I’ve lived in my car for 3 years – I made the drastic move after getting tired of parking issues but now play with fire

AN INFLUENCER has spoken out about her failed attempt to camp out in the heart of downtown Los Angeles before leaving after feeling unsafe.

YouTuber and stealth camper Alyssa Vanilla left her spot just two hours after she decided to try a stealth camp on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

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Alyssa returned from an extended trip abroad and was excited to be back with her van and strolling the streets of Hollywood.

Before converting to life on four wheels, Alyssa lived in Los Angeles for a few years.

However, she found life in the city – especially the parking situation – to be a bit too hectic.

To avoid the city’s tight grip, she said she was playing with fire by parking so close to a police station.

She took a tour on one of the city’s many tour buses and visited the homes of some of Hollywood’s most famous stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry.

After the tour ended and she returned to her van, she decided to go to bed and find a place to sleep the next night.

However, it only took two hours on Sunset Boulevard before the constant street noise, bright lights, and pedestrian traffic made her so restless that she couldn’t move.

“Trying to set up a stealth camp in the middle of Hollywood was a stupid idea,” she added.

“If you’re going to secretly camp in the middle of Hollywood, don’t do it on Sunset Boulevard.”

Sunset Boulevard is famous in Hollywood and is known for its nightlife and the historic Sunset Strip.

“My original intention was to call this video ‘Stealth Camping on Sunset Blvd,’ but I just didn’t feel safe, I had to move,” Alyssa said. “And I firmly believe that it’s important to stay in a place where you feel safe.”

Using the iOverlander app, she was able to find a site that was still in the valley, nestled in a beautiful suburb that had received positive reviews from recent stealth campers.

Her comments section was full of viewers wishing her well and excited to see her again, with some agreeing that stealth camping is particularly difficult in Los Angeles.

“I can’t help but feel sorry for the stealth camping in LA,” said @carolmbootonphd5307. “Last month I spent a night in my van on a street in Venice a few blocks from the beach. I was standing with many other vans, some of which looked like they hadn’t been moved in weeks, not even for street cleaning.”

They added: “I slept well despite hearing a woman screaming in the middle of the night. I moved on the next day. Wild camping in the big city is not for the faint of heart.”

“I would be way too paranoid to attempt a stealth camp in Hollywood,” said @rain2472. “I was up all night looking out the window to make sure everything was okay lol.”

“You did the right thing to get the hell out of there. Always listen to your gut feeling.”

“I remember trying to hide in LA in the summer of 2021 and it was so annoying. I slept in my SUV in Venice one night and it was a big no for me,” said @danilintravels8612.

“I was in the LA area for three weeks and spent most nights at Planet Fitness in a not great part of LA, but safe enough.

“I prefer public land and the suburbs over the city because no… I prefer the remote areas and the ability to spread out, that’s the point of this lifestyle!”