Hi... I am new here.... I have been looking at this board for years... trying to decide what I wanted to buy and now... i have finally decided that what would serve me best is a class b. I have come a long way from when I first started and thinking I wanted a travel trailer. NOW.... after all the thinking and research I have done.... I can see that B is what I need.I have lots of questions but first I want to ask you B owners.... if you have a B thats about 20 ft or so.... how do you handle the parking situation when you are in a small town with 2 lane roads going thru it.... or somewhere with parking problems.If you want to park and go into a cafe or a store and they have no lot.... or the lot has low hanging trees or is TOO tight for your vehicle.... what do you do ?DO you keep going as far as you can to park and then walk back? or ride a bike back?I won't be towing anything so.... all I can think to do is keep a bicycle on board..... or walk back from wherever I park.I figure this is a dumb question because there really is no answer except to park where you can put it. lol but I thought I would ask anyway.In my travels over the years.... I have found LOADS of places I love that I had problems even getting my standard pick up truck into. lol.... let alone a 20ft van.anyway..... I have not yet decided what I want to buy.... but the standard van won't be enough space for me. I want between 10 and 12 ft of interior living space..... so I'll be looking at something longer..... but a vehicle not more than 20ft or so bumper to bumper. OK well..... thanks for your input.... I have lots more questions and I do appreciate your help in making my decisions.Ruby

Measure your truck. Maybe you are worrying too much about the size issue for parking. I just checked and a new regular-cab regular-box Chevy pickup is 17 feet long. My Class C is 20 feet long and 7 feet 3 inches wide. It fits into one parking space. That said, I still make a practice of parking to defend my vehicle and to make getting out of that parking space as easy and as safe as possible. I never park in those diagonal storefront sites that you often see in small towns. I'll park in a parallel site around the corner and walk to where I want to go. In large store parking lots, I park far from anyone, far from the store door, and preferably in a way so that I can drive out forward.Avoid low-hanging trees, both in parking lots and on roads. Fixing roof stuff (vent caps, etc.) can get tedious and possibly expensive. Don't ask me how I know this.Good luck in your search for a small B. It seems like these days many are 24 feet long. That is too long for me.

I've yet to find a place where I can't park somewhere in my 23 foot B while I go into a shop or a restaurant.

I try to avoid difficult parking situations, and park away from other vehicles when possible on surface lots. In unfamiliar areas, the satellite view on the map function gives me an idea what my options might be. There is usually somethings that works, even if more walking is required. The only things I ever passed on were a couple of busy restaurants with small, packed parking lots during peak times. For something like that, I'd now go early and try to get an easy-in, easy-out space.

My B is on the 158" Sprinter chassis and is 22' 8" including the rear hung spare tire. We have traveled around the west and have always found a place to park, even in downtown Seattle. However many times I have just fit, I would not suggest anything larger. In many places we've parked, even a 24' van would have been a no go.

Thanks for your replies.... I have been thinking what you have all said. Even in my pick up truck which is a regular cab with a standard 8ft bed.... i generally park far away from all the vehicles in the lot when i am in walmart or anywhere there is a large lot.i expect I will do the same in whatever van I buy. I know some of those sprinter vans can be up to 24ft long.... that is too big for me.I am sucker for small joints serving great food..... so I'll find whatever way I can to park and walk back if i have to. lol I'll keep looking for something used ... that fits my needs before I decide to go the custom route. I want this to be the right vehicle.... so I am taking my time.thanks for your help with the parking issue. I guess i'll just cross that bridge..... when I get there. lol

Parking Class B's | Good Sam Community

AsheGuy
Explorer
Aug 21, 2016
Just to pile on with others, we have had our Class B for 11 years and been all over the US and Canada and parking just isn't an issue. Yes, there are some parking spots not big enough (ours is 22' including spare tire) but they are rare and far between. And as others have posted, parking garages are out.

We never park our car out of "harms way" and the same with our Class B.
DaveInAL
Explorer
Aug 21, 2016
Our experience is similar to what others have posted. We generally don't have a problem finding parking We also try when possible to park where the risk of damage is minimal.
HighLonesome
Explorer
Aug 21, 2016
GizmosMom wrote:
We owned a 21 foot Class B and it was my daily driver for 14 years. I can't remember ever having a parking issue (except for parking garages where I was too high).

We now have a 25.9 foot Class C and we just returned from a 3 week trip. Never had any issues with parking it at stores, cafes, etc.

WOW ! your daily driver for 14 years ! THIS is how I will be using the van when I am full timing in it. It will be my daily driver going anywhere I need to go. This is why I wanted B class instead of a C or an A.

So ? .... you didn't drive anything other than the van to places you needed to go everyday ? Is that what you are saying ?
Don't want to misunderstand you. lol

I guess because I never imagined a daily driver longer than my standard pick up truck.... thinking 20 ft or so sounds slightly daunting.
but I am up for doing it.

thanks very much.
HighLonesome
Explorer
Aug 21, 2016
Thanks guys.... all good advice. I appreciate it.
SoCalDesertRid1
Explorer
Aug 21, 2016
I've owned a crew cab long bed pickup that's about 20 feet long for the last 14 years and can park it just about anywhere other normal sized vehicles can park. It's never kept me from going someplace I've wanted to go. You will be just fine with a van based motorhome.
ryegatevt
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2016
Be sure you've found a way out of any parking situation before you get into it.
VE3ESN
Explorer
Aug 21, 2016
Our Roadtrek is 19' long (longer when we take our bikes) and have had no trouble parking just about anywhere - on streets, in lots, at stores, etc. Parallel parking can be challenging if its a small spot, so we try to find a spot with no vehicle in front or behind, if possible.
GizmosMom
Explorer
Aug 20, 2016
We owned a 21 foot Class B and it was my daily driver for 14 years. I can't remember ever having a parking issue (except for parking garages where I was too high).

We now have a 25.9 foot Class C and we just returned from a 3 week trip. Never had any issues with parking it at stores, cafes, etc.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Aug 20, 2016
ours,a little bigger ,but we park to protect the rv, from damage by people who don,t no how to open there car doors ,do the same for my truck and car.
HighLonesome
Explorer
Aug 20, 2016
Thanks for your replies.... I have been thinking what you have all said.

Even in my pick up truck which is a regular cab with a standard 8ft bed.... i generally park far away from all the vehicles in the lot when i am in walmart or anywhere there is a large lot.

i expect I will do the same in whatever van I buy. I know some of those sprinter vans can be up to 24ft long.... that is too big for me.

I am sucker for small joints serving great food..... so I'll find whatever way I can to park and walk back if i have to. lol

I'll keep looking for something used ... that fits my needs before I decide to go the custom route. I want this to be the right vehicle.... so I am taking my time.

thanks for your help with the parking issue. I guess i'll just cross that bridge..... when I get there. lol

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