Walmart's Parking

[Lindsay Richards]

We stay in Wal-Marts on a pretty regular basis and I have never been scared of problems, but several times, I think I would not have liked to have been in a popup camper. I think some times the noise would have been a problem also. Have a great time.

[RovinOn]

I have never stayed on a Wal-Mart lot and probaly never will, but I have done so with Cracker Barrel always asking permission. We will dine there for dinner and then again in the morning for breakfast. I have always used State Road stops as well. We have used those only because we had to, because these so called easy on / easy off RV stops aren't what they say they are! I've been down to many dark crappy lanes thinking this is where the campground or RV stop was and it wasn't, the directions or signage was incorrect or wasn't there at all!
So if they are complaining,,, tough,,, let them make their sites easy to find as they are suppose to be!

Regards,
RovinOn
05 Southwind 37C

[Half Dimes]

I see this thread came back from the dead.

Here's a link from the Escapees forum that I posted either earlier on this thread or another similar one: Good Neighbor Policy

It's nothing but good old common sense and endorsed by a number of RVing groups. If everyone followed these simple guidelines, we probably wouldn't have a 27 page thread.

[ThreeDogs]

Originally Posted by Half Dimes

I see this thread came back from the dead.

Here's a link from the Escapees forum that I posted either earlier on this thread or another similar one: Good Neighbor Policy

It's nothing but good old common sense and endorsed by a number of RVing groups. If everyone followed these simple guidelines, we probably wouldn't have a 27 page thread.

Brand new to RVing but the letter is to an absolute "T" what I had planned to do anyway.
I will park anywhere I conveniently can to catch a few hours of shut-eye and will make it a point to patronize the business when practical. And no, it's not about saving $20 or $30.

[WilleyB]

Originally Posted by big jimbo

The definition of an RVer is "Someone driving a $500,000 motorhome, looking for a free place to park"

Well we didn't spend anyways near $500,000 but I have no objections to a free place to park. Geez maybe I'll be able to save enough $ to buy that $500,000 rig.

Cheers
Willey
Jiss gotta luv these Wal Mart threads so as they say in Wally world y'all come back agin now

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by big jimbo

The definition of an RVer is "Someone driving a $500,000 motorhome, looking for a free place to park"

OOOOOooooh yeah!

And the excuses, rationalizations, and justifications run from the ridiculous to the sublime!

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by RickCanada

Well I just bought my first popup trailer and am planning a long roadtrip with it. Walmarts will be convenient while we travel to our destination. ...

If I stay at a walmart I think I prefer staying at one that has 24 hour openings. Unfortunately with a popup I have to open the extensions or I can't get into the trailer. Still, I think there is quite a small footprint as most popups including ours are quite small.

The size of your popup trailer is irrelevant when parking in a business parking lot. Walmart and other retailers who allow RVs to park overnight mean exactly that: park overnight, NOT camp overnight. The difference is this: when you're parked, an observer can't tell whether your RV parked while you shop or parked while you sleep.

As you stated,

Originally Posted by RickCanada

Unfortunately with a popup I have to open the extensions or I can't get into the trailer.

Few if any retailers allow setting up a campsite, and thus will not allow deploying a popup trailer.

I speak with managers of Walmarts and other stores on a daily basis about their Overnight RV Parking policies, and I strongly recommend that you not use a pop-up tent camper in business parking lots.

The safety and noise issues that others have mentioned here are also serious concerns, but he principal factor will be that virtually no retail store will grant you permission to set up a popup trailer in their parking lot.

If you can sleep in the vehicle with which you tow your trailer, that would be a different matter, but you'll still need to obtain permission from the store and then park where they direct you to park.

I'll add a P.S. (even though it will appear above my signature file): I note from your screen name that you may be from Canada. I've found that, with a few exceptions, Walmart Stores and SuperCentres in Canada are less restrictive than those in the USA. So ask permission, and you may be granted that permission more often than would occur in the USA.

[RickCanada]

Originally Posted by Half Dimes

I see this thread came back from the dead.

Glad to have obliged! lol

[RickCanada]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I will always ask permission. I will not, however start a campfire and roast marshmallows. We'll see. The noise, may be a problem. I would have to check out the area to see if it is safe and relatively noise free. It will be a trial. If it doesn't work, well, at least I tried.

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

Well, move over RVer's for the 18-Wheelers. We just completed a trip from Texas thru New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and finally back to Colorado. We did stop at a three Walmart's along the trip. In two of the three there was almost no where to park because the lots were full (I mean really full) of 18-wheelers. I spoke with one of the drivers and he said because so many of the Rest Areas are closed or closing, truckers are finding alternate places to stop. Oh, and by the way we also stopped at a couple of truck stops along the way. I wonder if anyone will complain about that too?

[RJay]

Many WalMart stores are prohibiting truck parking by posting signs and placing height barriers at the entrance to their lots. The height barriers are 12'-6” so most RV's can still gain access. Managers have told me that truckers have hit lighting, dislodged curbs and one truck taking as many as 20 parking spaces by parking down the center of a parking lane. Although WalMar, in placing the height barriers at their entrances are not intentionally preventing RV's from using their lots, they are preventing the larger RV's from entering. It seems the 12”-6” measurement is directly under the barrier and the road topology will cause the larger RV's to rise up above that level as it passes under the barrier. Local knowledge is definitely a plus.

[georgetown350]

The difference is this: when you're parked, an observer can't tell whether your RV parked while you shop or parked while you sleep

Yes as an observer when I see a bunch of rvs parked at Walmart at 2 am I presume they are all in the store shopping however if I see a little pop up in between all those big rigs I will know that someone is sleeping. Although the occupants of the pop up could be in the store hmmmm this is very tricky I dont know what to think now. Maybe the next time im at a Walmart I will put a sign in my window that reads " im not sleeping"

[WilleyB]

" im not sleeping"

Nope! just resting the eyes

Cheers
Willey

[wa8yxm]

The floor plan on my coach requires that one or two slides minimum be extended.. The main slide I don't normally deal with at a Wall mart