free stays / Walmart camping

[bbard]

I'd be interested to hearing about your experiences stopping at rest areas, walmart parking lots, side streets, etc during your travels.

anybody have a regular stop they can count on, or conversely, any locations to steer clear of?

[Carol H]

Just a few of the previous threads on the topic of Walmart and free camping to get you started:

Camp Walmart Coast to Coast

So What About Camping at Walmart over night

Where are the safe and free places to park overnight?

[Jim Bennett]

As Carol points out, this has been discussed to death already. Using a Google site search will bring up the links Carol shared, and a whole lot more. Lots available across the web too.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by bbard

anybody have a regular stop they can count on, or conversely, any locations to steer clear of?

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool boondocker and also a lifelong Memenber of the "I WON'T pay just to overnight" Club. But my experience is limited to Washington/Oregon with a little California sprinkled in....never been East of those states with the trailer, so can't help with your Michigan location.

But if you ever get out this way, I'd be happy to share my experience/spots!

[David Clinkenbeard]

I will share this amusing story with you Robert;
One year at Thanksgiving I was towing my trailer as a clean restroom and rest stop lunchroom. It was getting really late when I had the bright idea of stopping for a few hours of sleep before driving on. We pulled into a small town Walmart parking up at the end of the lot, under some lights, and was parked sideways out of the way. After about 4 hours I started hearing cars parking outside close to us. This continued until finally I got up and got dressed to continue traveling. When I stepped out of the trailer the lot was nearly full and we were blocked in. I had forgotten that it was "black friday" the day after Thanksgiving and the early shoppers had rushed to Walmart for the bargains before sunrise. It took us over an hour to find and wait for the car owners to move so that we could get out and continue on our way.

[bbard]

thanks Carol, I had no idea Walmart stays were so common and hospitable.
Nice story David, I can't imagine people were eager to get out of their coveted spot in line to move their car for you!

[Darwin Maring]

Not all allow overnight. Here is a Atlas of the Walmart's:
Walmart Atlas | Walmart Atlas

[carlkeigley]

Originally Posted by David Clinkenbeard

I will share this amusing story with you Robert;
One year at Thanksgiving I was towing my trailer as a clean restroom and rest stop lunchroom. It was getting really late when I had the bright idea of stopping for a few hours of sleep before driving on. We pulled into a small town Walmart parking up at the end of the lot, under some lights, and was parked sideways out of the way. After about 4 hours I started hearing cars parking outside close to us. This continued until finally I got up and got dressed to continue traveling. When I stepped out of the trailer the lot was nearly full and we were blocked in. I had forgotten that it was "black friday" the day after Thanksgiving and the early shoppers had rushed to Walmart for the bargains before sunrise. It took us over an hour to find and wait for the car owners to move so that we could get out and continue on our way.

I thought that was funny.................well, a little anyway.

I was thinking ahead as usual and I thought you woke up
to a line waiting to use your bath room and to get a snack.

But that would only happen if you had a sign outside.

Brings up an idea for a bad trick to play on Walmart campers.....LOL

[mary and bob]

Did Walmart one time only, had my little friend under my pillow. Watch those You Tube videos "people of Walmart" and decide if you want to sleep there. Did a Flying J one night, other than the Jake Brake noise because it was on a hill it was OK, but left early because I was afraid of the camper that was real close next to me would take my mirror off when he swung out. Later took a nap in a rest area. We prefer to stop by late afternoon, and want electric hookup.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by bbard

I'd be interested to hearing about your experiences stopping at rest areas, walmart parking lots, side streets, etc during your travels.

anybody have a regular stop they can count on, or conversely, any locations to steer clear of?

Here is about the best source of info on that topic. They also have a printable data base.

walmartrving@yahoogroups.com

BTW: In So Cal, about 90%+ of WalMarts are NOP (No Overnight Parking)
Having, in addition to local ordinances prohibiting said use, have already been over run in the past with freeloaders, beach bums, overstayers, unfortunate homeless and misc. peeps that you wouldn't want in front of your house either.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Here is about the best source of info on that topic. They also have a printable data base.

walmartrving@yahoogroups.com

BTW: In So Cal, about 90%+ of WalMarts are NOP (No Overnight Parking)
Having, in addition to local ordinances prohibiting said use, have already been over run in the past with freeloaders, beach bums, overstayers, unfortunate homeless and misc. peeps that you wouldn't want in front of your house either.

