While taking the usual evening walk through Lincoln Park, an unusual sight seemed to spring out of nowhere. At close range it looked something like a camper on stilts. In fact, it was a rooftop camper on a metal frame that gave a new meaning to high living for Pat and Randy McNeely. Pat and Randy, from French Lick, Ind., were just passing through Superior and stopped for the night.

When the pandemic hit a couple years ago, Pat and Randy were already set to go camping but were leery of motel and hotel stays. They looked online for campers and found the rooftop tents site. They were only $2...