Overnight at Truck Stops

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by WaltP

I don't know how many, but several states do not allow overnight in rest areas, often posting a 2 hr limit. Virginia is one example but there are several others.

One other place I've overnighted at a few times is at Cracker Barrels.

Walt

I recently joined Passport America to give them a try. With their 50% discounts that may be a low cost alternative, though not free. I'd appreciate learning anyone else's experience with them.

And I'd happily pay a small fee for a quick overnight, even without hookups.
Next week I'm embarking on a 6 week trip from Virginia, to British Columbia
to LA and back to Virginia. I sure can't afford to pay $30-$40 per night all the way.

Walt



Walt

We are life members of Passport America. We used it so much that paying the fee each year seemed like we'd pay more over our lives than a life membership. Our friends joined and were able to travel from CA to AL staying in PA (Passport America) campgrounds all but 2 nights taking about 3 weeks to get there. Some of the campgrounds are not real nice but are safe, quiet and much nicer than Walmart where we've encountered problems with others causing problems. If you just want a quiet safe place then PA is the way to go. If it's hot then we plug into the electric or just to watch TV for a little while. It's nice that we can usually dump and fill with water also. Sometimes we use their showers but sometimes they are not the best but depends on your taste also. I'm a little fussy on my showers. We belong to Coast to Coast but their regulations make it difficult to use them since we don't make a schedule and reservations. PA has regulations that differ at each campground but just read the book or pull it up on the computer. Usually not real difficult to get into PA. Most don't require reservations so you can just drive up. Hope this helps you.

[madjack]

...as a 2million mile trucker let me say...PLEASE do not take a truck slot at a truck stop...do so at your own risk of getting damaged (park in the center of slot to lessen this chance)...if you are at a larger truckstop such as FlyingJ or such, there is usually enough room to park on the car side and may even have RV designated areas...at rest areas, follow the signage and remember what I said about the center of the slot if with the truckers...I have been robbed twice at a rest area....I have never had a problem at a truckstop...no experience at box store lot other than police telling me to move along.........
madjack

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Neto

Walt: Is there date restrictions on the Passport of America sites? Good Sam gives a 10% discount.

Don't know what you mean by date restrictions unless it's when you can use the campground. Yes there are date restrictions on some of them. The use varies by campground. Some you can stay one night only through the week and some you can stay for weeks. Good Sam 10% isn't enough to make me want to stop at one of them. On a $30 campground you pay $27 and we find that Good Sam parks are more expensive to start with. With PA a $30 campground costs $15. We are Life members of Good Sam, Passport America and Coast to Coast. We find PA the best of all.

[WaltP]

Thanks for all the feedback, esp. for PA sites.

Walt

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by DebCost

The sign with the arrow going into Rest Stops says Trucks/RV's and my tax dollars are paying for that Rest Stop.
Rest Stops are much safer in my opinion, then Walmart. To each his own!

I think you get more riff raff in rest stops. In most you can only stay a few hours, not enough for a good nights sleep. Walmart is ok if you park near other RV's. They can be as noisy as rest stops. Rest stops typically have a lot more crime such as robberies, etc. The rest stop problems is why you can only stay a short time.

[WaltP]

Rest stops in some states have designated double parking sites for overnighters and are patrolled regularly. I don't know how many, but more than one in the deep South.

Walt

[Ttocs M]

Oregon allows parking for up to 12 hours in rest stops. Locations are:Oregon Rest Areas | Roadside OR Rest Stops | Maps | Facility information | Weather

We want travelers to be safe, not sleepy.
Welcome to Oregon

[sharpstick]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Normally squeezed between two other trucks as most the rest areas designate rv's as trucks vs automobiles. If full I may end up in the auto area which seems more sparse. Since they are not well lighted and I'm there at night I keep my trailer lights on as those big rigs like to swing in and with my lights I want to be noticed. .

Some rest areas only have single spaces for cars, and the truck side. When I pull in to one of those truck spaces, I barely pull in so my trailer is visible to trucks coming in, otherwise they might think the space is empty and start pulling in.
As for truck stops, I have been surprised at how many have no double car spaces that I can use. A couple times I had to drive all the way to the other side and pull in between semi rigs.
(I was only there for a few minutes to trade in my coffee.)

[Perryb67]

Nothing like finally getting to sleep in the lit, noisy truck stop when a trucker decides to let go of his air brakes. That'll make you sit up quickly! Was in Steele, North Dakota when air brakes were let go every half-hour or so. Drove around town and found a great place to stealth camp and slept like a baby.

We've stealth camped at numerous places and will only go to a truck stop or Wal Mart if we've exhausted all other options. Wyoming apparently allows overnights in rest areas and we're OK with that, but next to city parks or in fairground parking lots work for us when we're traveling west.

One night I got to a fairground just after sundown and went to sleep. When I got up there were 4-5 other camping rigs scattered in the parking lot. I know we're not the only ones camping there.

Enjoy,

Perry

[WaltP]

Marilyn: thanks I'll be going through Oregon so that's good to know.

Billy: That's a good tip. Thanks. I don't use those spots often, but I'll try to remember that one.

