Is it okay to drop my tip out beds at rest stops or Walmart?

[09KZMXT266]

I'll be traveling to Florida from MO soon. I figure I'll have to stop for one night at a rest stop or Walmart. The beds in my toy hauler are queen tip-outs one on each side of the rig. I've never overnighted before except in campgrounds, so not sure of the proper etiquette. I would leave the bike inside and drop one of the queen tip-outs to sleep on. Just not sure if that is okay to do or not? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

[azrving]

Rancher Will wrote:
Over the past decades we have stayed overnight in a Walmart park lot perhaps a half dozen times each year. We sometime also stay in a Truck stop paring lot also, always for convenience. When we do not need to take time, or time is close, to locate and set up and take down in a RV Camp Park, we can stop at Walmart or Truck Stop, get in and out on time without delay. The last two of our RVs required a slide out to use the bedroom. We have never had any problem extending the bedroom slide in any Walmart or Truck stop over night.

We always check with the manager on duty, both at Walmarts, Truck Stops, etc,. and get not only permission but advice as to where to park. We always make at least a small purchase at the business also, if only for courtesy, although usually because we need or can use something.

Just a tip for others that I learned from more than one Walmart manager. In the few Walmart stores that are in areas such as municipal restrictions where overnight parking is prohibited, it is not Walmart that prohibits. I have been told by Walmart managers that if we are contacted by city police, etc., and told "no overnight parking" just say "we are parked to shop in the morning". We have done this a few times, twice by security persons and once by a policeman, and never required to move before morning after telling this.

There are a few Walmarts where there is just not enough room to park but those are rare. In those it is obvious that we cannot park there for reasons of no space, so we do not stop there.

So, to improve on this just a little I would be doing really well if I had my old SLA battery sitting there to point at and say my RV is having problems and I need to get this battery as soon as they open. Thanks for your input, we learn something new every day. 🙂 Ummm Hummm Ahhhh Haaaaa

[D___M]

Do as you wish. Walmart doesn't care. The negative responses are from the Walmart Police. Just be sure you don't restrict access.

[Rancher_Will]

Over the past decades we have stayed overnight in a Walmart park lot perhaps a half dozen times each year. We sometime also stay in a Truck stop paring lot also, always for convenience. When we do not need to take time, or time is close, to locate and set up and take down in a RV Camp Park, we can stop at Walmart or Truck Stop, get in and out on time without delay. The last two of our RVs required a slide out to use the bedroom. We have never had any problem extending the bedroom slide in any Walmart or Truck stop over night.

We always check with the manager on duty, both at Walmarts, Truck Stops, etc,. and get not only permission but advice as to where to park. We always make at least a small purchase at the business also, if only for courtesy, although usually because we need or can use something.

Just a tip for others that I learned from more than one Walmart manager. In the few Walmart stores that are in areas such as municipal restrictions where overnight parking is prohibited, it is not Walmart that prohibits. I have been told by Walmart managers that if we are contacted by city police, etc., and told "no overnight parking" just say "we are parked to shop in the morning". We have done this a few times, twice by security persons and once by a policeman, and never required to move before morning after telling this.

There are a few Walmarts where there is just not enough room to park but those are rare. In those it is obvious that we cannot park there for reasons of no space, so we do not stop there.

[Cloud_Dancer]

I'm a cheapskate. You can imagine my smile whenever I pull into a Wally parking lot for a handy overnight stay.
I also do not like to talk to clerks. It's just too big of a bother, and to say nothing of how long it takes to make the arrangements in order to even find such a clerks's office (at a campground or RV park).
Convenience, plus more money saved, for diesel,.....thanks again Walmart.
And NO, running into the Walmart in order to buy something in the effort to return the favor is something I simply don't do,.....unless I need something.
Heck, I happen to be a regular Walmart shopper, no matter where I am. I also take advantage of their fuel discount (diesel and gas) on a regular basis.

[GWolfe]

Funny story about parking with your slide out over the grass. I was walking by the customer service desk and overheard a guy complaining to management that during the night the lawn sprinklers came on and got the underside of his slide wet and left water spots down the side. The nerve of some people, get to stay for free and still complain, these will be the ones that ruin it.

[crudeman]

dennislanier wrote:
To some who seem to resent folks overnighting in Walmart lots for whatever reason I will say this. I think most people who stop overnight at Walmart are NOT there to avoid paying camping fees. They are there for convenience to get a little rest. If there was a campground next door to Walmart I a sure many would choose that option.

