Trip overnight stops

[gibsonjd]

New member Jim,

I'm planning a trip from Ohio to Daytona in Oct 2017, which will take me at least three days. I have an Elkridge (37') with and Idaho Tote on the back. Two questions
1) Where does everyone with a large rig stay on those short, overnight stops where finding a campground with accommodations for a large rig are near impossible?
2) What suggestions do you all have for extended (fall-winter) stays in Fla? I don't want an Disney-style campground, and certainly nothing terribly expensive. 2017 will be our first year on the road, so I'm fairly new to this.

Jim & Becky
2012 GMC Denali
2013 Elkridge
2016 Idaho Tote
2008 HW Streetglide.

 

[JohnD]

When all else fails . . . look for a KOA!

You can always find a spot big enough for a larger rig at most KOA's.



We were about an hour out when we called ahead to this KOA in Richfield, UT last month (October) and they had no problems getting us in.

 

[alwaysbusy]

You can find many apps for stops, fuel, etc. One of our favorites is called Trucker Path. We have stayed in rest stops and have never been chased out; truck stops and as of last year a Wal-mart lot as I was just too tired to continue; we had nothing else for miles. While Wally World is not my preferred, it worked for the purpose.

 

[jam20ster]

+1 on the truck stops.

We will be staying at a Flying J this evening on our way to LA. We have also stayed at some of the big retail parking lots. We have never been run out or asked to leave.

 

[MCTalley]

Florida, Winter and "not terribly expensive" are mutually exclusive terms. You will find that peak rates (i.e. The highest rates) at Florida campgrounds are during the January to March time frame.

Additionally, fall is a bad time to make reservations for the upcoming winter season (I speak from experience). Most all the snow birds have locked in their sites for the next winter before they head out in the spring.

To give an idea, we have two weeks reserved at two Florida State Parks in early February that I had to sit and be ready to click the reserve button at exactly 8:00 AM eleven months ahead. Even our yearly trip to Disney that I reserved mid-summer for January was an exercise in selecting different end dates to find a continuous time frame that had sites available.

 

[trading-time]

Williston Crossing --- Williston, Fl

 

[asherwin]

When we travelled from Ottawa, ON to Florida (Hwys 81, 66, 95) we would stay at Flying J, Walmart, and/or rest areas. Never a problem.

 

[happykraut]

New member Jim,

1) Where does everyone with a large rig stay on those short, overnight stays?

Jim & Becky
2012 GMC Denali
2013 Elkridge
2016 Idaho Tote
2008 HW Streetglide.

For the last 19 years it's been Wally World.

 

[JohnD]

We've never stayed at a rest area with a camper, but I used to stop at rest areas on trips between Michigan and Colorado on I-80 to catch a few ZZZ's and after a couple of hours have had cops knock on my van window and tell me to move.

I thought they were called 'rest areas' so you could stop and 'rest'.

Never tried the truck stops or Walmart, either.

Talked about it . . . but have never done it yet.

 

[donr827]

If you decide to use truck stops be sure to pick out ones with large parking lots. Better chance of getting a little more space between you and the trucks. Check your hitch release to make sure know one has messed with it during the night.
Don

 

[JohnD]

If you decide to use truck stops be sure to pick out ones with large parking lots. Better chance of getting a little more space between you and the trucks. Check your hitch release to make sure know one has messed with it during the night.

Has this been a problem somewhere?

I've read this before . . .

 

[Gary521]

If you decide to use truck stops be sure to pick out ones with large parking lots. Better chance of getting a little more space between you and the trucks. Check your hitch release to make sure know one has messed with it during the night.
Don

I think that there is a message here and for rest stops. Find yourself a RV park.

 

[Lynn1130]

I think that there is a message here and for rest stops. Find yourself a RV park.

Roger that and with a little planning that is not hard to do.

 

[jayc]

We always stay in an RV park. When I delivered trailers a few years ago, I stayed in truck stops and rest areas but was never comfortable there. We try to find the cheapest parks to stay in overnight and with a little planning, never had a problem.

I think the "messing with" a hitch is an old wives tail. I've never had it happen and have never talked to anyone that has actually had it done to them.

 

[danemayer]

I think the "messing with" a hitch is an old wives tail.

Jay,

I'm sure Stella never talked about messing with hitches, because I know you would never call her an old wife. For sure you'd never do it twice!

 

[travelin2]

We always stay in an RV park. When I delivered trailers a few years ago, I stayed in truck stops and rest areas but was never comfortable there. We try to find the cheapest parks to stay in overnight and with a little planning, never had a problem.

I think the "messing with" a hitch is an old wives tail. I've never had it happen and have never talked to anyone that has actually had it done to them.

Same here. I'm usually done driving after going 300-350 miles, 6-7 hours therefore I'm not sitting in a truck stop or Walmart until the next morning. We've never had an issue finding an overnight spot in a RV park or CG at a reasonable rate. I guess if one is driving 14-16 hours straight then laying over in a parking lot would be acceptable to some.



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[happykraut]

I will never spend the night at a truck stop or Rest Area. If a truck driver pulls into a Truckstop/Rest Area for his mandatory rest period and finds the lot full with a bunch of RV's in it, he will not be a happy camper.

 

[danemayer]

We stayed at a truck stop once. Parked in an empty section of the lot with no trucks nearby. Late that night the lot filled up and we had trucks on both sides, running their engines all night. And of course our bedroom lined up perfectly with the diesel engines.

 

[dlw930]

We stayed in a Denny's parking lot in Santa Rosa NM once. They had a large parking area in the back just for truckers & RVers. Our dinner and breakfast at the restaurant also bought us a fitful night and an earful of reefer noise all night. Not our thing, except in an absolute emergency.


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[travelin2]

Ohio TP service plazas have dedicated RV parking spots opposite of the truck parking lanes. We've never taken advantage but "porthole" has. He says you get a 24 hr pass good for an electric hookup and a sewage dump.


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