Walt

[dmad1]

I had heard years ago about truckers not liking RVs in their lot and some had gone so far as to pull your hitch pin or loosen the latch on your ball. Was always told to check before you pull out. Don't know how true it is, but 99.999% truckers are good guys just trying to make a decent living and will help anyone out on the side of the road.

[Tom 72]

I’ve spent some time near trucking. It is a difficult job. There’s a shortage of drivers because being on the road for days/weeks is miserable and doesn’t pay that well.

Unlike you, they would rather be somewhere else, and unlike you, they aren’t on vacation. Unlike you, truckers are highly restricted as to hours behind the wheel and breaks. In many states their speed and lanes are restricted. I’ll never understand why idiots cut right in front of 80,000 lb rigs. They have to drive as much as legal to earn a living, yet they can’t go over the limit one bit or they face fines.

It may seem a little romantic to mingle with and behave like a trucker, but you are a pain in the as- to them.

They still manage to be polite (mostly) to you when you occupy extremely scarce parking spaces intended for them. They have no choice to drive another 20 miles, they face fines, and penalties if they continue. Try finding empty parking for a truck after 7 or 8pm, let alone 10 or 11pm.

Don’t kid yourself. Loves or Flying J does appreciate the 30 gallons of fuel you buy, but truckers buy 300 to 500 gallons. Give the poor truckers a break and don’t occupy their space with your 13-16’ trailer. You have far more options. Thanks.

PS, I doubt you would get ticketed for occupying two spaces lengthwise in a rest area. Trucks can't get away with that, but the cops know how scarce truck parking is. They see trucks parked on entrance and exit ramps daily.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by dmad1

I had heard years ago about truckers not liking RVs in their lot and some had gone so far as to pull your hitch pin or loosen the latch on your ball. Was always told to check before you pull out. Don't know how true it is, but 99.999% truckers are good guys just trying to make a decent living and will help anyone out on the side of the road.

Truckers don't do that, criminals might . RVers don't do this either,but...
Just as easy to pull a couple of glad hands or worse a fifth wheel latch!
Maybe just open a petcock on an airtank?
I've never seen either.

[floyd]

The times I have stayed at truckstops we usually find a spot off to the side or on the car side anywhere there are two parking spots in line with one another. 'course our whole rig is now under 28' long.

[Lee Senn]

I just discovered this one recently on the forum here. There is an alternative camping option called Harvest Host , link here , https://harvesthosts.com that is one I intend to use on occasion. You can stay at member wineries , aren't there one every 100 yards nowadays , and some farms etc. Do read their requirements as being completely self contained is one. I would imagine most have electric but not much else. Seems like a good option and I would imagine a very safe one. Common courtesy would be to purchase a bottle , or more if so inclined , of their product. If you are a teetotaler your purchase could make a great gift to friends. Lee

[TechiePhil]

We use the AllStays app to find places for that occasional park-and-sleep. Some places have reviews, although not all do, or are recent.

If you can find a Cabela's outdoor store on your route, they are often happy to have RVs, some even provide dump stations.

We've also stayed in church parking lots, with advance notice and permission, of course. There are mega-churches out there with mall-sized parking lots. One we stayed at even had a 50-amp hookup, which they put in for all the singing groups with buses!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

I think you get more riff raff in rest stops. In most you can only stay a few hours, not enough for a good nights sleep. Walmart is ok if you park near other RV's. They can be as noisy as rest stops. Rest stops typically have a lot more crime such as robberies, etc. The rest stop problems is why you can only stay a short time.

Where did you get this information. I stay in rest stops several times a year and never even saw any problems. So please quote your source if there is one.

[stude]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I think being a truck driver is crappy enough without the aggravation of RVs taking up space at a TRUCK stop.

:then go to a Rest Stop as they are not just for Trucks, they are for everyone. Only problem with truck stops is the noise from the trucks engine running or generator to keep the truck cool so they can sleep but if you have same do as they do.
Never ever had problems at Walmart, other than cops coming by and saying this is not a safe place to stay and that was in Cleveland, and a couple of places along I5 in California as there were city ordinances of saying no parking. But if in a Class B or pickup with high canopy on back I never had a problem anywhere. If there is a Camping World in area they usually have several spots on can pull in for a few hours rest, sometimes they even have power. Casinos are another good spot to park over night, if they charge it is usually around $15 for the night.
Stude

[madjack]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Where did you get this information. I stay in rest stops several times a year and never even saw any problems. So please quote your source if there is one.

...I am your source...I have been robbed twice in rest areas...once on I20 near Birmingham Al by a hooker and her pimp (assumedly) and another time by 3 hispanic dudes at a rest area near Gainesville Fl...is that a good enough source for you...I will say both occasions where because of a lack of situational awareness on my part!!!!!!
madjack

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by madjack

...I am your source...I have been robbed twice in rest areas...once on I20 near Birmingham Al by a hooker and her pimp (assumedly) and another time by 3 hispanic dudes at a rest area near Gainesville Fl...is that a good enough source for you...I will say both occasions where because of a lack of situational awareness on my part!!!!!!
madjack

Well I've stayed in a lot of rest stops and never seen any sign of trouble. But then I am usually a ways away from urban areas.