back and has all the benefits of a major metropolis, great public transit, but also has the feeling of a small town — it's almost like a tribe. You can park your RV then bike/walk/bus/train all over the place. Like Tynan said, you can find spots downtown, but they'll tend to be more metered...I'd suggest going out of downtown a little bit into the burbs, even outside of downtown has amazing restaurants/shops, in addition to homes (though everything in Portland is easy to get to within 10-20 minutes, nothing is really far away)

I'm migrating north up the west coast from SoCal pretty soon, was planning on living primarily in SF but after my trip, now I'm leaning towards staying in Portland a majority of the time; it's very RV friendly, plenty of parking room, amazingly healthy and cheap locally sourced/gluten free food...and best of all, no sales tax!

This is far from the truth. I'm in Portland currently trying to do the exact same thing and I get tickets on my short 20 ft long TV for parking on streets, I even parked in front of the house I'm renting from and got a ticket!! Yea, Portland is real hippy dippy as you would say, real nice and understanding. This place is a joke. I'm still looking for a place to park this thing it's been 3 months.

  • Jason Martin

    Jason Martin

    Hi, my name is Jason, and I'm parked at the intersection of technology and humanity! My philosophy for life? Don't settle, let go, no obligations, single-task, and deliberate practice.
  • 4 years ago
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I've never received one parking ticket, dealt with police, or had any issue at all living in Portland, full time for months on end. I've been full timing for a few years now, and now doing it in the Bay Area. Based on my personal experience, Portland is waaaaay easier than the Bay Area, and even LA.

How long are you trying to park in one spot? Part of stealth and urban camping is blending in and not staying in one spot for too long. I would usually move every day while being respectful of neighbors, and bounce around different areas of the city based on what I was doing. Camouflage - be in plain site while being hidden. Of course if you leave your RV parked in front of somebody's house in a rich neighborhood for too long it will arouse suspicion and resentment.

I did this in my 95 VW Rialta, which is 21' long.

Hey, awesome to hear that you guys are RVing! Perfect use of the community area.

I've been through Portland a couple times in an RV... you can easily just park anywhere on the street. Very easy to find a good spot downtown. BUT... be careful of street cleaning / meters. I got two tickets in a rental car once for being over by 30 minutes!

I'm currently in Portland Oregon and believe me they are very down on parking rv's, motorhomes or any vehicle you're living in. Unfortunately a very bad, disrespectful crowd are living in these in every neighborhood. They're leaving trash, stealing anything they can, relieving their selves wherever as well as dumping their tanks in storm drains. Because of this everyone's thoughts go right to these people whenever they see someone living in a vehicle. Just be warned, tolerance is very low here. Good luck.

Been a 1996 ford econoline for several years now and no problems. We park almost anywhere and have never had a problem but we do move every morning when going to work and then go to a different spot later that night. We discreetly blacked out our windows so we can watch the dvd player and no one sees any light. Do all of your business BEFORE you get to your last spot have everyone in the back already as you roll up....hop out or go through the middle curtain and disappear ...DO NOT go do anything after you have arrived at your spot unless it is secluded. I have lived in 3 different vans from miami to seattle and everything in between and their are ways to never be seen by the people who will pick up the phone and call...like if you pull in front of a house and the yard is way too well taken care of....they will call...the best places are the back of an apartment complex with a street you are going to park on with a empty field on the other side. I have my favorite 21 places I go on a 3 week schedule. Never never never argue with a home owner....the whole neighborhood will go on watch for your van. Van people stick together and but remember land slaves/home owners do too. Lastly, we look like the people you sit next to at the P.T.A. People have gone on and on to us about the homeless problem in portland and how we need to get rid of them...they never suspect for a second we are van dwellers...you van should blend as well as we do..The rv thing is easy there is a rest stop 20 miles before portland and one 10 miles past vancouver wa that rv's live out of...I know people that are their EVERYTIME we are rolling through.

Question. How are the apartments the safest? We are living in a van currently.

Hi I have the same question and live in a 2005 rialta. Any advise anyone wants to share?

First night in downtown last night, over by the industrial area. Seems eerily safe, lots of women walking around by themselves and stuff. No trouble during the night. Very quiet. Friendly people around.

Loving Portland, though we're in a Walmart in Washington for the night, working on some projects for interior.

Thanks for the advice Ty, I read somewhere the city has some sort of 8 hour RV parking ordinance. Do you think they would enforce that for the Rialta?

Also, let me know if you need any input for another book on living in a Rialta as a couple, my girlfriend Aly and I, plus our dog Jesse are learning how to do pretty well for ourselves :-)

I'm a Portland'ish Rialta full-timer :) Peter Park was another Portland Rialta full timer who recommended Laurelhurst Park and Forest Park to me. When ever I stayed downtown I never had issues finding decent'ish free parking close to where I wanted.

Myself, and to the best that I know Peter, never got bugged over an 8 hour RV parking ordinance.

I'm primarily in the Beaverton area. I like the more spread out feeling but still not being too far from stuff.

  • Deleted

    Deleted

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  • 5 years ago
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hi Joe!

I am currently researching living off the grid. I would like to start living in an RV to save money for a few years and came across this blog.

I would love to know your current status and how it has been for you. Are you still in Beaverton? I have been living in Beaverton for the past 7 years. Are you still here? Hope all is well! :)

Looks like you or someone else deleted your account already, but I am still in Beaverton.

If you want to meet up, you can email me at [email protected]

hi Joe-where in beaverton do you park your rig without getting bothered? Just looking for a few days. [email protected]

Hey Joe, Aly and I are still in Portland, would you be interested in connecting in the next couple of days to compare rigs?

Send me an email at [email protected] if so. We can come out to Beaverton.

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