We have often stayed at Walmart (seldom costs less than $25)
Although we have seen a few "Walmart people", we have never been subjected to your list of undesirables!

[Donna D.]

HA! I have an Aunt that beats you all. My wonderful-Aunt is a multi-millionaire and could afford to pay site fees wherever she decided to land. But traveling became a past-time for her. And cheap was IN! She knew where she was going, and gray hair and wrinkles helped. But, she always scoped out the town. Decided 24 hour convenience stores and radiator shops were her best bet for FREE overnight stops.

She was always traveling from Point A to Point B for the birth of her first grandchild and only needed to stop and sleep for a few hours. Always talked to the clerk behind the counter (of a 24 hour store)... please... where can I park for a few hours of rest (never put out lawn chairs or BBQs) and moved along about the same time as the sun came up. Same for the "radiator shop" there's one in every town. Who's going to make a person move along when there's a mechanical problem.

My Aunt has/had it down to a science

[Steve Hammel]

I have great luck with Indian Casinos. They are pretty much everywhere nowadays and many have free hookups.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

I have great luck with Indian Casinos. They are pretty much everywhere nowadays and many have free hookups.

The ones in these parts usually charge a fee of under $15 but they give you a coupon for the $20 to play the slots and coupon for a free coffee and a snack for the morning. One of the casino's actually has a full RV park with great ocean views and a dump station.

[Steve Outlaw]

The very first night we ever spent in a trailer was at a (not 24 hour) Wal-Mart in Lonoke, AR. We had no trouble whatsoever. We still laugh about how strange it was to take a shower the next morning in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Many more nights since then all over the country. Never a problem.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by floyd

We have often stayed at Walmart (seldom costs less than $25)
Although we have seen a few "Walmart people", we have never been subjected to your list of undesirables!

And seldom have I, .... BUT... as those areas that are attractive to the less fortunate and/or whatevers, are also high ranking on the NOP listings and we don't get to overnight there anyway.

In the past I have seen literal shanty towns appear on WalMart parking lots. The WM on Imperial Highway in Brea, CA allowed overnighting until they had to deal with campers trying to set up housekeeping for a week at a time. When a class "A" caught fire one night, because they had no ins, the owners proceeded to dismantle the hulk in the middle of the parking lot for salvage, that location also went NOP.

WalMart corporate policy allows for "Overnight Parking" of RV's, subject to the managers discretion and local ordinances. In many cases it has been the abusers of this policy that leads to that opportunity being lost forever.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

And seldom have I, .... BUT... as those areas that are attractive to the less fortunate and/or whatevers, are also high ranking on the NOP listings and we don't get to overnight there anyway.

In the past I have seen literal shanty towns appear on WalMart parking lots. The WM on Imperial Highway in Brea, CA allowed overnighting until they had to deal with campers trying to set up housekeeping for a week at a time. When a class "A" caught fire one night, because they had no ins, the owners proceeded to dismantle the hulk in the middle of the parking lot for salvage, that location also went NOP.

WalMart corporate policy allows for "Overnight Parking" of RV's, subject to the managers discretion and local ordinances. In many cases it has been the abusers of this policy that leads to that opportunity being lost forever.

Fortunately 99%+ Walmarts are clean and hospitable places with lot cameras and friendly patrols. We feel at least as comfortable stopping for the night as we do stopping to shop, or staying at rest areas, or state parks, campgrounds, etc....
Besides, they have Delis,and doughnuts, and Redbox and quiet little islands wth grass and a tree!

[Bob Miller]

My reply concerned why so many Wal Marts in SoCal don't allow overnight parking, and was not intended to refer to conditions or hospitality at WalMarts.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by floyd

Fortunately 99%+ Walmarts are clean and hospitable places with lot cameras and friendly patrols. We feel at least as comfortable stopping for the night as we do stopping to shop, or staying at rest areas, or state parks, campgrounds, etc....
Besides, they have Delis,and doughnuts, and Redbox and quiet little islands wth grass and a tree!

My experience too, Floyd!

And I'd like to add that no trip with my Grandkids is deemed a success unless/until we spend at least one night at "Camp Walmart". I well remember one night I spent at a Walmart less than thirty miles form my own house just because the kids reminded me on the way home from a week's camping that we hadn't "camped" at Walmart yet!

[carlkeigley]

Now that's special Francesca.