Sleep in Car Near Fort Ross

Any recommendations for a place to sleep in my car near Fort Ross? Ideally I could pull in after dark, sleep in my van w yak strapped up top, wake up at the crack of dawn and drive away. I might even settle for something 30-60 min away if I don't have to deal with a campground check-in/check-out situation. A restroom would be a plus.

I'd also take campground recommendations. The campground at FR is no reservation, and it sounds like you need to arrive by 4:30PM, which is too early for me.

Thanks guys.

I had been thinking about similar, the last time I drove up there, I noticed a number of pull offs along the highway, on the coast side.  A few folks were clearly spending the night in their vehicles.  I thought the signs all said no parking, but could be wrong, or it's just no enforced.  No restroom, and you might get the knock in the middle of the night.

good luck,
Brian.

Any recommendations for a place to sleep in my car near Fort Ross? Ideally I could pull in after dark, sleep in my van w yak strapped up top, wake up at the crack of dawn and drive away. I might even settle for something 30-60 min away if I don't have to deal with a campground check-in/check-out situation. A restroom would be a plus.

I'd also take campground recommendations. The campground at FR is no reservation, and it sounds like you need to arrive by 4:30PM, which is too early for me.

Thanks guys.

You can check out the Ocean Cove Campground.  I stayed there once before, and it was a very clean place to camp. 
www.oceancove.org

May try your luck at Windmare point, just north of Ft Ross and south of Timber cove, it has a large parking area.
Not sure about the legality of overnight camping, but it may be worth a try.
As Paul suggested, Ocean cove is always an option as it has plenty of campsites. Going north there is Timber Cove, followed by Stillwater cove regional campground and few more miles north, Salt Point state park.
Good luck!

On the more urban side, I've occasionally stopped at the Guerneville safeway in the evening to drop a load and refresh a bit before grabbing some food and drink. Replenish and snooze(may need earplugs here if noise is bothersome) for a bit in the parking lot before hitting the road going home.

There's a visitor center lot w/ outhouse in Jenner. I've seen some van folks tucked behind the post office building area? but can't recall if they were overnighters. It's been awhile, but sometimes I'd grab food and sundries at the C store gas station across the street and snooze for a few as well.

As mentioned, there are pullouts on the southbound side of the road from Jenner to Fort Ross and past that which usually have folks parked about at the more scenic locations. Be mindful that there are locals and also large vehicles that sometimes zip the roads at a high rate of speed.

I spoke to the rangers at Fort Ross and they said their campground rarely sells out, so there's a good chance you will get a spot on any particular weekend (albeit if it is a holiday weekend, I guess there would be a lower probability. But it is a "dry campground", so you have to bring in your own water, which isn't attractive to lots of campers and probably helps limit its popularity). And you can arrive at any time and do a self-check in. The 4:30 pm reference they have is a bit misleading. Go get some!

I see all sorts of van-life overnighters on the side of the road on the drive up. But this year they re-opened the Fort Ross campground after years of closure, so that should be an option. It's a separate entrance south of the main entrance.

Fort Ross is kinda interesting
$40/night, no water, chemical toilets.

https://www.fortross.org/activities/reef-campground

though I'm really looking for cheap/free.  Roadside or the Safeway mentioned might work best for me.  Arrive after dark ~11pm, get up with the sun and head to the fort.

I see folks parked out on the head area along the water at bodega overnight all the time. Self contained would be best but they are always there. Sledge parks roadside next to the bird walk areas too. 

I don't know about that area, but popular surfing locations around here seem to always have several cars/vans that are obviously overnighting. So, just tie a surfboard on your roof and you should be OK...

I had a friend/coworker who lived in his truck. He said the key was to cover the windows so nobody can see in, and don’t answer if anyone knocks. I guess they could leave a ticket. I go up to Salt Point quite often during the winter months mushroom hunting, and always see vans, and campers in the pullouts along the highway.

I camp in my car in that area regularly. I've never had a problem sleeping at at any scenic pull out. Sometimes cops shine their spotlite at me and im not a fan of sleeping next to the highway. I have found some excellent spots on some of the rural inland roads within a mile of the highway. I use satelite maps to find them. Check out coleman valley road, zero traffic, quite, dark and plenty of pull offs.