Are you looking for a place to stay off the I-5 Highway between San Diego and Dana Point? Oceanside Harbor might work if you want to sleep overnight in your vehicle.
Oh, the roadblocks
On a road trip in the van, we drove on California’s I-5 and didn’t have a lot of options. The sun had set, and we had no place to stay.
We looked for Flying J’s or Love’s and saw none. Where are all the truck stops on the I-5?
Driving around side streets, we found many semi-trucks lined down the road. The drivers must have pulled over to sleep.
Many street signs limited the hours of overnight parking. And we even saw a few vans and RVs parked on the streets.
And what about the rest stops? Some rest stops along the I-5 limit parking to eight hours.
I guess that’s good…
That’s enough time to catch some sleep. But, lots of vehicles drove in and out of the rest areas. Many were packed like sardines.
Is that good or bad?
We found out the nearest Walmart got rid of overnight parking, so that was out of the question. We saw no Bass Pro Shop or Cracker Barrel in the area either.
Well… camping near the ocean, or anywhere in California can be tricky.
Many campgrounds allow people to book three to six months in advance. And if you’re spontaneous one, like me, you might find yourself in a pickle.
We called a private campground, but they wanted $300 a night. Yikes! It wasn’t even close to the beach.
And for that price, we might as well stay in a hotel!
Sleeping at Oceanside Harbor
So, we looked online for more options and found Oceanside Harbor.
Hmmm… this might work.
We arrived close to midnight and found other RVs, trucks, and vans in the parking lot. It wasn’t packed, and many parking spots were open.
Oceanside Harbor has a few restaurants, stores, and parking lots. Be sure to read the signs before sleeping in your vehicle. We parked in Lot 11-B, which allowed overnight parking.
According to the sign, you can park overnight in Lot 12 from September 16 to May 14.
If you have a vehicle with a bathroom, you’re good to go. The bathrooms appeared to be open all night but weren’t very clean.
A guy lingered around them, eyeing people from under his hoodie. Other than that, I had no bad feelings about this place.
At times, it got loud at night as trucks pulled in and engines started. We parked under a lamp, so the light shined on our van. Also, I saw no security or police in the area.
So, as always, keep an eye on your stuff when traveling. Stay aware of your surroundings.
Beautiful ocean view
Nevertheless, the sounds of waves crashing against the shore soothed my weary soul to sleep.
In the morning, the ocean view was beautiful. Crisp ocean breezes whipped around as seals barked nearby. Golden sun rays peeked through the clouds as more cars filled the parking lot.
A little deli served coffee and fresh fish amid docked boats rocking in the water.
Overall, it wasn’t bad!
So here’s the thing—we stayed overnight in Oceanside Harbor during the cooler months. I’m sure the crowds come in summer, so finding a spot might be tricky.
If you’re driving around and need a place to pull over and sleep, it may work for you. Don’t expect anything more than a beach parking lot.
At least you’ll have a lovely front-row seat to the beautiful ocean view.
This information was correct at the time of this post. However, the regulations at Oceanside Harbor could change at any time.
Updated: November 18, 2024
