Rest Area Overnite Parking

[RJ]

Yup, as Ed said. . . and here's proof:

[Dave5Cs]

Ed,

Sweet coach guy, You went right by us if you took 5 down from Nice. Maybe 101?
We are just8 minutes east of Sacramento off 80.

Dave

[FloridaCliff]

We stop and stay overnight at rest area's all the time.

I have never even had the first sign of an issue ever.

I always go for the farthest parking spot from the rest area restrooms, and with the most lighting.

I leave the close spots for the working truckers.  This also keeps most of the in and out traffic, and the  noise away from us.  So far so good.

Many rest area's have separate RV only and  RV/Truck parking spots.  I find it annoying and a discourtesy when I see RV's using the truck side, which is full, when they could use the RV section.

Funny enough, as compared to some others statements, I would feel safer at the rest area than a Walmart.  I work quite a few overnights, and am all over the place, I see and run into more strange individuals in the wee hours of the morning "In Town" than on the road at the "rest area's".  Just an observation......

Cliff

[Dreamscape]

The following link will give you all the information on available WalMart parking. We have only stayed at one and no one gave us the boot, even the security guy waved at us!

http://www.allstays.com/c/wal-mart-locations.htm

[JackConrad]

Funny enough, as compared to some others statements, I would feel safer at the rest area than a Walmart.  I work quite a few overnights, and am all over the place, I see and run into more strange individuals in the wee hours of the morning "In Town" than on the road at the "rest area's".  Just an observation......
Cliff

Cliff,
   I know what you mean.  If you do not beleive Aliens have landed on earth, go to a WalMart late at night!  Jack

[cody]

Trailer trash are lucky, they get a park, being bus trash I gotta stay at truck stops.   

[artvonne]

  With Arkansas plates on your rig, if you park at any WM outside of NW Arkansas the store management and employees really freak out, lol.

  We still had Yankee plates on last year. We stayed at a WM in Cameron MO., and then pulled right back out about an hour and a half later. The locals seem to not know what mufflers are, and thought the parking lot made a nice drag strip, mostly past our rig, and where we parked seemed a good place to hang out and loiter. If they were'nt drag racing, they were laughing and yelling. I believe they knew we pulled in to crash and tried to be as obnoxious as possible and it worked. The cops would drive through ever 10 minutes or so and do nothing. Guess they dont need outside income, we will bypass the area from here on out.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Dave, we came down 5 and even at the last few seconds i was debating about taking 80 and going to Reno.   Maybe next time when we come down this way.

[happycamperbrat]

Maybe it's just me but I took a shower in a walmart parking lot once and felt really strange about it as I could hear people walking by (it was the middle of the day). Of course all the blinds were closed and everything...... it just felt weird lol

[cody]

Blinds? You must have been in your coach lol.

[David Anderson]

We use WM parking as much as possible because of the good 24 hour security, lighted parking and the convenience of shopping.


Parking is not the same as camping. I've seen people get out their grills and chairs, let their kids play ball and romp with their pets and generally make nuisances of themselves. These people just cause more store managers to restrict parking for the rest of us.

Parking is parking, not camping. A lot of people don't seem to understand this.

You are right on Gus.  I spent the night at Walmart in Canon City CO once and a guy across the lot was there.  Being friendly, I went over to visit and he said he stays there about 4-5 days then moves to a town nearby for 4-5 days then returns.  He does this all summer with awning out, BBQ pit, etc.  I made the comment, "You're going to ruin it for guys like me to stop in and just rest for a few hours."  He looked at my bus and said, "I don't have the money you have.  I've got to watch my dollars."  He was insulted to put it mildly.

"Walmart parking etiquette" gets brought up regularly on the Escappees board and the majority consensus is to be discrete and courteous, so we won't lose the privilege across the country.  Not too many questions asked about rest areas, though.

When I park at Wal Mart I try to be as stealthy as I can in a 40' coach, and my wife nearly always buys something in the store.  We always try to be out as soon as the sun rises.  This is a very nice privilege that Wal Mart gives us, and I have always appreciated it.

Back to the original rest area question.  I've never overnighted in one, but would if I needed to.

David

[happycamperbrat]

Hmm, I guess it is much more polite to just take a shower in the parking lot with blinds pulled then to put out an awning and BBQ with shoppers and carts and people going by lol 

[steve wardwell]

theres always the outside shower and you can gain a huge following.....just sayin

[fe2_o3]

   Teresa, If you're gonna take a shower in the parking lot, why close the blinds in the bus?...Cable

[artvonne]

Hmm, I guess it is much more polite to just take a shower in the parking lot with blinds pulled then to put out an awning and BBQ with shoppers and carts and people going by lol 

   Unless you shower with the blinds UP, AND have out lawn chairs and a grill. If anyone asks what your cookin, tell em its Possum or Woodchuck. For added effect, it helps if your gnawing on a tough hunk of jerky while you ask if they wanna try some. Mmmmm, mmmmm. Soon youll have the whole place to yourself.