Just wondering

[caysea7254]

How many of you that own 5th wheels stay overnight at either Walmart parking lots or one of the Travel Plazas? My dh would like to do this when we are going and coming from vacation ,but how on earth do you sleep and get ready the next morn? I can understand Motorhomes doing it and I would have no hesitation about that but 5th wheel, just can't see the convenience in it. Thanks Tara

[Paul_Clancy]

When I overnight park it is just about easy late arrival and early depart in a safe well lit parking lot just off my route. Very hard to park in a dark campground and waking neighbors is a bad thing. Even for 1 night. Not about being cheap. In fact I'd be happy to pay for the luxury.

[northmeck0255]

Nutinelse2do wrote:
Shower? I don't need no stinking shower!
But seriously, all you are doing when wallydocking, is having a place to sleep.
In the morning, wash your face at the sink, brush your teeth, and if need be, use a dry shampoo.
It's not a beauty contest, and after you live the rv lifestyle for a while, you will realize, nobody cares!
( woman speaking here )
Just an fyi, gentleman appreciate natural beauty.... It comes from within.

As far as coffee, use a stove top percolator.

Edit.... There are many better places to sleep overnight than Walmart or a truck stop.
Try Cabela's, casinos, Lowes, Menards, Home Depot, and Bass Pro Shops.Freecampsites.net is a great website to find overnight places on your route.
If you don't have a battery bank, inverter, solar, or generator, sometimes it is better to just bite the bullett and pay for a campground. Passport America is cheap, I think around $25 to join, and has half price campgrounds across the Country.

X2 on Cabela's. When we stay at Lowe's, we not only get free parking but we can usually hit the free wifi network as well. We disconnect the umbilical cable, and lower the landing gear just enough to take the load off of the truck's springs. Bedroom slide goes out if we have a grassy strip on that side. We have an onboard genset and use a Genturi if parked in a crowded place.

[Lantley]

caysea7254 wrote:
Glad some see my point! It was just a question. Dh and I aren't making an argument over it and no im not a primper! Just like a shower in the morning. I sure did not mean to make a big deal out of it. For those of you that stay with a 5th, great! Really I just was wondering! 🙂

I do miss one point. I don't understand why you can't take a shower in the morning in your 5th wheel. A simple shower does not require 110 volt electric.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

You also might want to check out Casinocamper.org. Until last year we'd not stayed at the Casinos but plenty of Walmart's or Big Box stores on our travels as one off O/N's. Now we love Casinos way more than WM to O/N = classic example of we never missed what we'd never had.

Last September/October on a major road trip coverage, out of 43 nights on the road, we only stayed 2 nights at Glacier NP CG, 1 night at a Seattle CG, and 1 night at Waterton Lakes Alberta NP CG. All but maybe half a dozen of the remaining dry camping nights were spent at Casino carparks on the Oregon/California/Washington coasts, and some we were invited to stay for a couple or more nights by their security personnel.

Freecampsites.net is another one of our go to websites, which lists some neat locations to overnight or longer and some besides lakes, rivers, vistas/views. We also use Sanidumps.com and try always wherever we stay or dump/refill tanks, to buy our fuel there, spend some dollars, or if a donation box put in a fair value donation.

[mileshuff]

Never stayed at Walmart but have parked at Casino lots for the night many times. Our floorplan doesn't require us to open the slides just for the night. Can get to everything with them closed.

The battery easily lasts for lighting for a few hours in the evening as we arrive at night and leave in the morning. For a shower propane to heat the water and battery to run the pump work just fine.

For just 1 night battery, propane and onboard water work great. We only put enough freshwater in for the night as I do not like towing with full tanks.

[jnharley]

We have only overnights date a Wal-Mart once in our 5th wheel and it was fine. We asked permission and parked out of the way next to the curb so we could deploy our slides as needed. We have a built in generator and an inverter so we are set. We always travel with a full fresh tank because if we do stop at a campground, we just hook to electricity. We can turn on the generator to run the coffee pot in the morning and we always shower and cook breakfast on travel days. It all depends how comfortable you are with this type of stop. On our trip to Alaska, we did quite a bit of dry camping, once even staying in a pullout beside the Alaska Highway. It was fun!

