Overnight parking going places?

[sjohnson722]

My first post here 🙂

Not new to camping (travel trailer) as when I was younger, the fam... five of us (with a handicapped brother) and a dog in an early 70's 22' Terry...would go camping for two to three weeks each summer.

This is MY first travel trailer and times have sure changed since I last went camping like, 44 years ago...

Question, when you're on the road with long distances between destinations (more than a day's drive) where do you pull over for the night without unhitching, etc.?

I have heard in the past that some Walmart parking lots are friendly, but how about truck stops or roadside rest areas that cater to both cars and trucks, other places?

Opinions, suggestions, warnings...

Thanks

[Guy_Roan]

We always overnight at a RV park since we want a hook up and like the security

With that said, we just got back from a 2000 mile round trip with our pick up truck (no trailer this time) and we always get our gas at either a Pilot or Flying J truck stop. We usually pull in late at night or in the wee hours of the morning while it is still dark, and we noticed that all around the perimeter of the truck parking area there was every type of RV overnighting.
It appeared that it was a good place to overnight free if you didn't need or want a hook up

Guy

[agesilaus]

And be aware that not all Walmarts allow overnight stays. The local government can ban that.

[bukhrn]

We've done WalMarts, Lowes, Rest Areas, Truck Stops, which I find Flying J the best, the RV sites are separate from the truck area and a little quieter, noise doesn't bother me as much as some, as when I stop, I'm tired and go to sleep pretty quickly.
There are also Cracker Barrels, Churches, and some Casinos.

[TenOC]

Free Camping Net

And


Campendium free camping

[agesilaus]

You just have to make an evaluation about the location that you are thinking about stopping at. For the most part they are safe but occasionally I see one that I would not want to stop at, a Walmart with off duty police guarding the front entrance for example. But those are rare.
I agree about truck stops, usually noisy and brightly lit. They also have the reputation of attracting unsavory business.

Boondocking is the other option especially west of the Mississippi.

[enblethen]

We have stayed over at various places.
We do not do truck stops as they are quite often noisy.
Lowes, Manards, Home Depot are quieter and less traffic then Walmarts.
We travel more of the primary federal highways and state highways. There is often small towns with city parks.
We use the gravel pit campgrounds on some routes.
Rest areas are noisy with traffic through out the nights. We avoid them.

[bpounds]

Welcome to a new user. As such, you probably have not seen the many many threads on this topic. I suggest you do a search on this site. Using the term 'walmart' will likely get the most hits.

Rather than repeat all that you will find and read, I'll just say that I have used all of the places you suggest, and more. Works great for us, but others are scared and won't do anything less than a campground.