Traveling across the country with your motorhome is such an interesting experience, but it may be less enjoyable when you have to deal with problems like RV parking locations.
The price for overnight camper parking is pricey, and you may have to wander on the highway all night because you couldn’t find motorhome parking spots. However, these situations can be avoided if you know the list of businesses that allow overnight RV parking.
So, “What stores allow overnight RV parking?” is the main topic of today’s article. We will provide an overnight RV parking map of different free RV parking locations near me and you like Walmart, Costco, etc, as well as other information and present them under these categories:
- Stores that allow RV overnight parking
- Other free overnight RV parking spots
- Tips on staying in overnight stores with you motorhome
Also, ways to find potential RV parking locations will be provided in this post as another option for you. So, stick with us until the end!
Let’s get started by exploring stores that allow RV parking 24/7!
Best Stores That Allow RV Overnight Parking
Overnight RV parking in stores is a wonderful option for campers who can’t find free campground locations or want to save some money. These following businesses offer numerous free overnight parking slots that you can likely stay at.
Still, if you plan to take advantage of their offers, it is advisable for you to use some of their services. This will allow you to park longer and show your appreciation. Now, let’s start the list:
1. Walmart
As the very first store that allows overnight parking, Walmart welcomes people to stay overnight in their parking lots while purchasing camping gadgets and stocking up their supplies.
However, not all Walmart stores across the USA offer this, as some of their parking locations may be owned by state authorities who don’t want these properties to be a 24 hour RV park. Hence, it’s better to choose Walmart stores that are outside of the major city center; rural areas are more prone to have loose parking regulations.
2. Costco
Another supermarket chain, Costco, is a potential option for RVers to park their motorhome. Similar to Walmart, choosing Costco stores in rural areas or small regions will be more beneficial.
In Costco, you don’t need to purchase a membership to go shopping or buy supplies. Nevertheless, having Costco membership can help you save some money and get you access to many more services of this supermarket, like eating in restaurants.
3. Planet Fitness, Anytime Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness
These three fitness franchises do not have policies for RVs, motorhomes, or camper vans to stay overnight in their parking lots. However, since these fitness centers are open 24/7, most RVers can still park here.
This happens due to the fact that parking securities and local police departments will not notice if your RV is there for parking overnight or working out in the gym. Hence, when you select these places as your rest stations, remember to turn off the interior lights.
4. Home Depots
Many people have parked their RV overnight at Home Depot stores. The firm has no policy on this activity and leaves it up to the decision of each shop manager.
Also, if you intend to spend a night at one of the Home Depot locations, we suggest you inform the stores beforehand and ask them whether it is free to stay overnight. This can help you avoid losing money as Home Depot has been selling many rarely-used parking slots to earn cash.
5. Cabela’s
Overnight parking is available at almost all Cabela’s stores. Some have even built RV dump sites with drinkable water. Various Cabela’s provide RV parking sections or a separate parking area specifically for RVs.
This offer is only available at Cabela’s stores built within private properties. Otherwise, their parking lots tend to ban overnight parking because of issues related to the property management firm and police departments.
6. Camping World
Camping World is the famous franchise that rents and distributes RVs, so it’s a fantastic spot to park your motorhome overnight as well as restock necessary supplies. They also provide RV maintenance services, so you may obtain a tune-up if required.
Other Free Overnight RV Parking Spots
In the previous part, we have looked at many stores that offer free RV parking overnight. But if you aren’t able to find the above locations, here are some other possible options:
- Gas stations: There are many gas stations, especially those located in rural areas, that allow free overnight parking slots. Even though they are not truck stops, these places welcome numerous semi-trucks and camper vans at night. Still, prepare to face noisy trucks coming in and out for hours.
- Truck stops: Unless you care about having a quiet place to stay, truck stops are another ideal location to park your RV overnight or even 24 hour. In spite of being designed specifically for trucks, several truck stops also accept RV campers.
Places like Pilot, Flying J, or Love often let RVs, camper vans, and even cars stay in their overnight grounds. Truck stops provide showers (unlimited use for $10 ) and inexpensive Wi-Fi connection.
- Police stations: This may sound crazy, but some RVers have actually been able to park overnight at police stations!
When you approach police stations, especially those in rural regions, they can give you access to their parking lots, although most of the time police officers will guide you to the nearest park or store where overnight RV parking is allowed.
- Casinos: On the other hand, casinos are not only great options for entertainment but also for free overnight RV parking. Various tribal casinos provide RVs, trucks, and other personal vehicles with free overnight parking. We recommend casino camping since it is widely available, close to food and entertainment, and has on-site security.
Tips on Staying in Overnight Stores With You Motorhome
Unless you have experienced parking RV overnight in the locations mentioned above, there are things you need to keep in mind in order to avoid being fined or pulled over at night. Following these below tips for first time free RV parking overnight:
- Find overnight parking location: Using apps such as iOverlander, Allstays, Campendium, etc to search for possible parking spaces. These applications will also provide maps that lead you to your selected locations.
- Call first: No matter how familiar you are with the place, it is necessary to call the manager of the location you are heading to. Some stores have no policy in allowing RV overnight parking, but you still can get away with it if you inform them beforehand.
- Avoid set up camp: Stealth camping is similar to parking overnight. Keep it low-key and avoid setting up a camp. Stay inside your RV all the time. Minimize the use of engines, slide outs, canopies, and other visible items.
- Park carefully: Most businesses that offer overnight RV parking set aside a portion of their area for RVers. In this case, remember to park here. Or else, park in a distant part of the lot out of the path of regular customers.
Conclusion
While some only consider parking at stores a backup plan when they can’t find any campground, knowing what stores allow overnight RV parking may help you in many urgent situations like running out of fuel or having broken tires. It can also save you some money. All you need to remember is that the policy for parking RV overnight varies in each store, so calling them before arriving is essential!
We hope that this post was helpful! Did you enjoy the article? Do you want to add anything else? Please let us know and leave a comment below.
Welcome to a new journey! I am Rober Clark, also a full-time RV-er and currently exploring the US with Dane. I have four years of working as a contractor, so building a home inside the RV is an extremely rewarding task for me. I find new challenges and new limits to break every day.