Anonymous wrote:When I was 22 I drove cross country by myself and slept at rest stops. I lived to tell the tale, though my mother wasn't pleased.

Oh and I had a car full of camping supplies but it hardly seemed worth it to pay to pitch a tent for just me. (I had went one way across the country with company and camped then. On the return trip I did it solo and fast - with all sleeping happening in my car)

When I was 22 I drove cross country by myself and slept at rest stops. I lived to tell the tale, though my mother wasn't pleased.

I camp alone at the spa.

If you haven't camped in years, don't do it when you're EXHAUSTED from driving.

Pp above is right, you'll hardly save money. Put the $200-300 on a credit card if you have to. Money well spent.

Camp at Walmart. They have free overnight parking for anyone and you can sleep in your car. Plenty of RVs do it

...no

Anonymous wrote:I don't generally camp alone now that I'm married with kids (because I'm rarely alone ever!), but I've camped a lot and would imagine that it's safer than many many cheap motels. Do you have camping experience, op? If so, it should be great. Just do you research ahead of time regarding things like potable water. If you're from the east coast, there are different concerns out west.

No, I've never camped before, except once when I was 12 on a bike trip and loved it. I am very outdoorsy though.

And yeah, it would be outwest. Is camping in the west more dangerous?

I don't generally camp alone now that I'm married with kids (because I'm rarely alone ever!), but I've camped a lot and would imagine that it's safer than many many cheap motels. Do you have camping experience, op? If so, it should be great. Just do you research ahead of time regarding things like potable water. If you're from the east coast, there are different concerns out west.

Did you see "Wild"?

I wouldn't do it. But then I'm a chicken with those kind of things. I would walk down 14th St at 2 a.m. though.

Most rape is acquaintance rape. So it's safer than many things.

Don't draw attn to yourself. Get to a campground late. Leave early.

Or sleep in your car.

I agree that camping is not something you should do alone. I guess if you stopped only at well populated sites where you were within feet of your car you would probably be OK. It's really hard to estimated the risk of rape or murder but I would think crowed campground might be safer than budget hotel.

I think it sounds like a hassle and not particularly well-advised if you're doing it for the savings. National Parks are often $20 - $30 entry fee plus a campsite fee. It's not that hard to find off-highway brand-name chain motels for $50 a night unless you're in super major cities (and plan your trip so you aren't).

If you're doing it for the cost savings, I wouldn't bother. What a hassle to pack/unpack camp/have to go to shower facilities/have a cooler of food/etc.

If you want to do it to experience the national parks, I'd find a friend to go along and if needed, pay for his or her air ticket back if it is less than a couple hundred dollars, which should be pretty easy.

No. Not safe.

Not safe for anyone to go camping by themselves and without a satellite phone.

I am 28 and need to drive across the country. I have done it before but would love to be able to sleep in a tent & national parks & save on the cost of a hotel room

But I dont want to get raped or murdered

Is this safe?