Hi all,We have a trip planned from Michigan to Florida to stay a week at Fort Wilderness. To maximize our time, I think we will probably stay overnight at a Rest Area on the way down. I have a few questions regarding this:1. First, is this safe anymore and allowed?2. Slide outs - Can we put out the slide out at a rest area? 3. Battery and 7 Pin - Do you leave the 7 pin wiring hooked up to the TV? I would assume, No, as to not drain the vehicle battery. I'm also assuming that my regular battery would power the slide and all lights.4. TT - 2018 Jayco Whitehawk 29BH - Is it ok to use my stabilizer jacks at a rest area?Would like to hear folks opinions/recommendations to those who have stayed at Rest Areas.thanks

1. Safe: pretty safe, yes. Truckers do it all the time. Allowed: varies by state. You'll have to check. The rules may be different for truckers, presumably under the notion that they know the rules about dumping waste water (don't do that) and the like.2. If you don't interfere with the space next to you, then yes. If you interfere with the space next to you, likely no. Many rest areas fill up with trucks at night. It would make it obvious you're over-nighting.3. No. Should you use enough power to drain the battery, you wouldn't want to not be able to start the car in the morning. That said, unless you run the furnace or watch TV all night, you're not likely to use that much power.4. Yes. Put something under them (board, orange plastic jack pads, something like that) so that you don't damage the blacktop. That's just politeness.

...and no rest areas near urban areas either. Those rest areas are populated by 'ladies of the night' at night, looking for lonely truckers.

SidecarFlip wrote:...and no rest areas near urban areas either. Those rest areas are populated by 'ladies of the night' at night, looking for lonely truckers.Floosie’s? :E

I've stayed at many rest areas in my long haul travels. Safe, well, I did have an elderly couple in an ancient class A try to kill me with their motor exhaust. They pulled in right on top of me during a summer trip, with both their main and generator motors running, both of which vented right outside my windows. Thankful the CO detector was able to wake me up before it was too late.Never been approached by lot lizards, pros, dealers or anything else many seem to experience.Never needed to put my jacks down or unplug the Bargman. I pull over late, it's time to sleep not walk around inside the coach.Traveling in the North in the winter, the generator in the truck bed is running, for tank heaters, etc.

Whole bunch of assuming, jlr. A little study (internet reading) might be in order.

Overnight stops and Rest Areas | Good Sam Community

LowRyter
Explorer
Feb 26, 2018
I prefer a cheap hotel just so I don't have to unpack. But I have camped in some cheap and free places for overnights.

Here's a web site I've used before that gives a list of free and low priced camping.

https://freecampsites.net
https://freecampsites.net
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Feb 26, 2018
Atlee wrote:
Thanks. Glad I'm not that snooty.

But then, I'll probably never go to one of those fancy RV Resort style places either. I probably couldn't afford a night there, and they probably wouldn't let my little old 2017 Jayco Jay Flight 23RB in the place. They probably figure it would bring down their property values. :)

fj12ryder wrote:
Atlee wrote:
???? ".... KOAs should be for emergencies only."

ppine wrote:
rest areas, parking lots and KOAs should be for emergencies only.
It was meant to be a slap against how some people feel about KOA's.
Well, some people feel if you aren't doing it their way you're doing it wrong. :)
Bipeflier
Explorer
Feb 25, 2018
For what it is worth, here is a site that gives some guidance for different states: Rest Areas Overnight
Atlee
Explorer II
Feb 25, 2018
Thanks. Glad I'm not that snooty.

But then, I'll probably never go to one of those fancy RV Resort style places either. I probably couldn't afford a night there, and they probably wouldn't let my little old 2017 Jayco Jay Flight 23RB in the place. They probably figure it would bring down their property values. :)

fj12ryder wrote:
Atlee wrote:
???? ".... KOAs should be for emergencies only."

ppine wrote:
rest areas, parking lots and KOAs should be for emergencies only.
It was meant to be a slap against how some people feel about KOA's.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Feb 25, 2018
ppine wrote:
rest areas, parking lots and KOAs should be for emergencies only.

Lol, especially KOAs.... nice one!
Actually nothing wrong w KOA just not my typical first, 2nd or 3rd choice. We’re more boonie dockers than that.

Truck stops, Wally World, cabelas and rest stops etc are not campgrounds. They’re a convienent place to hole up long enough to get some shut eye.
We use em sometimes, but also look for city or county parks. Surprising how many there are that are just nice little un manned parks. Pull in late, get some sleep, drop $7 in the can on the way out.
1stgenfarmboy
Explorer
Feb 25, 2018
We have used Walmart, Cracker barrel, and large empty lots, only one time have we use a truck stop, it was so noisy we couldn't sleep.
txnese
Explorer
Feb 25, 2018
I've never stayed at a rest stop for than a couple hours. I've slept at a few Wally Marts with no issues. Seen many of RV's crashing for the night there as well.
centerline
Explorer
Feb 25, 2018
rest stops, truck stops and mall parking lots...
these all offer you enough time to get some shut eye so that you can move along as soon as you can.... but if you pull into a mall parking lot or a rest area early in the day and set up camp, you may be asked to move along sooner than you planned to...
truck stops dont care much if you stay a couple days, or even if you want to unhook out in the back lot so that you can do some local exploring.

as for disconnecting the cord from the tow vehicle so it doesnt drain the battery, most all new pickups have an option so that the trailer CANNOT pull power from the tow vehicle when the ignition is shut off...but WILL supply power when the ignition is on OR the engine is running..

this OPTION is usually activated (or de-activated) by pulling a fuse out to stop a direct connection, and the power will be provided to the circuit by another fused route when the ignition key is activated....

check the owners manual and it should tell you which fuse to pull... some vehicles come WITHOUT the fuse installed, and if one wants full time power at the power plug, they need to ADD a fuse...

as for putting down jacks, extending the slide, raising the awning, the flag pole and party lights, and pulling out the exterior tv, one can do whatever they want, wherever they are, illegal or otherwise, but these thing draw attention to you when it is best to keep a low profile so that may go unnoticed for as long as you can...
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Feb 25, 2018
Atlee wrote:
???? ".... KOAs should be for emergencies only."

ppine wrote:
rest areas, parking lots and KOAs should be for emergencies only.
It was meant to be a slap against how some people feel about KOA's.
pigman1
Explorer
Feb 25, 2018
We stop at rest areas, big box stores and wide spots in the road all the time. Yes, some rest areas have signs prohibiting overnight stays or camping. However, I've never been chased out or had an issue besides perhaps a running truck or an occasional horn. LEO's have much better ways to spend their time than rousting RV'ers. We only extend slides when nothing beside us can hit it. Over grass, over and end spot or the like. If you know where you'll be staying, you can use Google Earth to view your stop, check out possible one sided spaces and get a view of the entire area.