You may ruin it for everyone else

[santafedave]

When I travel on the Interstates I like to sleep at the rest stops provided by the states. If you are only there 8 hours or less this is a good spot to get some sleep before you continue on your travels. You do get truck noise and car noise off of the freeways but it is easy to pull into and free. D.

 

[TXBobcat]

I guess we are retired and are not in a hurry. I do understand a young couple with children on a week or two week vacation and to arrive at their destination they have to drive hard and long. Also they may be on a tight budget. I remember when I was about 16 my mother and I would travel from around Casper Wyo to just outside of Oklahoma City and we would stop at a small town park and take some blankets and take a couple or three hour nap on the picnic tables.

Now that we are retired and are in no hurry we only travel (90% of the time) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This way we are not in vacation mode and can take the time to look around and see some of the country. We try to stay off Interstate highways and are able to see some of the country and small towns.

If your retired and don't have to get back to work take your time and stay a look around and enjoy God's gift to us. "The USA..."

BC

 

[mmomega]

I just usually plan ahead before any trip. Check it out on google maps, if it's a very long trip I find the 6-7 hr mark on the map then check to see if there are any RV parks immediately off of the interstate in that area. I did this last year driving to SC and the rv park only charged us 1/2 price because we were coming in after their normal hours and we be gone first thing in the morning.
There's no way I could bring myself to set up a "camping spot" in a Wal-Mart or any parking lot more than just a couple hours. It lowers the opinions people have of RV'rs and like it was in the military. It only takes 1 person that doesn't care to screw it up for the rest of us. Way to go Private Pyle.

 

[jmgratz]

With Passport America and Camp Club USA you can get 50 percent off the nightly rates and many campgrounds. Half off a $25 rate is $12.50. If you cannot afford $12.50 for a nights stay then you better stay home. MHO

 

[hoefler]

Here! Here! Kudos!!

 

[jcd8822]

I am surprised that after one day someone did not come by and run them off.

 

[jpdoggett]

This is just so wrong, I have never stayed in a parking lot of Wal Mart and don't plan on it. I have parked in a parking lot of a La Quinta in and sleep in a room cause I did not what to open up the fifth wheel

 

[DW_Gray]

During our first 10 months of travel, Amy and I did stay at Walmart a few times only for one night just out of convenience. Our Walmart stay is usually because it was long day or there was no convenient RV park along our travel route. I always call the Walmart ahead of time to get permission and find out where they want me to park. Every time the manager appreciated my call and asking. We should never abuse that privilege.

 

[wildwolfproducts]

There was one here like that in Selmer Tn. But found out there truck had broke down when they pulled in walmart to buy supply's. The manager told them to make there self's at home. Day 3 there truck was fixed and they were on the there way.
Now i'm sure there's lots of folks that have no reason to be there. But others may have a good reason. Or even have dropped the camper to take someone to the hospital? Then again I did see in GA one time a couple had there fire ring out and a big fire going in a gravel parking lot at a fuel stop... Now that was dumb..

 

[mountain1]

The four of us ended up staying at Wal-mart one night each going and coming from St. Louis. Did not have anything to do with money but convience. We asked both times and received permission and parked where requested. The trash thing can be amazing that people just leave theirs. We always pick up and we always pick up after the dogs. This arrangement worked out well as we stopped around three hit the road before 6 the next morning. We did shop at Wal-Mart and we ate in restuarnts in the area that we could walk to. I hope we never violate this arrangement because it was great for us..

 

[dieselsweetheart]

Another thing that can be abused is the "honor" system of checking into a CG late at night. They may have a "find a site and see us in the morning." We were at a KOA 2 summers ago in the Brandywine area (Philly) and a motorhome came in around 10p (the office was closed). The guy circled the CG a few times and then settled on a site across from us. He had some issues getting settled, DH and my brother in law went over to help, turns out he borrowed the MH from a friend so he wasn't real used to it...we got them settled...next morning before the office opened, they were gone! We are sure they did not pay for their site. So you can have folks who arrive late and skip out early without paying for the site.

We have never stayed at a Walmart and never say never...but DH always checks for a stopover along the way if we need to stop. We stopped overnight at a beautiful state park in Ohio on the way back from Goshen. It was only $25. We had electric, but water was just across the road. By stopping at an official campground, we were able to not only open slides and set out chairs, we had a campfire and cooked hot dogs with 3 other Heartland owners...and had a great time. Can't do that at a Walmart or other "permitted" stopovers.

If people continue to abuse, those privileges will be lost. Haven't we all seen a circumstance where privileges were revoked because of some sort of abuse or mis-use?

 

[Edd and Janet]

I agree with Jim