Cracker Barrel overnighting

[davendeb]

We regular eat at cracker barrel because of RV parking spots. But it is a common problem that many have low and extending limbs hanging over the parking spots. You need to be vigilant when parking as a low limb can scrape down the side of your TV. Love the food and clean restrooms.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by Tom222

Ones anyone park at Crackle Barrels and if so what is the process ? ...

Our favorite parking lot choice. Like others, we call ahead and verify they accept RVs over night. I also get a satellite view of the parking lot to check for any obvious problems. The RV slots will not accommodate the length of an RV & toad so unless we can get along side a back curb we disconnect the toad.

When we use CB it is for later arrivals. We try to get in after the dinner rush. Departure is fairly early too.

[Tom222]

Originally Posted by JMonroe

Tom, You don't say what kind of RV you're using (I always suggest you list it in your signature, it helps in responding to many posts), but in my opinion, you'd have to be pressed to rely on Cracker Barrel for anything larger than a small type C or travel trailer. Many are difficult to get in and out of and most seem to have very short RV spaces. Just yesterday we passed the Cracker Barrel on the I4 frontage road near Orlando. I noted the short RV sites that would require a sharp turn to get either into or out of. I'd not plan on using them with our 63' of motorhome and toad. There certainly are exceptions, but unless I knew from personal experience or a recommendation, I'd have an alternate plan.

I am sorry, a little history here, I am a disabled retired police officer. I worked for 33 years in law enforcement, mostly narcotics. The WD and I are really researching IF we can full time RV, and what the budget will have to be. I am looking for a Diesel RV, with a residential refrigerator (maybe I can add that later) and a few other creature comforts for the wife. I am favoring the Tiffin, Fleetwood and Forest River, all depending on my budget. This all will depend on the sell of my house in Orange Beach, Alabama and how much equity we get from the sell.

Tom

[jmoffat]

I admit I,m prejudiced but for the money you can't beat a used Monaco around 2005 go for around $100K or less are well built and dependable

Jim

2007 Monaco Beaver

[baraff]

We always overnight at CB the first night out on a long trip, if there are any along the route. Have always been welcomed, never had any problems. We have a decent meal there, and everyone leaves by 10pm. In the morning I can fire up the genny for a pot of coffee and it bothers no one.
We never use the RV spaces as most of the time they are full with cars and too small anyway. We park in the back of the lot, and yes, I extend the slide curbside if over grass and bothering no one.
I much prefer CB over Walmart. For one thing I think they have a different clientele that only wants to eat a meal and go home.

[fansill]

I have always liked to eat at CB but I find the lots much too small for a 40 foot RV with a car in tow...

They are sweet to offer us a space but I need a lot bigger space...LOL!!!

Faith

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by Tom222

I am sorry, a little history here, I am a disabled retired police officer. I worked for 33 years in law enforcement, mostly narcotics. The WD and I are really researching IF we can full time RV, and what the budget will have to be. I am looking for a Diesel RV, with a residential refrigerator (maybe I can add that later) and a few other creature comforts for the wife. I am favoring the Tiffin, Fleetwood and Forest River, all depending on my budget. This all will depend on the sell of my house in Orange Beach, Alabama and how much equity we get from the sell.
Tom

Hi Tom!

You bring back memories of the first time we ever engaged in urban boondocking in a Buffalo shopping plaza 40 years ago. Not knowing what to expect, at 8:30 am the next morning, a cop pulls up to our trailer asking how the night went.

"Oops! Any problem with us spending the night here!??"

Cop: "I don't know. That's why I stopped by . . . to ask you!! I'm heading over to Maine next week in my truck camper, and was wondering if you ever had any problems overnighting in shopping centers."

We have now been Walmarting for four decades without incident. On a typical two or three month trip, we spend about 33% of our nights in campgrounds, and 66% in Walmart etal.

Your idea of going for a diesel rig may not be cost effective for RVs. Repairs are extremely expensive. I just attended an RV show recently, and the attendent at one of the rigs was a diesel mechanic, telling me that he just finished replacing a diesel fuel pump: $6500!!!!.

Your idea of implementing a residential refrigerator is a VERY BAD idea. You will be stuck with travelling from one electrical outlet to the next. Whereas with a propane refrigerator, you will only have to fill the big honkin' propane tank once or twice a year. From our experience, a good rule of thumb would be that you will need about 20 lbs per month or two, which gives you about a half year on a 100 lb tank, costing about the same as a single night in a commercial campground.

Although you are contemplating selling your home and going full time, you and I have an entirely different mindset; and part of that comes from a lifelong friend, a professor of sociology, who explained to me the basic need for having "an anchor . . . a primary source of reference". For me, that would be my home, and all that it encompasses. I need that anchor.

As for my professor friend; in his '60s when offered the position of department head, he resigned; bought a couple bicyles; and accompanied by his valet, started out in England embarking on a 6 month trip around the Meditranean, and back to England. Ironically, after being imprisoned numerous times during the adventure, he was finally hit by a truck crossing the street in London, and spent three months in hospital.

[Papa_Jim]

Originally Posted by Stan.Birch

Hi Tom!

...

Your idea of implementing a residential refrigerator is a VERY BAD idea. You will be stuck with travelling from one electrical outlet to the next. Whereas with a propane refrigerator, you will only have to fill the big honkin' propane tank once or twice a year. From our experience, a good rule of thumb would be that you will need about 20 lbs per month or two, which gives you about a half year on a 100 lb tank, costing about the same as a single night in a commercial campground.

Hi Stan.

Well, we're on the opposite sides of the fence on this one!

We switched to res.fridge. In the switch, we doubled the house battery capacity. We spend most of our travels without available shore power, and it has not changed our lifestyle in one single way. We would never go back to the propane fridge. The res.fridge cools better, it is more efficient in its power usage. People forget or possibly don't realize that the propane fridge uses electricity too!

Jim

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by jimkate

Well, we're on the opposite sides of the fence on this one!

We switched to res.fridge. In the switch, we doubled the house battery capacity. We spend most of our travels without available shore power, and it has not changed our lifestyle in one single way. We would never go back to the propane fridge. The res.fridge cools better, it is more efficient in its power usage. People forget or possibly don't realize that the propane fridge uses electricity too!

Thanks Jim!

Like you, we spend most of our travels without shore power.

I am in the process of working out the final details for a new rig, so I have a significant interest in your experience. The option sheet offers a 10 cu ft fridge, two extra batteries, and a sine wave inverter for a mere $900. Residential fridges seem to be becoming the norm these days, rather than the exception.

Attempting to apply crude mathematics to the prospect of a residential fridge, leaves me about 4 hours short of a full day with a residential fridge. So . . . honestly, how long can you actually boondock with a residential fridge running on 100 X2 aH batteries, without starting your engine or gen! ???

[bdickson]

The discussion is about Cracker Barrel Overnighting. Lets get back on topic please!

[palehorse89]

All the Cracker Barrels we stayed at had a fire lane going around the building and that is where you are driving to get out back to the RV parking, another use they have for this lane is for the semi's to come in and get to the rear of the restaurant to unload goods. Like stated above some are shorter than others and I had to circle once to attack the parking from a different angle. All in all the wife and I like staying at them, good dinner at night after a long day of driving and after waking up and some coffee in the Coach and then go inside and have breakfast before getting on the road. The only thing I found that they are located right off the interstate and usually have a lot of road noise that Wal-marts don't have due to they are usually further off the beat-in path.