top of texas
Texas Panhandle
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Joined: 11/29/2006
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When we are traveling we stay overnight in RV campgroungs,but this time we are thinking of staying overnight in Walmart parking lots,truck stops and rest areas on the interstate. I don't mind the cost of RV parks but the trouble it take to register and find your spot and ect. Has anyone had any problem with staying overnight in these areas. We will be traveling about 2000 miles in 4 or 5 days.
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Sandia Man
Rio Rancho, NM
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Joined: 08/09/2008
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We've stayed in all the above at onetime or another when traveling late and looking for a few hours of sleep before resuming travel early in the morning. Our preferences are Wal-mart, Truck stops, then rest stops in that order.
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louiskathy
Oregon (presently)
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I think it depends on which direction you are headed.
Arizona closed most of it's rest areas.
California closed quite a few of there's along I5 and what's left open isn't safe (JMHO) to over night in.
Wal-Marts are being prohibited from allowing overnighters more and more due to city ordinances (California and Colorado from our experience)but will not boot you out. They can't give you premission but if a police person would ask you to move, you can't refuse to move. I've never been asked to move and we've stayed by the "no over night parking" so I'm thinking it's ok as long as you don't cause any problems. The night we stayed at a Wal-Mart that didn't allow overnight parking, was in late April on the West side of Vail Pass, snow was coming down and there were a dozen of us with enough brains to stay put.
Kathy
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Beartoo
Perham MN
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Just spent the last week and a half traveling and I spent every night at RV parks and Casinos, from 7 dollars to 27 per night. I had no trouble registering just needed my lic. # and cash. Everyone of them where great for over night stops and I had electricity which I need for sleeping.
When I was younger I did camp at casinos and rest areas.
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JUrban
Delaware
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When we're looking to make time we stay at WM, truck stops, wide spots and wherever. For our 3 trips from DE to AK we pay at one stop on the way up and one on the way down, an 11,000+ mile trip. It's not a money thing, it's a time and convenience thing. We do the same when snowbirding in AZ. Try it and see how you like it, then decide.
John
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mavapa
Rome, Ga, USA
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Joined: 11/08/2002
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If your trip is in the western US, rest areas are generally OK. Doesn't Texas allow overnighting in all rest areas? I have stayed in a few in Texas, even some that were not much more than wide spots in a two-lane road.
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seliger5
Tempe, Arizona
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We have done Walmarts and truck stops. Sometimes rest areas give me the creeps, but some of them are more well populated than others. I love the idea of the church. that's great!
Arizona Fun In The Sun
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aeohio
New Mexico
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There are pro's and con's to both. At a CG you get hookups which may or may not be something you need. If you stay at WM, truck stops or rest areas its generally pull in park and go to sleep, nothing fancy and you need to remember you get what you pay for. They can be noisy, with bright lights and you have no complaint if people are being loud.
We have done all of them and for us it really depends on what we are doing with the trip. If we need to make time and just want a few hours of sleep the WM or truck stop is what we do. If we have the time then we will stop at a CG and relax a little.
We have not had any issues staying at CG, WM, truck stops or rest areas. However rest areas are our last choice.
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midnightsadie
ohio
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we.ve done them . one time we stopped at a church . big lot . asked the lady at the desk .not a problem , been to the church lots more tham wally world.
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bmet2000'sDW
North Carolina
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we just took a 3 week long out west trip and overnighted at a Flying J and a Walmart on the way out. Both were great! I was nervous about doing any dry camping, as we had only ever camping with (at the least) water and electric. But there were 6 of us and we had no problem! We pulled in put out the slides, put down the stabilzer feet and went to sleep!
On the way home we had to have campgrounds as it was VERY humid AND stopped earlier each night then we did on the way out.
For us it was a convenience thing. Drive till midnight or so, rest a few hours, then back on the road. Seems silly to me to pay for a campground that you won't be in but for a few hours.
We didn't try the rest areas, think they might be a little scary to me, but the flying J (kentucky)was extremely RV friendly as well as was the walmart (Missouri)
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