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- St. Louis
Best Hipcamps in Missouri
Named one of the best Hipcamps to visit in 2025.
Full RV hookups
Electrical, water, and sewage hookups are available at all sites.
Jeff is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Rig suitability
Vehicles under 35 feet allowed
Allowed rigs: travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers, pop-up campers, class A RVs, class B RVs, class C RVs, campervans, cars, truck campers, and rooftop tents
Back-in site
Accommodates slideouts
Surface type: Loose Gravel
Surface levelness: Flat
Electrical hookup available
Water hookup available
Sewage hookup available
No TV hookup
Generators not allowed
What to expect
Vehicle site
4 guests max
Pets allowed
No campfires
No toilet; campers must bring camp toilets
Potable water available
Bins available
Picnic table present
Wifi available
No showers
Cooking equipment absent
Laundry absent
Hot Tub absent
No playground
Things to know
Getting there
Check in: After 12:00 PM
Check out: Before 11:00 AM
On arrival: Head straight to site
Cancellation policy: Flexible
Minimum nights: 1 night
Accepts bookings: 3 months out
Park at listing
No wheelchair access
Max 2 vehicles
2WD accessible
During your trip
Follow the
Leave it better
Inclusion policyWe have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp. We are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper communities be inclusive.
RV-only sites
1 site
Urban Surprise
99%
(34)Potable water
Pets allowed
Electrical hookup
Water hookup
Reviews
99% Recommend34 ratings · 30 reviews
Recommends
· July 2026
21 ft campervan · With kids ·
Urban Surprise
Super easy access from interstate, secure, and hookups were all done well. Communicated well and I had no issues. I did just stay the one night, but I’d stop here again if ever in town.
S
Sean M.
2 reviews
Excellent host! Rough neighborhood, but Jeff has plenty of security measures in place to alleviate our worries. The garden is a very nice touch too, a pleasant oasis retreat from the surrounding area. Location was central to everything my family wanted to visit and easy access to the highway. Would definitely inquire about staying again if we return to the St Louis area.
J
Joshua C.
2 reviews
Convenient (easy on/off the highway), safe (fenced, gate with lock, and I believe security cameras), level site with full-hook-up off alley and tucked behind residence in a block of downtown St. Louis with other buildings in the area undergoing renovations. Solo, full-time, female traveler and NEVER felt unsafe. Less than 5 miles to Gateway Arch National Park and other major attractions in St. Louis. I had an opportunity to meet Jeff when he stopped by to water the garden. I mentioned that I had driven through several construction zones and my LTV was very dirty. He graciously offered the use the water to spray off my van! He and his wife, Kim are not only extremely knowledgable about St. Louis, but were incredibly generous with their time, messaging me their favorite places to visit, transportation options, and vegan restaurants! Would definitely stay at Urban Surprise anytime I visit St. Louis! Like others have reported the alley is NOT level, so slow speed and GOAL (get out and look) are both important, when backing in or out of the site.
K
Kimberley M.
4 reviews
Hosts were very communicative and gracious. I appreciated the security measures they had in place (motion sensitive lighting, locked gate, looked like they had security cameras, etc). Standard city noises, nothing that prevented me from resting. Neighborhood is a bit older and worn down, but the property has great access to the highway and other parts of St Louis. Nearby gas stations are within walking distance for any immediate needs. Would stay here again!
B
Brooke W.
6 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2026
13 ft campervan ·
Urban Surprise
Wonderful and easy spot, Jeff's directions couldn't be clearer and simpler. Will be staying again.
V
Vaughan P.
3 months on Hipcamp
Jeff was awesome! Very good with communication and met any needs promptly. Highly recommend!
J
Justin P.
4 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2026
28 ft travel trailer · With kids ·
Urban Surprise
Great little spot close to downtown attractions. I felt safe there and the setup was great for passing through on a quick trip.
P
Paul B.
2 reviews
Mixed feelings
· September 2025
These people spent time and money to create a great "safe" spot near downtown to camp. Tough neighborhood.....but safe spot
S
Steve M.
1 year on Hipcamp
Urban Surprise was a great place to stay providing easy access to downtown area. Parking was level, full hookups and secure. Jeff was a super host who responded quickly to any questions that arose during our stay. Recommend it if you are visiting St. Louis.
J
James A G.
4 reviews
Great spot to explore from! Would stay here again.
Sean I.
6 reviews
Recommends
· June 2025
24 ft Class B · With pets ·
Urban Surprise
Good privacy. Well maintained older neighborhood but the area was secure . Hookups were great.
Dave & Jodi D.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2025
15 ft travel trailer ·
Urban Surprise
Good location near Saint Louis. Host is kind and a good communicator.
M
Michelle M.
3 reviews
Recommends
· May 2025
16 ft car ·
Urban Surprise
The place is level, wide, and well kept! Definitely not the spot if privacy is your #1 priority, but tucked away out of eye shot from major roads. Directions were clear and thorough and host is friendly and communicative!
F
Fable P.
24 reviews
Recommends
· May 2025
30 ft Class C · With pets ·
Urban Surprise
Jeff’s place was a perfect spot to explore St. Louis From. Jeff was very responsive and we felt grateful to be at his place. The site is full hook up and level… Yay! We all love that! Jess if a terrific host. Thank you!
P
Patty M.
3 reviews
Great spot, level and clean with quick freeway access and close to downtown.
A little tricky for a trailer to pull in for the hookups on driver side and still get the car out but I made it work.
M
Matt L.
