Short stops along the way - allowed where?

[AnneM]

I've been reading a lot about where you can and can't park overnight. Tons of info out there about that. But what about when you're on the road and want to stop to see a small attraction before getting on the road again?

We used to do that all the time when road tripping through the US with a car. We'd plan our day so that we'd be driving for 3 hours, stopping at some town to stroll around or maybe see a small museum, then drive for another two hours and do the same and finally drive for an additional couple of hours to our final destination for the night.

Now, with a car, you can park just about anywhere. Sure, sometimes we'd have to find a parking lot (paid) or metered parking in a big city. Other times, in small towns, it's often a matter of just pulling by the side of the road and park behind another vehicle standing there (as long as there are no signs telling you not to). Parking in a residential street was never an issue if we wanted to see people.

Looking at videos of some of those large RV's people drive around in makes me wonder. What do you do when you just want to stop for 1-2 hours and leave your rig while sightseeing? Do you always look for a Walmart/Costco etc? I don't recall seeing too many RV's or commercial trucks in the parking lots of shopping center. Pretty sure you can't just park in a residential street, right?

Or do you just plan ahead so that you move the big RV only from one campground to another and then do your sightseeing around with the tow vehicle or toad?

[DutchmenSport]

troubledwaters wrote:
I used to live on a side street where it seemed to attract RV's to park in front of my house. For some reason, an unusually large number of them used to get flat tires.

Like I said, 99 percent!

[troubledwaters]

I used to live on a side street where it seemed to attract RV's to park in front of my house. For some reason, an unusually large number of them used to get flat tires.

[DutchmenSport]

(Almost 60 feet long here)... Park anywhere we can fit. Usually, even in small towns, the "attraction" will have some kind of adequate parking. If not, just pull on the side of the street in front of someone's house. As long as there is no "No Parking" signs, park it anywhere you fit.

We strive for parking lots first at the attraction we are wanting to visit (even a Mom and Pop restaurant in a small down-town, we've been able to turn the corner and park in a lot, if not on the street close to the establishment).

When all else fails, there are church parking lots too. As long as you are actually "Parked" and not "camping", we've never been hasted for parking anywhere. We've had some home owners stare at us cross-eyed sometimes, but if the attractions is near them, they usually just give a wave. They know we won't be there long. Now granted, it may not be that way everywhere, but here again ... we're talking smaller-out-of-the-way "country towns" (as we call them in Indiana), where folks are just not so up-tight. But here again, every location is different.

1) Look for established parking first.
2) Search for established parking at the attraction you want to visit.
3) Search for established parking on the street
4) Search for a parking lot that is large enough for your rig, like a church, hospital, elks club, or something like that.
5) Go over a block or two and just park on the street where parking is permitted, but don't block anyone's driveway. If you see local residents, let them know you'll be be back shortly. 99% of the time, the will wish you well and are kind of grateful you are spending money in their little "burg."

[DrewE]

I just park wherever I fit and won't be particularly in the way. It's probably easier for me than some because I have a 32' motorhome with nothing in tow, so it's easier to fit in (and maneuver into) places than some other rigs--but it still needs more than a single car parking space, to be sure.

Generally, museums and stores and such are fine with you parking in their lots for the purpose of patronizing their establishments. That's why they have parking lots, after all. Some even have special areas reserved for RVs and busses. A few parking lots are laid out such that it's hard or impossible to fit an RV anywhere (and parking garages are almost always problematic), but most of the time I haven't had difficulty finding someplace reasonable to park.

Laws about parking on residential streets vary somewhat more, but I haven't generally had troubles with parking there if it's otherwise reasonable. Stopping to visit friends for a few hours and parking in front of their house shouldn't be a problem in practice in general if parking is otherwise permitted. Landscapers or movers or other similar professionals and tradesmen do the same with their trucks and trailers when needed to serve customers.

Large cities are an exception, where the parking often just isn't available and taking public transportation is usually much easier and simpler.