Where are safe and free places to park overnight?

[Bob Miller]

Most of the W-M Super-Centers in SoCal are open 24/7.

How do they know if you are Overnighting?

At 24/7 stores, lot security peeps start keeping keep track of any parked RV's after about 10 PM. If they don't move in about an hour they knock on the door. If no one answers, two hours later they come back, if still no answers they can call the local's and have the vehicle towed. It doesn't happen often, but it has happened. Remember, for the most part you are dealing first with local "Security Officers" aka wannabe Real Officers and they love being Mr. Bada$$.

In the examples of stores that close for the night, the local Police don't want any extra vehicles/peeps around closed stores anyway and local ordinances are their weapon of choice.

Contrary to one suggestion, I would think that a TV and trailer parked in front of a Jewelry store at night would get a patrol officers attention, and an invite to leave please, in about a New York minute.

Just offering my own experiences.....

[ThomKat]

We recently had a minor breakdown in Ohio, and we were thinking that we would be forced to be guests of Wal-mart for the night. but they said we had to park out beyond the third row of light poles, and that put us right near a roadhouse type place that had the walls shaking with very loud music. There were too many bright lights, and all sorts of loud and rowdy people around. It was clear there would be no sleep if we stayed there...

But with permission, we have stayed in parking lots at libraries, schools, and fire stations. Small towns can be very hospitable. It helps to stop driving early and make your arrangements before it gets dark...

[Bob Miller]

"Small towns can be very hospitable. It helps to stop driving early and make your arrangements before it gets dark..."

Excellent advice. When I hear of peeps complaining about not being able to find a place for the night, it usually turns out that they didn't plan ahead and/or assumed something without first verifying.

If you are planning a stay at a Wal-Mart, it's always a good idea to check an hour or even a day head to verify OP is available and, if you get there and find No Overnight Parking signs in the parking lot, ask anyway, they are often put up, but not enforced.

[cpaharley2008]

VFW and American Legion for members will allow op in their lots, local church is another possibility, all found in small towns.

[Mike Magee]

I believe Elks Club lots are open to members for overnights, too.

[monB]

I've spent more than a few nights parked in front of a jewelry store when I was too tired to travel. Police ALWAYS ask and I saw I'm traveling and too tired to drive any more....I'll be there for four hours, max. Never had a problem.

MonB

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

I always thought CA was going to break off and go into the ocean.

Only part of it, and then I'll have a house on the beach in Fresno and can sell it for a lot more than it is worth right now.

But they'd better hurry.

[David Tilston]

This may be a Canadian thing, but I have just pulled over in a neighborhood late at night, and been on my way at sun rise. Never had a problem.
At Wally world, we pulled into the parking lot of one with no overnight parking signs everywhere, and RV's parked every where. We spent the night, and were on our way in the morning.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

This may be a Canadian thing, but I have just pulled over in a neighborhood late at night, and been on my way at sun rise. Never had a problem.

Could be Dave, as this is what we often do. Just pull up on a street with lots of room, jump into the trailer to go to sleep, and leave first thing in the morning. We don't usually stop until ready to go to bed, so lights aren't on too much. It does not draw attention either, as it is common to see a vehicle with trailer on a residential street, maybe someone visiting, or a home owner readying for a trip. Fully legal too, as in most municipalities, you can leave a trailer on the street for up to 48 hours.

I have also parked alongside a rural road (not a numbered highway) for the night. Stopped in an arena or community center parking lot too.

There are lots of options out there for nighttime stopovers.

[Bob Miller]

For those just stopping for a "Quickie" (a nap, not that...) there are a lot more options, but I prefer a more relaxed agenda than driving until bed time and getting up before the roosters to escape.

IN Riverside County, CA, county ordinance sez that you can have an occupied RV parked on the street, in front of your own property, for up to 72 hours, but not in front of someone else's property without their permission.

This is to discourage full time RV dwellers (not to be confused with full time RVer's ?)from living in residential areas. The same rule applies if they are in your own driveway and are occupied.

I had 17 occupied RV's in my driveway/front yard one weekend without problems, but it's not time to open an RV park there.

[ernie z]

I noticed that no one mentioned Cracker Barrel. Some don't really have a lot of room or are configured for rv's' but some like the one off I-95 at Brunswick Ga. actually have angled slots behind the eatery for rv's. We ate dinner & then breakfast at C.B. so a mutual gain. Stayed in a few Walmarts but was advised at one while asking permission that the one Walmart they advised not staying in was Nashville Tn. Best policy is ask 1st. Ernie Z.

[ernie z]

Okay,my bad. I didn't read page 2&3 of postings which mention Cracker Barrels. By the way we stayed at wallyworld in Orlando and I definitely wouldn't recommend it. The whole parking lot became one big drinking party.

[mary and bob]

ernie, we called cracker barrel headquarters and asked about staying in thier lot and they said no, they dont allow it but next time im going to ask individual CB, brunswick is so close to jekyll island, we have eaten at that cracker barrel

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by ernie z

I noticed that no one mentioned Cracker Barrel. Some don't really have a lot of room or are configured for rv's' but some like the one off I-95 at Brunswick Ga. actually have angled slots behind the eatery for rv's. We ate dinner & then breakfast at C.B. so a mutual gain. Stayed in a few Walmarts but was advised at one while asking permission that the one Walmart they advised not staying in was Nashville Tn. Best policy is ask 1st. Ernie Z.

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Anyone thinking about using Wal-Mart for overnight parking should first join the Yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/walmartrving/join
There is a huge data base there about where you can't and can't park at Wal-Marts

And always, always, always, go in and ask first.

[Carol H]

Great link Bob - if you join that group under their Documents section they have a downloadable PDF file that give you info by state and address of Walmarts and if Overnight parking is allowed or not. The list appears to be updated often

Looks like most all States have some Walmarts that do not allow overnight parking so definitely not just a west coast thing as someone suggested earlier.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by ernie z

By the way we stayed at wallyworld in Orlando and I definitely wouldn't recommend it. The whole parking lot became one big drinking party.

LOL apparently there are a few in Idaho like that - the fellow camping next to me at a music festival this summer in Washington, mentioned he had been up until 4AM the night before at a large Wallyworld RV parking lot party.

[Gilda]

Check out this website Affordable RV Adventure Travel and the books offered on boondocking sites.

[joeonthecape]

Just a thought,,if you a member of the elks or moose or some other civic originization,,maybe parking in their parking lot,,of course with permission. Oh what about the VFW too,,i would say the local codes would dictate if it was legal.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by joeonthecape

Just a thought,,if you a member of the elks or moose or some other civic originization,,maybe parking in their parking lot,,of course with permission. Oh what about the VFW too,,i would say the local codes would dictate if it was legal.

See #44 and #45...

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Carol H

LOL apparently there are a few in Idaho like that - the fellow camping next to me at a music festival this summer in Washington, mentioned he had been up until 4AM the night before at a large Wallyworld RV parking lot party.

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Unfortunately this all to common occurrence in popular areas is one of several reasons why local ordinances are passed limiting or prohibiting overnight parking. Hence why so little is available in SoCal.