Boondocking at Walmart

Wal Mart = convenience.......when we travel we stay at campgrounds 99% of the time. BUT, when I want to get some miles under my belt, I may drive till 10p.m. and simply want to pull off and rest. If I don't need supplies a flying J or a rest area are fine. If semi trucks park there so will I. When I do pull in to a walmart or a rest area or a flying J I come in late and am on the road at the break of daylight around 5:00 a.m.

Last season I went to our CW about 30-40 miles from the S&B to shop and maybe drop the Black tank but found out they didn't have a dump.But was told that the Cabellas (sp) had one down the street so down I went WOW they have lanes marked off for semis or MHs there were a few 5th wheelers that had dropped and had there awnings out and no trucks. It was behind the store and it was really nice not only that but they had picnic tables set up in the grass. No water or electric but they had the dump.
Are there any other places (stores) like this across this great country? I have shopped at this store lots of times before and never new that they did this.
There was no charges that I saw.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
WalMart's property, Walmart rules. If the City has rules prohibiting overnight parking, so be it. Life is full of rules and as we travel we run into more and more rules or laws that are not what we are used to in other places. My choice is to travel where I want to. I go to the places where I feel appreciated and to avoid those places that enact rules/laws that I do not agree with. That is why I have a Class A. It has a motor and can go to another location.

X2 Exactly!

Ray

WalMart's property, Walmart rules. If the City has rules prohibiting overnight parking, so be it. Life is full of rules and as we travel we run into more and more rules or laws that are not what we are used to in other places. My choice is to travel where I want to. I go to the places where I feel appreciated and to avoid those places that enact rules/laws that I do not agree with. That is why I have a Class A. It has a motor and can go to another location.

When I travel, I have certain places I want to stop at and send my time there. In between, I don't plan on my stops to be at a CG. I think there are to many variables that come into play. Traffic, sights and other thing that will change my travel plans to worry about getting to a pre-arranged CG. I find that these free night stop are great. I can stop when I want to, my MH can make it through the night with out using the generator, so I am not disturbing anyone. Think of the money If the owners of these free night spot don't care why should anyone else.

I'll have to make at least one exception to the above post and ironically it has to do with the birth town of KOA in Billings MN. Their prices are out of sight and no wonder why the local Walmart is full of overnighters, along with a security guard who leads them in for parking where he can better assist if need be during the night. Blinking amber light on his truck and all....LOL
At least this was the scenario when we stayed over in the summer of 09 and from the looks of some of the rigs, I doubt it if they were too strapped for funds. In fact, I think the main reason there are not a lot more is because it's just too hot in a lot of places and not many want to run a genset all night for the A/C's.

cjoseph, you're right. And I'm disgusted with myself to be sucked into this topic again.

It should be a simple decision between two free people: Sam invited RVers to stay in his lots many years ago. If we accept his invitation that should be the end of it. But the RV Nazis had to muscle their way into the free decision of free people and make it a controversy.

Many of those no-overnight-parking signs at Walmarts are simply the local authorities requiring Walmart to post them, and many Walmarts do not enforce them. I've spent many a night in Walmart lots that the cities had posted and nobody said a word.

Some of the no-overnight-parking signs are the result of local RV parks having local politicians in their pockets. Others result from do-gooder locals who think overnight parking anywhere in town is a bad thing, which it is when near-homeless types try to park their only homes in lots for weeks at a time.

And why, pray tell, would one pay big bucks for a self contained RV and then park every night next to a faucet, a sewer and an elec plug for $30 - and often more?

I posted a full page on my RV site about Wally-Docking. It's a shame we can't simply park where invited without all the whining of those who think they know better. :R

I'd stay at Western's RV park. We're all entitled to opinions. I don't mind sharing mine and listening to yours'. If Western's park fit's our needs at the time, I wouldn't hold an opinion of Wal Mart against him.

I think these threads are often more about the big greedy import-peddling conglomerate more so than a place to park.

Since many on here assume Wally dockers are cheapskates, I'm going to assume opponents of Wally Docky are just Wal Mart haters.

I don't see heated debates about overnighting at Flying J, Cracker Barrel, rest areas or any place but Wal Mart.

These people (myself included) crack me up too.

Wow. You all crack me up.

I might "save" $300 per year by staying in WalMart, Cracker Barrel, etc... If that makes me rich, DUH?

I made my way in this world by hard work, going to college and more hard work. The same's true for the DW. I don't consider myself rich. I consider myself blessed.