RON Parking at Walmarts?

[Arch Hoagland]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

What is "RON" parking?

X 2

[OCM]

I am a dedicated "Walmartian", but there is usually another big box store nearby such as Home Depot, Lowes, grocery, or malls. Since malls are having a hard time of it lately, they make good temporary stopover sites. Just don't try a Baptist Church on Wednesday ( I'll let you figure that one out).

[maxwell18]

This is used by the USN aviation, Return Over Night that when I was in the Navy 1960

[ThePowells]

Our surprise was at one in SC. We asked the front end manager and she said no problem, just park in the well lit area between the the Murphy Oil and the store. I asked her if she meant in the middle of the parking lot (not out of the way) and she said yes, that way the station and store employees would watch out for us and security would probably move a camera to watch over us.

[ScoobyDoo]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

MRUSA14,
You are correct if, IF you park in junk asphalt. Walmart parking lots are commercially built. The substrate that's used is either road base or other prime based substance. If my measly motor home could put dimples in their parking lot, so could dropping 18 wheeler trailer landing gear which, we've seen used many, many times. And we have yet, to see any DIMPLEs in any of their lots.
Scott

I have hauled the pavement to more than one Walmart. Yes, they spec a good base, use a good mix. But, in every one I worked on, the area truck will use add several inches of baserock. And where trucks are expected to park, they do not use asphalt, but concrete.
And sun shining on asphalt, the temp can get high enough for a bottle jack under a car leave a mark. More than once I have stopped on a highway, on a hot day, sat for a while for wreck/construction/whatever, and seen marks from my tires when I pull away. And if a steel plate slides on the surface it can scratch a mark...
One of the things I always hated about hauling into new Walmart. They always wanted to put the roof up, then haul in the rock for under the floor. Maneuver to where the rat wanted the rock piled, open tailgate, lift bed up near beams. Maybe a third comes out. Move so bed can go up between beams, and can dump about half load without hitting other beam....

[Ray,IN]

I always ask first, usually I'm told to park near the oil change bays after they close. I parked there one evening, awoke next morning surrounded by semi's, and another MH directly behind me. Never heard any of them pull in and set the brakes, we use a white noise machine every night where-ever we are.

[nyparrothead]

Use caution if you stop at the Walmart in WILLIAMS AZ..we went in to shop before our camp stop and someone siphoned 50 gals of gas out..... cops say it happens a lot there

Mark

[creativepart]

Add Cracker Barrel restaurants to the list of places you can park your RV in “most” cases. Best to ask first and buy something or have a meal.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by nyparrothead

Use caution if you stop at the Walmart in WILLIAMS AZ..we went in to shop before our camp stop and someone siphoned 50 gals of gas out..... cops say it happens a lot there

Mark

Mark,
There's a Walmart in Williams? Been there several times camping at both the Grand Canyon Railway campground and the very, very nice Kaibab Lake National forest campground and for the life of me, I don't remember any Walmarts in or around that town. Where may I ask, is it placed? It's a pretty small town.
Scott

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by ThePowells

Our surprise was at one in SC. We asked the front end manager and she said no problem, just park in the well lit area between the the Murphy Oil and the store. I asked her if she meant in the middle of the parking lot (not out of the way) and she said yes, that way the station and store employees would watch out for us and security would probably move a camera to watch over us.

WOW! That was super nice of her!

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by twinboat

I also use the " Pilot Flying J " App to locate Flying J Travel Centers that offer RV parking. The RV spaces ate away from the truck parking area.

Not really. The RV spots are generally up near the store, while the truck spots are to the back. They are pretty well separated and not nearly as open as the truck spaces. I don't think that any of the P/FJ stops we've made ever carved out RV parking from the truck spots. That keeps both groups happy - truckers can't blame the RVers for any loss of space.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

WOW! That was super nice of her! [emoji144]

Our very first night in our new to us RV was spent in the Deming, NM Walmart. We were greeted by a Security Guard in a SUV with the flashing yellow lights going. He motioned us to follow him to parking to a good spot among a few other RVs already there.
When we were parked he drove up to the driver's window. I asked him if it was okay to put out a a slide. He said "sure" with a smile, waved, wished us a good night and resumed his patrol.
Best welcome to RVing we ever received.

[theroc]

I too have never noticed a Walmart in Williams AZ. I don't see it on the list I posted either. I remember shopping at both Walmarts in Flagstaff which I believe are the closest stores to Williams. Although both stores in Flagstaff have "NOP" notations, I have noticed RVs staying at one of them.

Some Walmarts I wouldn't want to stay overnight because the area they're in are ones of higher crime. We're originally from the Seattle area and there's a Walmart in the suburb of Renton (where Boeing 737s are made) that I don't think I'd want to stay overnight although the general area is getting a bit better in recent years. They are a NOP store anyway. However, when traveling in an unfamiliar location, you can't really tell if it's higher crime area or not.

But it's good to hear stories about being treated well at Walmarts because there are some horror stories too. And we know from previous threads on this subject that there are quite a few who just plain won't do it.

I see more signs at Walmarts similar to THIS ONE but still see RVs staying overnight and that have no "NOP" designation on the list so I assume the store managers must permit it if permission is asked.

However, there are signs like THIS ONE where the store makes it clear and obvious that they do not allow it.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by theroc

However, there are signs like THIS ONE where the store makes it clear and obvious that they do not allow it.

And this is why:


These are just a very few that I bothered to photograph. The 20%ers are definitely ruining a good thing for the 80%ers. We all pay the price for the actions of a few but we are not helpless unless we choose to be.