Hi Everyone! We have been camping most of lives. However we just recently bought a travel trailer. We have always used tents or pop-ups. I have noticed several of you have mentioned parking at Walmart. Could you explain this or am I missing an RV joke? Thanks!
It's no joke. Wal-Mart (most of them, but not all) very kindly allows RV'ers to park in their lots overnight. The understanding is that you will park away from the main part of the lot, in the furthermost corner, and that you won't take up residence--the courtesy is understood to be a one-night thing by most of us. I always make it a point to go in and ask the manager for permission, and thank him or her for the courtesy, and we always restock our supplies while there. It's a safe, clean place most of the time.
:lol: I don't know about you, but for me Walmart is the most expensive camp site around. I can't stay for less than $100 a night.
Bluedurango, You can park at "most" Wal-Mart stores if you wish. Everyone that we have been to has a sign that reads "no over night parking". Local cops may ask you to leave at 3:00 am or write you up. We use Wal-Mart as a food store and other things we need in our travel and move on. We have never spent a night at Wal-Mart. We see the same RV people for days on end at Wal-Mart stores. Tow off motorhome, dog outside, bar-Q out, sat. dish on ground, this is camping on Wal-Mart. This will kill overnight parking at some point in time. Your call! Like Beastdriver said in a post "no 50 amps or sat. dish is roughen it". Have a good time camping!
I know for a fact that most Wal-Marts do allow parking in their lots but do ask that you not abuse their kindness. The ones that don't, I am told, are those stores that are in communities where they have passed an ordinance prohibiting overnight parking at businesses, and it is there that Wal-Mart posts signs. I do agree with John Blue, however, that the privilege is abused by many and that this abuse may cause the loss of this convenience. I know that in our hometown there are anywhere from five to fifteen RVs parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot each night, there are no signs prohibiting it, and there is no local ordinance against it. Sadly, the Wal-Mart parking lot is better than many of the so-called RV Parks in this country.
You learn something new everyday....I always thought references to Wal-Mart were a joke...you know, sites are so close together that you may as well camp in the Wal-Mart parking lot and of course the lack of trees as well....I never actually thought people stayed overnight in Wal-Mart parking lots...then again maybe some find those to be more comforting than some of the parks they've been at .
The principal behind Walmart parking is that it is a convenient/safe place for overnight parking when it is going to take more than 1 day of driving to reach your destination. Most rest areas on major highways do not allow overnight parking. And, you can't always find a campground if you are not in a tourist area.
We spent our first nite in a Walmart parking lot in Perry Georgia on our way home from wintering in Florida. We had plenty of company. I went into the store and asked one of the managers if it was ok, when she said yes I proceeded to buy dinner at the deli. Spent more than a nite at a campgound would have cost. Hubby had just had surgery and I just wanted a place to stay that was close to the freeway where I had plenty of room to park the thing. I was driving a 32' motorhome, for the first time, towing our Jeep behind. It was instresting to say the least.
Keep in mind that when you camp at a Wal-Mart, small RV parks suffer. White Horse RV in Alaska lost a major part of their business when a Wal-Mart openned up it's parking lot near by. White Horse City Council is trying to write a ordinance to stop overnight/multi-night camping in store parking lots. Lucky for us, the nearest Wal-Mart is 32 miles away. Small RV parks really do suffer when large stores open their lots for overnight and some multiple night stays. This forces small park owners to raise prices on extended stay discount rates and some seasonal rates. Just something to think about next time you stay for free at Wal-mart. SeaBird
The reason some people stay at the Walmart is because they just need a place to sleep on the way to their destination. If the "small" RV parks would have lower rates for those people that will not be using ANY of the facilities, maybe more people would use them instead of walmart. The could charge a lower rate for people checking in around 9:00pm and leaving by 8:00am or so.
I have stayed at walmart many times. It is not that I am opposed to small CG owers or wish to take business away from them but it is just the convience of using them. I arrive after dark around 9pm or so and will leave at 5 am. I will go in and shop and buy some supplies or dinner items or breakfast when I am there and it will cost us more than a site at a campground would too. Think aout us pulling in with the diesel roaring, (well slowly anyway) unhooking the jeep since there are no pull throughs left, finding the site in the dark, dodging the branches and other obstacles and then starting the whole thing all over again if 6 hours. I guess the guys in the popup next to us would never sleep that night. I do use a campground when I get to my location but rarely use one when traveling from point A to B. Interstate RV parks have been showing up but the two I have seen still require unhooking the toad. This makes it a poor option in my opinion too. It is just more work. I have spent many nights at truck stops and rest areas and outlet malls but Walmarts are everywhere and ususally is very convient. I guess you could say we destination camp and that is why we have a motorhome.....
John, You said it much better than I did! We basically do the same, except the 5:00am leaving. We have a diesel dodge truck pulling a 34' 5th wheel.
We too have enjoyed the hospitality of Wal Mart at various times for a quick and convenient place to stop for one (and I emphasize one) night. We do not put out our awning, slide or disconnect the vehicle. We always check with the manager and of course we purchase merchandise. I have heard many complaints from RV Park owners. I have also heard responses to them of how about a non-hook up place to pull in for a reasonable fee. Just about all the RV Parks - at least in the 30 or so states we have travelled through - charge an average of $25 to $30 a night. At that price, we will continue to use the Wal Mart and purchase goods which we would need anyway.
We have stayed at Walmarts numerous times over the years but have come to the point where we stay less and less. We are embarassed by what are known in RV circles as "Walmart Slugs" which are those staying for several nights, leaving their motorhomes and driving off in the towed vehicles, putting out their slides, awnings and generally setting up camp. We do not wish to be associated with these RV'ers who are giving us all a bad name and ruining a good thing for those who use common sense. I do agree that the fees charged by most rv parks are outrageous for an overnight stay, but their are better ways. We belong to Passport-America and average $11 per night over the course of a month.
New to the RV thing. I thought I would jump in on this one. THis was before I purchased my pull behind but I was in Gatlinburg a couple of years ago. I had to stop at the Wal-Mart in Seveirville and to my dismay their was someone "Camping" in a RV and was emptying his sewage tank onto the parking lot. THe smell was terrible. I will gladly pay to stay at a campground because I do not want to stay in a Wal-Mart parking lot as I would not feel safe for my family in one of those places. Just my $.02 By the way this is a great board, I'm fixing to write up our first camping trip!!
I hope you notified the authorities or at least the Walmart manager. Not only is that totally disgusting, but also potentially very dangerous. No telling what kind of germs/diseases were "floating" around in there.
CHERYL You are absolutely right. Dumping raw sewage has nothing to do with "camping" at Walmart. It is illegal to do in any part of town. Please, ANYONE, if you see this done at ANYTIME, take the liscense # and notify the store or property manager, or wave down a cop.
As a side note, most campgrounds and state parks will allow you to dump your holding tanks for a small fee.
QUOTE(Cheryl @ Jul 6 2004, 11:05 PM) As a side note, most campgrounds and state parks will allow you to dump your holding tanks for a small fee. You're absolutely right...and I don't know about other states, but even on the PA turnpike at the travel plazas (rest stops) some of them have dumping facilities that can be used for a small fee...but unfortunately for some they have a problem with the words "small fee"...and would rather do it for free elsewhere. I think if anyone caught doing this should have their camper seized from them plus be responsible for the cost of the clean up.
