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.

[Mcamper]

Matt_Colie wrote:

MC,

You are not alone in not sleeping anywhere but a campground. We used to do that, but we did not have the freedom that a motorhome or solid trailer allows. Truck stops and highway rest areas are noisy, but they are often where you need them, except in Kentucky where they have plowed in more than half - so, we don't stop in Kentucky anymore. Inbound from a long command excursion, we were looking for a mapped rest area in Kentuk, I did not even see the first at all and was watching carefully for the next (an extra 30 mi) and I could see the torn out ramp, but the signs were gone. There were NO Campgrounds in striking range, but there was a Cracker Barrel. That is why we don't stop in Kentucky.

The 2 hour law is pretty much a North Carolina thing. I have heard of it in other eastern states, but I have not been able to confirm it. That just puts North Carolina on the same don't stop (and spend money) here list. An acquaintance was/is a lawyer. He got told that he had been in a rest area too long and he should move on. He collected the officer's badge number and other identification, and - in front of the officer - used his cell phone to leave a message with a colleague that, should he have a problem on the road, this is the man that forced him back out onto the highway. He didn't move and the officer left.

We have recently been in Walmart lots that had pop-up popped.

These days, if I am going to pay for a nights sleep, I check Google Earth to:
A - Find the actual campground and see if it compares to the description at all.
B - Look for grades that truck will be engine braking down.
C - Find the nearest railroad tracks.

So Far, this has been successful.

Matt

Why would you not want to stop in North Carolina just because of the law concerning a rest area? NC is a wonderful state with everything from hundreds of miles of seashore to the mountains in the west. There is also plenty of very nice areas in between the two! I would think you might be shorting yourself by doing this.

[wbwood]

Bottom line is if you have concerns on how safe it is, then you probably should not do it. You mentioned about one night in a campground is a waste. Then you need to decide whether or not the money you waste is worth it to feel and possibly be safer than staying in the parking lot.

We've never done. Never had to. We are planners and always have had a place (campground/park) to stay each night. But of course, every where we have gone has been within a days drive from home. Personally, if I had a choice, as an LEO, I would opt for an rv park. But I am concerned more about the safety of my wife and my daughter than I am for myself. And to be honest, RV parks generally have quiet hours (most of the time they are pretty much adhered to), but parking lots do not. I don't think I would get a very good nights rest in one because every little sound I heard would alarm me and keep me awake. As well as it would my wife too.

[mavapa]

If you are willing to expand your horizons a little, you can have some great experiences. My parents used to stop at deserted gas stations and other secluded parking areas. Once they stopped at a church somewhere deep in the South and were invited in to listen to a singing, and then invited to spend the night in the parking lot. They once asked an officer in a small Alabama town where they could park overnight, and he told them to pull into the police department parking lot. They're gone now, but I soon hope to start following their example.

[dahkota]

We have stayed overnight at rest areas in North Carolina along 95 more than once. We have never been asked to leave after any length of time. The 25 or so truckers parked along side us never seem to worry about it either.

[hokeypokey]

Once we stayed in a grade school parking lot. It was during the summer, so it was deserted and nobody seemed to care. Another time we stayed on a gravel area behind a small gas station. We asked the gas station employee if it would be ok and he said "sure, somebody is often using it to overnight, so help yourself."

[pigman1]

beemerphile1 wrote:

Mcamper wrote:
...I live in North Carolina, and it is my understanding that you can not stay parked at a rest stop for longer than 2 hours...

I have overnighted many, many times at the welcome center on I77 in NC. Yes there is a sign stating no overnight camping or parking or something like that. I have spent the night right in front of the sign. There has always been many others sleeping both in cars, RVs, and trucks.

My theory is that the ordinance allows them to control the trouble makers but the officers don't care about travelers catching some rest. There are unsavory types that like to hang out and conduct business at rest areas, these are the ones they want to control.

Absolutely beemerphile1. The LEOS have more important things to do than to start a stopwatch on every vehicle that comes into a rest area and stays longer than 5 minutes. We do the same as you and have never been rousted or questioned. We've also seen the sign thing at Wal Mart parking lots and when we checked with the store manager we were told the postings were to allow them to get rid of the homesteaders. Over nighters were welcome.

[beemerphile1]

Mcamper wrote:
...I live in North Carolina, and it is my understanding that you can not stay parked at a rest stop for longer than 2 hours...

I have overnighted many, many times at the welcome center on I77 in NC. Yes there is a sign stating no overnight camping or parking or something like that. I have spent the night right in front of the sign. There has always been many others sleeping both in cars, RVs, and trucks.

My theory is that the ordinance allows them to control the trouble makers but the officers don't care about travelers catching some rest. There are unsavory types that like to hang out and conduct business at rest areas, these are the ones they want to control.

