Overnight stops and Rest Areas

[jlrmfc21]

Hi all,

We have a trip planned from Michigan to Florida to stay a week at Fort Wilderness. To maximize our time, I think we will probably stay overnight at a Rest Area on the way down. I have a few questions regarding this:

1. First, is this safe anymore and allowed?

2. Slide outs - Can we put out the slide out at a rest area?

3. Battery and 7 Pin - Do you leave the 7 pin wiring hooked up to the TV? I would assume, No, as to not drain the vehicle battery. I'm also assuming that my regular battery would power the slide and all lights.

4. TT - 2018 Jayco Whitehawk 29BH - Is it ok to use my stabilizer jacks at a rest area?

Would like to hear folks opinions/recommendations to those who have stayed at Rest Areas.
thanks

[SDcampowneroper]

Think away from rest areas and box stores. Where some AHJs have restricted overnighting on gov. or commercial property, overnighting on benevolent property is not restricted.
Churches, lodges, Salvation Army, local school grounds, sport fields etc. are safe and empty. Call ahead, do your diligence and make a thank you donation

[wnjj]

3. Depends upon your tow vehicle and if it has an isolator/relay.

[theoldwizard1]

Most states that have Rest Stops have specific rules AGAINST overnighting. They are posted but I would not say they are always enforced or obeyed.

If possible, I would NOT extend my slide.

[Mandalay_Parr]

I generally stay in WalMart’s and truck stops.

[Lwiddis]

Whole bunch of assuming, jlr. A little study (internet reading) might be in order.

[GordonThree]

I've stayed at many rest areas in my long haul travels. Safe, well, I did have an elderly couple in an ancient class A try to kill me with their motor exhaust. They pulled in right on top of me during a summer trip, with both their main and generator motors running, both of which vented right outside my windows. Thankful the CO detector was able to wake me up before it was too late.

Never been approached by lot lizards, pros, dealers or anything else many seem to experience.

Never needed to put my jacks down or unplug the Bargman. I pull over late, it's time to sleep not walk around inside the coach.

Traveling in the North in the winter, the generator in the truck bed is running, for tank heaters, etc.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

SidecarFlip wrote:
...and no rest areas near urban areas either. Those rest areas are populated by 'ladies of the night' at night, looking for lonely truckers.

Floosie’s? :E

[SidecarFlip]

...and no rest areas near urban areas either. Those rest areas are populated by 'ladies of the night' at night, looking for lonely truckers.

[atreis]

1. Safe: pretty safe, yes. Truckers do it all the time. Allowed: varies by state. You'll have to check. The rules may be different for truckers, presumably under the notion that they know the rules about dumping waste water (don't do that) and the like.
2. If you don't interfere with the space next to you, then yes. If you interfere with the space next to you, likely no. Many rest areas fill up with trucks at night. It would make it obvious you're over-nighting.
3. No. Should you use enough power to drain the battery, you wouldn't want to not be able to start the car in the morning. That said, unless you run the furnace or watch TV all night, you're not likely to use that much power.
4. Yes. Put something under them (board, orange plastic jack pads, something like that) so that you don't damage the blacktop. That's just politeness.