Where we spend the night is a topic that tends to generate a lot of interest from people. Where I generally don’t spend the night is in campgrounds and RV parks. Shadow Catcher is completely self-contained, and that is so I’m never dependent on being plugged in for water or power. I dislike RV parks for several reasons the main one of which is cost. RV parks today can cost up to $50 a night or even more which I find simply ridiculous for basically a flat parking spot and an electrical outlet. Secondly, they are generally set up so that you are parked right up against other RVs which is very claustrophobic to me and is not why I live this lifestyle. I will stay in State Park campgrounds occasionally if they are reasonably priced simply as a place to relax and enjoy the natural setting. Generally, though, I spend my nights on the road.
For me, I have two main focuses when it comes to where I park for the night. First, I don’t want to pay for it. As mentioned above, prices for campgrounds have gotten out of hand and $50/night you’re talking about $1500/month and I could get a nice apartment in some great towns I know for that price. In order to live the lifestyle I do, I can’t spend that kind of money to park overnight, so I try and find places I can do it for free. Second, I don’t want to be woken up in the middle of the night and told to move. I think everyone who lives on the road sleeps with one ear open for safety, and I prefer to stay in places where I feel safe and like I will be left alone.
Generally speaking, I spend a majority of my nights parked in either a Walmart or a Cracker Barrel. Both of these places usually allow overnight parking for RVs with no hassles. As far as Walmart goes, I prefer the 24-hour ones because there are always people coming and going and I find them to be pretty safe. I will drive around the outer edge of the parking lot and try and tuck in somewhere away from the main traffic lanes and where the 18-wheelers who also spend the night there aren’t going to pull up right next to me (they often leave their engines on through the night). The sides and the back of the store sometimes have quiet little hidden lots which also work well. All Walmart parking lots have cameras on the light poles and those that need security, have security. Cracker Barrel usually has some nice RV spots behind their restaurants and welcome overnight parking. I like parking there because they are pretty quiet as trucks aren’t allowed. I use an app on my phone called All Stays to check out these places before I arrive and see if anyone has had trouble there before. This doesn’t always work, but I’ve had ver few problems over the years parking in these places.
Another place I park on a semi-regular basis is casinos (which usually have a separate RV lot and allow for overnight parking). Casinos usually are open 24/7 and have big parking lots and plenty of security around. Interstate Rest Stops also make fine overnight stops, though they’re pretty well trafficked.
Hotel parking lots can be a pretty good place to pull into in a pinch, especially ones with big parking lots. Overnight hotel staff usually doesn’t spend too much time watching their parking lot cameras, but they do have them so if I’m going to use this option I generally just pull in, park, close everything up, turn off the lights and go to bed. I’m not cooking dinner with my doors open and my stereo on!
I prefer not just pull into residential neighborhoods to sleep, but I certainly have done it in the past. If I do, I don’t park in front of peoples’ houses and certainly not anywhere near a school. I tend to find the areas around churches to be pretty hospitable and don’t draw much attention. They’re also usually well-lit and quiet. If you’re pulling in on a Saturday night, you might even email a church ahead of time and ask them if you can park overnight in their lot and join them for Sunday service.
One of the options I have for overnight parking is one I haven’t used too much in the past, but plan to in the future. It’s an organization called Harvest Hosts which has a fairly extensive network of farms, wineries, breweries, museums and attractions which will allow people to spend one night on their properties at no additional cost. You need to organize it a day or two in advance by phone or by email (according to the property’s preference), and it’s definitely good practice to keep things clean and quiet and to purchase something while you’re there. A year’s membership with Harvest Hosts is less than $50 - well worth it if you even use it just a few times. For 15% off your membership to Harvest Hosts, please click the link HERE,
Beyond these main places, National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Lands are generally free or very cheap to park on, but also more common in the west of the country. You might also be surprised by who will let you park overnight if you ask them nicely. I’ve stayed at tourist information center parking lots, church parking lots, next to fire stations and even at a police station or two. America is a very hospitable place, generally speaking, and if people know who you are and that you’re not going to cause any problems they’re usually pretty okay with you spending a night there – it is, after all, just a flat place to park!
I hope you found this post informative. Please contact me at the link below or in the comment section if you have any questions and be sure you subscribe to my blog to follow along with all of my vanlife adventures.