Also, I would much rather someone stay at a Walmart parking lot than come driving into a campground at 10PM and raising a ruckus setting up their rig for just an overnight stay.

True, but depending on what parts of the country you travel in there are many other choices that are OK with it Hardee's, Jack's, HD, Lowe's , Shoneys just to name a few.

[RandACampin]

It's perfectly fine! Anyone who says different is wrong. There are no rules for wal mart camping and all these other people are just spouting BS. Do it and enjoy yourself.

[dennislanier]

To some who seem to resent folks overnighting in Walmart lots for whatever reason I will say this. I think most people who stop overnight at Walmart are NOT there to avoid paying camping fees. They are there for convenience to get a little rest. If there was a campground next door to Walmart I a sure many would choose that option.

Also, I would much rather someone stay at a Walmart parking lot than come driving into a campground at 10PM and raising a ruckus setting up their rig for just an overnight stay.

[wbwood]

2oldman wrote:

Shot-N-Az wrote:

wbwood wrote:
While 99% of people know that people are sleeping in an RV overnight if sitting in a Walmart parking lot, try to make it inconspicuous as possible.

Why?

So that, by using a bit of common sense and good manners, we can continue to use Walmarts when we need to.

Ditto...

People (non campers) don't normally go to the local KOA to purchase their goods. So the image of the Walmart parking lot being a "campground", not only looks bad, but will start to carry a burden in the long run and not being able to park (not camp) overnight. Just like anything, all it takes is for some bad apples to ruin the bunch. This is why we live with so many laws. There used not to be as many laws as there are now. What will happen (and has happened) is that city ordinances are going to start strengthened to not allow such "parking". Don't ruin a good thing. What's the old saying "give an inch and take a mile".

[BusaGuy]

My only concern as far as safety would be someone trying to break in or mess with my stuff.....but a good old pistol helps put the mind at ease. It doesn't matter whether it is a hard sided camper or not.....people are mean and I don't leave home without my handy little side arm.

[mgirardo]

FunnyCamper wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I did see a fiver all set up with its awning out and a couple of chairs under it.
There was no truck parked in front of it and didn't seem to be anybody around.
I think they spent the weekend there because we saw it on both fri night and sat afternoon.
This is the kind of "camper" who will ruin it for the rest.

possible major truck trouble. at truck dealership getting repaired and the dealer lot was full of cars and the people asked walmart manager if they could use their lot in their time of distress and all worked out fine for everyone? why assume the worst when this is probably the opposite?

We had this exact same scenario, except it was at a Target. Years ago we were on our way to Disney World from NJ, we made a stop and I noticed the radiator was leaking. It was about 8 am on a Saturday. We were in MD and knew the area well enough (lived there while in College). We stopped at a GM dealer we knew. They could look at the TV, but their lot wasn't big enough for the HTT we had at the time. Across the street was a Target, so I dropped of the wife and kids and HTT at the Target and went back to the dealer to replace the radiator.

It was a hot day and we had the awning out and had the camp chairs out. We asked the manager if it was okay and he just asked us to park in the back of the lot. We were there for 3 hours while we waiting for the dealer to replace the radiator.

Stuff happens sometimes. We were lucky we had a place to crash instead of sitting in the dealer's waiting room for 3 hours with a 5 and 3 year old.

I personally have never seen people set up camp at a Walmart. We overnight at Walmart probably 1/2 dozen times a year up and down I 95. I have also not seen any of the Walmarts we've used stop allowing overnight parking. There's actually one that didn't allow overnight parking that now does.

-Michael

[Lauren]

It's a crazy world out there; and getting crazier!

[09KZMXT266]

Lauren wrote:
I have hard metal / fiberglass to protect me when I am sleeping. As I understand your rig - and correct me for sure if I am wrong - you are basically like tent material on the enclosed areas where you are sleeping. I simply would never feel safe in that mode in a WalMart, Flying J, Cracker Barrel or any other parking lot.

Gotcha, so you'd be afraid someone would slash through the tent, come on in, and say hello? 🙂

[Lauren]

I have hard metal / fiberglass to protect me when I am sleeping. As I understand your rig - and correct me for sure if I am wrong - you are basically like tent material on the enclosed areas where you are sleeping. I simply would never feel safe in that mode in a WalMart, Flying J, Cracker Barrel or any other parking lot.