[Matt_Colie]

Mcamper wrote:
I have never stopped overnight anywhere except a campground. That is the reason I put up the orginal post. I wanted to hear from those of you that do use other places. I do not like going into a campground late, and possibly waking people.

I live in North Carolina, and it is my understanding that you can not stay parked at a rest stop for longer than 2 hours.

I understand that even though a truck stop would be more noisy, it is probably a relatively safe place to park for some sleep. I guess one reason would be because there is more activity there. I did stop late one night at a truck stop for fuel and a snack. I saw what appeared to be a "working lady" knocking on the doors to some of the trucks there. I would hope that she would not knock on the door to any type of RV since there is usually a family inside.

MC,

You are not alone in not sleeping anywhere but a campground. We used to do that, but we did not have the freedom that a motorhome or solid trailer allows. Truck stops and highway rest areas are noisy, but they are often where you need them, except in Kentucky where they have plowed in more than half - so, we don't stop in Kentucky anymore. Inbound from a long command excursion, we were looking for a mapped rest area in Kentuk, I did not even see the first at all and was watching carefully for the next (an extra 30 mi) and I could see the torn out ramp, but the signs were gone. There were NO Campgrounds in striking range, but there was a Cracker Barrel. That is why we don't stop in Kentucky.

The 2 hour law is pretty much a North Carolina thing. I have heard of it in other eastern states, but I have not been able to confirm it. That just puts North Carolina on the same don't stop (and spend money) here list. An acquaintance was/is a lawyer. He got told that he had been in a rest area too long and he should move on. He collected the officer's badge number and other identification, and - in front of the officer - used his cell phone to leave a message with a colleague that, should he have a problem on the road, this is the man that forced him back out onto the highway. He didn't move and the officer left.

We have recently been in Walmart lots that had pop-up popped.

These days, if I am going to pay for a nights sleep, I check Google Earth to:
A - Find the actual campground and see if it compares to the description at all.
B - Look for grades that truck will be engine braking down.
C - Find the nearest railroad tracks.

So Far, this has been successful.

Matt

[mainlandernow]

My response to this question would involve

1) What state/ area
2) Are you armed?
3) How old, physically fit, situational awareness etc

We stay everywhere and I do not worry one bit because I sleep with a Marine officer. Would I stay there alone? nope

[Mcamper]

I have never stopped overnight anywhere except a campground. That is the reason I put up the orginal post. I wanted to hear from those of you that do use other places. I do not like going into a campground late, and possibly waking people.

I live in North Carolina, and it is my understanding that you can not stay parked at a rest stop for longer than 2 hours.

I understand that even though a truck stop would be more noisy, it is probably a relatively safe place to park for some sleep. I guess one reason would be because there is more activity there. I did stop late one night at a truck stop for fuel and a snack. I saw what appeared to be a "working lady" knocking on the doors to some of the trucks there. I would hope that she would not knock on the door to any type of RV since there is usually a family inside.

[dahkota]

Tvov wrote:
A few people have said "rest areas" on highways... is this true for every state? I was talking to a big rig driver years ago (10 years maybe) who said Virginia does not allow more than 2 hours parked at a highway rest area, and state police there will wake up drivers and tell them to move along (big rigs were ticketed sometimes). Is this still true?

In the last two and a half years, we have slept in rest areas in 18 states. We have never once been asked to leave nor have we been victim of a crime nor witnessed a crime. They are our preferred stopping location if we are not camping though we have done a few truck stops and parking lots.

The worst rest areas to sleep in are definitely along 95, if only because they are very noisy and people are constantly coming and going, even on the truck/rv side. The best rest areas are out west - Montana, North and South Dakota - and some even have a great view.

We have never had to use a/c while sleeping - it has typically been in the 50s at night which is great sleeping weather.

Worst stop ever - a casino in Oklahoma. We had a cattle truck pull in next to us overnight. Luckily, we didn't have our windows open but when we got out in the morning, the flies and the stench were enough to make me lose my appetite for the day. Second worst stop - a truck stop in Indiana - the noise was unbearable and after 15 hours of driving, I still couldn't sleep.

Best stop ever - a tiny rest area on the border of Montana and South Dakota. It was up on a hill and we woke to an amazing sunrise view.

[Tvov]

And it is always fun to see another Walmart thread!

[Tvov]

A few people have said "rest areas" on highways... is this true for every state? I was talking to a big rig driver years ago (10 years maybe) who said Virginia does not allow more than 2 hours parked at a highway rest area, and state police there will wake up drivers and tell them to move along (big rigs were ticketed sometimes). Is this still true?

[Handbasket]

I took a 'quick' 3-week trip in the Tiger from NC to AZ on I-40 in fall '09. I spent most nights in rest areas, a few in truck stops, and two in the woods outside GCNP. No CG's at all. The Tiger's a class C, so I can go from bed to driver's seat without going outside. I do try to park so that one car can't block me in, and if I have doubts about a place I don't stay long.

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"