3 reviews
It is an absolutely perfect blend of camping and being in a big city. It is very close to downtown and area attractions. There is public transportation nearby, a laundromat is 1.5 miles away, there is a grocery store within 3 miles. The site is in the rear off the alley and not at all visible from the street and behind a very tall locked privacy fence with cameras covering the property. So despite being in a semi sketchy area, we feel completely safe. There is a huge yard that our pups LOVED running around in. It's a nice yard, so please pick up after your babies so Jeff will continue to allow pets. Jeff and Kim are very nice people, they came and met with us briefly after we got settled. This is a dream Hipcamp. As full time travelers we stay where we find a great situation- combo of site, money making opportunities and how charming the area is. This spot is the best of St. Louis, all city yet a beautiful private oasis. We've extended our stay, Jeff gave us a discount for a 4 week booking. This is by far the most ideal Hipcamp we've had. Thanks Jeff! We would gladly book again.
F
Freebird L.
2 reviews
Recommends
· October 2024
24 ft Class C ·
Urban Surprise
It is a very private site. All hook-ups work without a hic-up.
Cindy B.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2024
22 ft Class B · With pets ·
Urban Surprise
The spot worked good for us. Basically slept and ran around St Louis for a couple of days.
Scott N.
2 reviews
Recommends
· October 2024
22 ft campervan ·
Urban Surprise
We changed plans and didn’t end up staying
Can’t leave a real review
A
Amy C.
2 years on Hipcamp
Urban Surprise is a great camping area if you want to be close to the Arch in St. Louis. It felt very safe with the fenced and locked camping area and had full hookups. Everything worked well, it was quiet and Jeff was very responsive with any questions. The only problem that we had was that the alley that you use to enter the camping area is not level and has big dips in it. As we left, we ended up bending one of our scissors stabilizer jacks as it dug into the ground backing out. It was no longer usable after that. We have a 19ft travel trailer and they are probably closer to the ground than some of the big rigs. I think it could be improved if a load of rock was dumped there but that may not be an option since the alley belongs to the city.
M
Marie J.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2024
Jeff and his space far exceeded our expectations!
Our event was postponed and Jeff was graciously accommodating! The Space was clean and “safe”.
Take extra care with larger units entering and exiting as the alley is very uneven. 5 stars!
S
Scott G.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2024
16 ft car ·
Urban Surprise
It’s a place to sleep well on the road. Like owner said it’s in the city so be ready for city sound. Lots of space and felt safe
F
Frasier C.
11 reviews
This was a really convenient spot off the interstate. I felt very safe and enjoyed the lovely garden. Also the availability of 30 amp was great! I did take a walk to nearby Hyde park and it was a good spot to walk the dog. Jeff was very communicative and responded right away when I had a question about the gate.
Karla Y.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2024
20 ft travel trailer ·
Urban Surprise
Nice spot near downtown St. Louis. Completely fenced with locked gate which was nice for security. The dogs enjoyed being off leash in the grass. Camper parking is level and well maintained gravel. Quiet, clean spot, would recommend.
H
Helen C.
2 reviews
Recommends
· August 2024
20 ft travel trailer · Group trip ·
Urban Surprise
This is a wonderful spot with a locked gate, full RV hookup, easy access to the interstate, and a few minutes from tourist spots. Great host as well!
A
A.J. M.
2 reviews
We originally booked it as a place to park our trailer for a week while visiting our kids in St. Louis. But we actually ended up staying there in our trailer because it was so quiet and we felt very safe. The site was super clean, quite spacious, there was very nice garden and we locked the gate each night. The area of Hyde Park in STL is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, so at first glance it’s not all that pretty, but camping in Jeff’s spot gave us an appreciation of the area. We did get to meet Jeff and told him we’ll be back! If you’re on a road trip and need a place - whether it’s for the night, for the week or just for the day, we highly recommend it!
Kimberly P.
3 reviews
Nice peaceful private spot! Very close to the city. Sad i got in too late to explore. Neighborhood reminded me of Detroit. Secure locking gate, fast WiFi, Nice wide fence to pull in & out, Jeff’s a good guy, he even checked the entire grounds when i thought i left my wallet behind (found the next day in my tool bag btw!) Only downside for me was backing out. My sewer is on driver side & I dont like a long sewer hose running under rig. So i pulled straight in, but backing out was tricky due to uneven ground and broken sidewalk in alley, made things difficult with my hitch platform on the back. but we got out fine, just something to be aware of. Would stay again!
Justin P.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
30 ft Class C · With kids ·
Urban Surprise
We needed a safe spot to park our RV and spend the night and Urban Surprise had everything we looked for. Love that it has all the utilities an RV needs, secure lock so we didn’t worry about safety, and it’s a short Uber ride from the city.
H
Hani B.
3 reviews
Our host was great at returning messages, approving and extending our visit. Great site just as described with full hookups. We're from Detroit so the gritty charm of the city plus the attractions (Arch, City Park, City Museum, Foundry, Armory, Soulard, etc.) made for a busy 2 days. The parking area was spacious but surprisingly private with the way the fencing was set up. Plus the dog's loved the nice yard. Please mind your pets so this lovely spot stays pet friendly (apparently some damage has been caused by careless pet owners in the past). Many thanks for good recommendations and a great stay!
Jonathan C.
7 reviews
Recommends
· June 2024
19 ft travel trailer ·
Urban Surprise
Our stay was great. We needed a safe place for overnight stop and this the best. All the RV hook up. Thank you Jeff for your gracious hospitality.
M
Mary C.
2 reviews
Location
St. Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Jeff W.
Joined in April 2024Response rate: 100%Response time: Within 2 hours
Things to do nearby
Similar campgrounds nearby
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