Feedback on overnight parking...

[Mcamper]

I will be soon taking a trip where it will be necessary for us to stop for the night, only to get a few hours sleep, and then move on to our destination. We will be traveling along an interstate.

My question is how safe is it to stop, park, and sleep in a Walmart parking lot? (I would ask the manager for the OK, and where to park.) I know there is a LOT of discussion on this forum about Walmart parking, but I have not read about too many experiences, good or bad.

I have never done this, so I am not so sure about it, and I have concerns about how safe it would be. Since all we need is to sleep, I think a campground stay for one night would be a waste.

I would appreciate if you could share your actual experience with this, and any thoughts on any place that may be safer.

[2oldman]

jnharley wrote:
There is fear of the unknown involved the first time you do this. Am I going to be safe, will I be hassled for parking there?

Yes there is, but, as you do it more you'll feel safer because you actually *are* safer. You're not near as many criminals, and criminals commit crimes of opportunity. They don't go out looking for RV victims in remote places.

Being hassled for parking is a far greater risk. In my 10 years of doing this I've been approached once by a rancher (and allowed to stay) and asked to leave once by a local sheriff (after spending the night). And I've camped in hundreds of places!

You get better at finding spots. Truck stops are almost a sure thing.

[jnharley]

I can understand the OP's post. We have also not stopped at a Wal-Mart or other dry camping location. We have talked about it but never have done it. There is fear of the unknown involved the first time you do this. Am I going to be safe, will I be hassled for parking there? I am sure we will do it some time in the future. We typically do not drive more than a couple of hundred miles in a day and if we were using a Wal-Mart, we would be there pretty darned early. We also would look for a campground if it was so hot that we needed air conditioning.

[drhuggybear]

Matt_Colie wrote:

No,

There are some nice places to go that aren't in Texas!

We even carry some warm clothes.

Matt

There are places outside of Texas? I guess I missed that in school 😄

Will a Honda 2000 generator run a standard RV AC or do you neeed the bigger units?

[Less_Stuff]

Let me add a couple more learned from 10 years of cheapskate camping.

Hospital parking lots.
In Germany we found an apartment complex that had a small lot with tenant travel trailers parked in it.
Our rented motorhome fit right in for the night.
Many Baja beaches are public and have free camping. For the faint of heart you can always find one where others are already camped.
Many remote locations have been seen me overnight on just a wide spot in the dirt road.

[Matt_Colie]

drhuggybear wrote:
So I am new to RVing and are looking at some longer trips. I see people talking about overnighting at various places. My guess is that you either A) have a generator and run that or B) sleep without AC.

Am I missing something?

No,

There are some nice places to go that aren't in Texas!

We even carry some warm clothes.

Matt

[pigman1]

Have generator--- Sleep without AC---- Don't go south in the summer.

[drhuggybear]

So I am new to RVing and are looking at some longer trips. I see people talking about overnighting at various places. My guess is that you either A) have a generator and run that or B) sleep without AC.

Am I missing something?

[Matt_Colie]

We very rarely buy a campground slip unless we need something they have and we almost never do. So, we overnight at: (in general order of preference)
Truck stops
Highway rest areas
Home Despot
Lowes
Casino lots (some have power at low cost)
Walmart
Cracker Barrel
Cabela's (Most have a dump and most are free)
Any quiet flat spot we can find

It isn't that I mind paying for a slip for the night, but if I don't need or want what they are selling I don't see any reason to buy it.

Matt

[weathershak]

Queens Carriage wrote:
What is a WM? ( wine maker?)

Washing Machine,

[wintersun]

We stop at state operated rest stops and truck stops that are right off the highway. In both places there are other people parked as well. Driving into a town to park overnight in a wide open parking lot seems foolhardy and not worth the risk or making the detour.

[McZippie]

Sandia Man wrote:
I've never experienced any problems overnighting at Walmart or any of the other places including truck stops, rest areas, casinos, and churches. By the time we get to these locations, it is very late and there are other RVs already parked for the night, we just pick a spot nearby and get a few hours of shut-eye. We usually purchase gas and/or food when we overnight in any commercial parking lots.

^^^^^^^
Been sleeping in all kind of different business parking lots for decades.
In small towns we park/sleep in the city's municipal/police lot.
Just about any shopping center in a safe area, is a good choice.
BTW we never ask for permission.
Use common sense... No one every hassled us.

[Queens_Carriage]

What is a WM? ( wine maker?)

[pigman1]

We do it all the time and haven't had a problem in over 150,000 miles of RV travel. Just be smart, look at the area, the people already there and if you're uneasy, go to the next place.

[answerswillvary]

Moved from Campgrounds to Boondocking

[tomkaren13]

Walmart parking is fine. Just either ask management and/or watch for signs. Some communities don't allow it.