Community Forums

Bill from In · 09-09-2020, 05:17 PM

Where do you suggest parking a motorhome for a couple hours or so when traveling through a town that you want to use your tod to sight see? I'm not talking about a large city.

TimmyB · 09-09-2020, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill from In

Where do you suggest parking a motorhome for a couple hours or so when traveling through a town that you want to use your tod to sight see? I'm not talking about a large city.

We took a 25' Vegas all over the place last year WITHOUT a toad. When we got to a city, we found a couple parking spots back to back and simply paid for both meters. Since you have a toad, you could always buy a few groceries at a store and then ask if they mind if you leave your MH parked there while you visit the rest of their town.

D Gardiner · 09-09-2020, 05:43 PM

We also do not travel with a toad. However when we want to do a little exploring we try and find either a big grocery parking lot, wide street parking or a city park.

theroc · 09-09-2020, 07:25 PM

Since you're NOT referring to overnight parking, many of the big box stores and chain restaurants will allow you to park in their lot with permission.

For example, we've never had a Home Depot manager tell us we can't park in their lot for a couple of hours temporarily. They are even more accommodating if you tell them or show them that you are buying stuff there ...and there's always "something" you can buy at a Home Depot.

I've heard the same with Lowes.

We've parked in large grocery store parking lots too after checking with the manager. In fact, one even told us that he's an RVer and he'd tell the guy who goes out and gathers stray carts to keep an eye on our rig. Again, it helps if they see you are buying a lot of groceries there too.

Same with chain restaurants ...again, especially if they see you are or will eat a meal there.

Small town grocery stores and businesses sometimes are even more accommodating if you can talk and get to know the manager or owner.

The key is to make direct contact with the manager or owner of the facility before doing it. Get his/her name and give them your contact information too ...cell phone number specifically so they can contact you if something comes up.

Ray,IN · 09-09-2020, 09:14 PM

In these small towns, IMO it's best to simply ask a police officer where to park.

MSHappyCampers · 09-10-2020, 07:11 AM

Walmart, Lowes, or Home Depot! Most any town of any size has one of these!

TheWoodBoss · 09-11-2020, 02:39 PM

Cracker Barrel can be a good place too.

momdoc · 09-12-2020, 09:33 AM

When we were traveling in our 25ft Class C we would use large big box store lots or many times we found companies with large lots near where you want to be that will allow you to park, just ask.

We once parked (three days in a row) at a lobster company in Glouster in their large lot. Of course we bought lobsters from them two fo those days (not required by them but required by us

)

SomeDay · 09-12-2020, 01:26 PM

Why not google the parking areas including street parking available in a particular town/small city you are visiting and have several options based on what you will be wanting to see.

We've never towed a secondary vehicle, and always managed to get our 37ft RV parked somewhere legal doing this on streets, restaurants, churches parking (with permission of course) or strip malls etc, and within comfortable walking distance of anything we've wanted to see, even in high tourist towns, we just might walk an extra 2 or 3 minutes to get into the heart, than non-touristy towns that have more free for all parking throughout.

There's nearly always a site that details what's paid, height ,size, free parking for anywhere of any concern population wise.

GFC · 09-12-2020, 07:17 PM

There are a lot of other places you're overlooking. Think of church parking lots (except on Saturday nights), city park parking lots, etc.

Think outside the box and you will find lots of places.

theroc · 09-13-2020, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GFC

There are a lot of other places you're overlooking. Think of church parking lots (except on Saturday nights), city park parking lots, etc.

Think outside the box and you will find lots of places.

But again, my suggestion would be to make sure permission is secured as come churches may not want a heavy 40' motorhome in their parking lot. (LOL, we have to remember that the OP has a 40-footer ...the title to the thread led me first to believe that he was asking about a "short" motorhome instead of a short period of time).

I'd feel a bit uneasy parking and leaving the coach in a church parking lot for a few hours unless first talking with the pastor/priest or office personnel. Sometimes, especially in some small towns, churches aren't always staffed during the day so I'm thinking it's still trespassing without getting permission.