Car camping 101: your first night
TL;DRPark flat, crack a window, sleep on something with structure. Comfort is 90% of it.
Your first night in the car decides whether you ever do a second one. Skip the pile of blankets in the trunk: level the car, sort your airflow, and give yourself a real sleeping surface so your back doesn’t file a complaint at 2am.
Level the car
Find the flattest spot you can. If the ground slopes, park with your head uphill. A cot with adjustable legs takes care of the rest, including wheel wells and seat rails.
Sort your airflow
A closed car fogs up fast. Crack two windows on opposite sides so air moves through. Rain guards let you keep them open in weather.
Sleep on something with structure
Blankets and camping pads sag into every gap in the floor. A taut surface that sits above the floor is the single biggest upgrade you can make.
Keep it simple
You need a place to sleep, water, and a way to go to the bathroom. Everything else can wait until night two.
Common questions
- Do I need to fold my seats flat?
- Not with a cot; it bridges over seat gaps and uneven floors.
- What about condensation?
- Crack two windows on opposite sides for cross-flow.