[laknox]

kakampers wrote:

caysea7254 wrote:
Ok I guess I didn't make my concerns clear. One reason is because of the slides and the other is the electric. And when I get up I gotta have a shower to wake up and no I wont use a Walmart sink! Lol I was just wondering how many people do it. I see lots of motorhomes in the lots but not a whole lot of 5th wheels. wow u people can be ruff on a persons question!! LOL Thanks for comments 🙂

You should have more than enough battery power to get through one night. Your slides work off the battery. As for the shower, put the water heater on propane....over night stops in a fiver aren't any different in a motor home.

Can leave the truck running to extend/retract the slides, too, so no drain on the battery.

Lyle

[is_it_friday_ye]

caysea7254 wrote:
Happy prospector, been rvin 40+ years! It was a question! And my thoughts if u can't afford to pay for a spot overnight maybe u should not rv. Just saying!

For us, it doesn't have anything to do with money. Sometimes the campground isn't very close to the freeway. I do all the driving with the trailer and when I'm tired, I use the Next Exit book to find a Walmart close to the freeway. We park way out in the lot, go inside and ask permission if nobody else it out there doing the same, purchase something we need, use the restroom, and go to sleep. We're usually on the road by 8'ish the next morning. We did this without a generator on our previous 5th wheel but didn't use the shower, but I'm pretty sure you'll be fine using it. I suggest just trying it out one night and see if it's for you. Maybe try it in your driveway? Leave the heat on all night if you need to, then try your morning routine and see if your battery will handle it.

[GPG52_]

WE have done it with no problem. In fact the parking lot grade is often better than some of the campground sites we have pulled in.
In our case we typically call the Walmart ahead of time and ask permission. You can get the phone number off of the websites. We have never been turned down. All they ask is that you do not park up front at the doors, but welcome you to use the back parking lot. Why?? Because you are sure to go in the store to stretch you legs... and inevitably shop.
Some Flying J actually have designated spots for RV overnighting. They also offer free dumping station.
Just call ahead (courtesy) and enjoy.
GPG

[caysea7254]

Happy prospector, been rvin 40+ years! It was a question! And my thoughts if u can't afford to pay for a spot overnight maybe u should not rv. Just saying!

[austinjenna]

We stay at WM or travel plaza's, wake up in the morning and make breakfast, take a shower. make coffee etc.. then get back on the road. There is not much difference for me other then not having the landing gear down.

[Bobandshawn]

May not be the case everywhere, but here they do check for open slide outs. Some trailers are sleep-able, like mine, with the slide closed. They also do not allow generators to operate. The local cops come by checking. No awnings, no BBQ's, no tables and chairs can be set up, can't disconnect the TV from the trailer. All city ordinances, not Walmart policies.

[Veebyes]

The water in the waterheater is not going to turn cold in an hour. Even overnight, provided it is not really cold, the water will be plenty warm enough for a shower. The mixer setting will have to be more towards HOT thats all.

Hot water is a non issue anyway. The propane will warm it up enough from stone cold in 15 minutes.

As far as 120AC power goes, having a decent sized battery bank & inverter really are handy for a Wally overnight. No, you can't have A/C but you can have your TV, your phone charger, maybe even your toaster or coffeemaker without even thinking generator.

[Happy_Prospecto]

caysea7254 wrote:
Ok I guess I didn't make my concerns clear. One reason is because of the slides and the other is the electric. And when I get up I gotta have a shower to wake up and no I wont use a Walmart sink! Lol I was just wondering how many people do it. I see lots of motorhomes in the lots but not a whole lot of 5th wheels. wow u people can be ruff on a persons question!! LOL Thanks for comments 🙂

Just wondering if you have ever been RV'ing before? Where ever I stop over night (Walmart, Casinos, Truck stops, Fairgrounds), in the morning the slides still work, we have hot water, coffee pot works just fine, if genny is needed, it starts right up.

I refuse to pay $30 or so just to overnight at a RV Park, but to each there own. It sounds like to me you may need some RV'ing education.

[NC_Hauler]

larry barnhart wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:
...Never have...never plan to..

same here. I do not believe in saying never but darn sure, for sure.

chevman

Well, yeah Larry, you're right:)....I don't plan on ever staying over at a Wally- World:B