Overnighting at a rest area

[tenhorsun]

Have you done it?
We're new TT owners this past spring. We've camped from state campgrounds with electricity to boondocking out in the middle of nowhere up in the mountains. (We're in Montana.) Loving it!

For an upcoming trip, we might want/need to do a few overnighting stays... at rest stops off the highway. (NOT Walmart.) Have you guys had good experiences with this? How was it? (privacy, noise, convenience, safety, etc.) Also, since it was just overnighting, I'm guessing you kept your TT hooked up to your vehicle. How was it walking around and being in your TT?

[Naio]

I have only stayed at walmarts a couple of times, but they were fine. I parked where I saw the other RVs :). One that was hot, I parked on the shady side of the building and read a book until the sun got low in the sky, then moved to what looked like the RV area.

I just leave lots of empty spots between me and the store so I am not inconveniencing any shorter term customers.

I am scared of rest areas, but may try sometime.

[Bmach]

I have never stayed OVER night in a rest area. I have stopped and grabbed a couple of hours sleep. Never had a problem and I also will park in the car lot away from the other cars and not with the trucks.

[seaeagle2]

In Washington State, some rest areas have an 8 hour max, some have a 1 hour max stay and most say no camping, some say no overnight parking, but most have Dump stations.

[hanzfranz60]

Somes state's rest areas have overnight security and they don't seem to mind when we stay overnight. We just try not to look like we are setting up camp: keep slides in, respect generator use, don't stay too long.

Also, Camping World locations have been agreeable to staying overnight. Some will even offer you electric service if you let them know that you would like to stay overnight.

And, try freecampgrounds.com for other options!

[wanderingbob]

Stay 20 or so nites in a year in Wal-Marts , have never spoke the manager ! Last nite I stopped in a Bed Bath & Beyond , security guard came over and told me to move over that away about 70 feet and I would be in Wal- Marts lot , I did ! I have stayed for years in southern rest areas and have NEVER been told to leave . My neighbor , a Fl Highway Patrol officer , sez they are instructed to never put a sleepy driver back on the road !

[We_Cant_Wait]

YES YOU NEED TO TOUCH BASES with the manager on duty at the Wal-Mart you want to stay at to ensure that you're parking in an area where they want you to be in. In some cases town/city ordinances make it illegal to park overnight at Wal-Mart SAM's club etc. When I stayed at a Rest Area (in NY State) I stayed on the car side and just parked parallel to the curb at the far end (either one) furthest away from the restrooms.

[RavensFan24]

You do not need to notify Walmart. Some of them don't allow overnight parking, but they are typically ones that are not open 24 hours or are in/near cities.

You'll almost always see a few other trucks or RVs parking there overnight. I park where ever there aren't other people and away from the store, so I don't get parked in come morning time or have people anywhere near me.

We stayed in Florence, SC at the WalMart both ways on our trip from MD to FL and back. It was about 90 during the day and in the low 70s at night. We opened the windows and turned on the Fantastic Fan. I also had a regular fan plugged in to an inverter pointed on us in bed. Both nights we actually woke up a bit chilly before it started to warm up around 8-9am. I don't have a generator, but I'm sure you could use one. I'd just make sure it's locked up well to the frame or something. I usually find a spot under a tree and/or try to position myself so my bedroom side isn't facing the sun come morning time, which affords some extra sleep time.

[Doug33]

Do you need to notify Walmart if you are parking overnight, or just pull in and go to sleep? Do you park as far from the store as possible? What do you do if it is really hot weather? Parking lots are notoriously hot in the summer, although theoretically things cool down at night. Can you run a generator?

[69_Avion]

I have never had any issues stopping at rest stops between AZ and MT, except of Idaho. I had been up all day and then on the road for about 10 hours, heading back for an emergency, when I stopped to get a little sleep in Idaho. I had been there for about 1-1/2 hours when an Idaho State Trooper ran me out at about 3:30 am, and accused me of being there over night. I guess they would rather have sleepy driver that had been up for close to 24 hours than have someone rest at a rest stop.
I just drove to Utah and stopped there with no issues.
There is a big difference between resting and camping and it Idaho they can't tell the difference.

[bob_nestor]

Went to visit an Uncle in NY once and his neighbor, who was an Undersheriff, stopped by one nite to introduce himself. He asked me where I stayed at nite when on the road and I told him I usually pulled into a Rest Area or Walmart. He told me camping in Rest Areas in NY State is illegal and I told him camping without beer is just sleeping outside and I didn't have any beer in the RV. He nodded and went on his way, but the next nite he showed up with cold beer.

[gbopp]

rvten wrote:
Some rest area's are posted. NO Over night parking.

Isn't it great! They build rest areas but, you can't use them to rest. :h

[Crazy_Ray]

We've used Lowes,HD,Sams, and never had a problem.

[wing_zealot]

RavensFan24 wrote:
We use Walmarts whenever we're on a long trip. Works out great and much quieter than the few times we've overnighted in a truck rest area.

What he said.

[Oasisbob]

We have done it in CA OR WA with no problems. I do carry a gun but never needed it.

[the_bear_II]

In a rest area I try to find a parking spot where we are away from the truck parking spots to reduce the noise and diesel fumes. It's not always possible to find this kind of spot.

My first choice is to find an inexpensive campground near the highway to stop for the night. Next would be a large truck stop with a separate area for RVs. Rest Stop is the last resort.

We have stayed (with permission) in a large grocery store parking lot, church parking lot, gas station (leave before they open), down a side road, large pull off area along with a few semi's...etc.