Walmart's Parking

[JohnBoyToo]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

. .... I think some people should go to a McDonalds web site and tell people not to eat hamburgers. Or go to Hooters and tell people not to look at, uh, people eating chicken wings.

...

and you think the know it all's don't already DO that

I probably won't be allowed to stop at one as my DW is averse to 'imposing' on ANYONE (except me !) but if I'm not hurting anyone else, why not ?

There goes that 47% telling us how to spend our time and money

[Nitrohorse]

Originally Posted by GAGypsy

I use Wally World Campground everywhere I go!

I agree with Doodles. Putting out slides and awnings is going too far. Wal-Mart in Florida and other places is under a lot of pressure from the local Chamber's of Commerce because RV campgrounds, hotel, motel, interests think they are loosing money because of Wal-Marts policy. Some towns in Florida and other places, have made it a violation of city ordinances to sleepover in any parking lot. Some have required Wal-Mart to post signs to that effect.

We need to be as low key as possible and above all, when we stay over in a Wal-Mart lot, be sure to get up in the early morning and make sure you are not creating a parking problem. And last of all PLEASE buy some groceries or something at Wal-Mart, let them know that you are a faithful customer and appreciate their courtesy.

l Abuse it and lose it!

I think the local government's issue with camping at WM is only going to increase. When you step back from the situation and really look at it, the CG and motel owners do have a legitimate gripe. They lose money when WM allows overnighting. I'm not picking sides as I can honestly see both sides of the argument. Secondly, it's hard to hide what RVs are doing in the parking lots at night. The local authorities along with the police know that it's not a simple coincidence that RVs wind up at the local WM. Walmart may appreciate and condone the business that rving brings, but the community leaders may not. In my opinion, the days of unbridled overnighting/camping at Wallyworld may be numbered. So my suggestion would be to camp at WM like you own the place. Open up the slides and awning. Fire up the grill and turn up those outdoor speakers. Let the salsa, polkas, and heavy metal music fill the air. Make memories while you still can, before the practice is completely banned. The new iPhone 5s are out and at most WM. Take the kids or grandkids out to WM for a weekend and buy them the iPhone for the weekend. They will always remember the time they spent playing with the phone while camping at WM. At the end of the stay, take the phone(s) back into the store for a refund. Cheapest way to make memories with the little ones.

[cekkk]

Originally Posted by Nitrohorse

My ex-wife?

Yours too??

[Midniteoyl]

Originally Posted by Nitrohorse

I think the local government's issue with camping at WM is only going to increase. When you step back from the situation and really look at it, the CG and motel owners do have a legitimate gripe. They lose money when WM allows overnighting. I'm not picking sides as I can honestly see both sides of the argument. Secondly, it's hard to hide what RVs are doing in the parking lots at night. The local authorities along with the police know that it's not a simple coincidence that RVs wind up at the local WM. Walmart may appreciate and condone the business that rving brings, but the community leaders may not. In my opinion, the days of unbridled overnighting/camping at Wallyworld may be numbered. So my suggestion would be to camp at WM like you own the place. Open up the slides and awning. Fire up the grill and turn up those outdoor speakers. Let the salsa, polkas, and heavy metal music fill the air. Make memories while you still can, before the practice is completely banned. The new iPhone 5s are out and at most WM. Take the kids or grandkids out to WM for a weekend and buy them the iPhone for the weekend. They will always remember the time they spent playing with the phone while camping at WM. At the end of the stay, take the phone(s) back into the store for a refund. Cheapest way to make memories with the little ones.

Had me until the 'iPhone 5'... Can I skip that part? Please? I promise to party a little harder in the Wally parking lot and open a littel flea market the next day!

[fleamarketer]

I still believe all of us represents all RV'ers and to camp out in a retail parking lot is a cheap low level life style that if you want to regain you own pride and get back to what RVing is all about,you'll stop doing that. As with all things these days that are justified be "the other guys do it",isn't a good enough reason..............and if some honest reflection into what we do is taken we realize how bad a number of other things we do in life really are. Please don't tell me a mature person doesn't have the ability to plan out a trip's stops to camp grounds.That is childish ill-logical nonsense.

[BFlinn181]

Last time I stayed at a Walmart was June. I was traveling from Denver to Coeur d'Alene, ID. We had planned to stay first night in a Forest Service CG in Togwatee Pass, WY. A flat tire changed those plans, had to stay in a CG near Lander, WY. The next day we stopped at a Walmart in Idaho Falls because we were tired and couldn't make it to our next planned CG before it closed near Butte, MT. I consider myself mature, but stuff happens. I asked permission and given a warm welcome by the Walmart manager.

[Possum]

Originally Posted by fleamarketer

I still believe all of us represents all RV'ers and to camp out in a retail parking lot is a cheap low level life style that if you want to regain you own pride and get back to what RVing is all about,you'll stop doing that. As with all things these days that are justified be "the other guys do it",isn't a good enough reason..............and if some honest reflection into what we do is taken we realize how bad a number of other things we do in life really are. Please don't tell me a mature person doesn't have the ability to plan out a trip's stops to camp grounds.That is childish ill-logical nonsense.

Case in point, not to prove you wrong, just a case in point. My wife and I had a detailed itinerary all set up an ready to go starting early last April. We had all kinds of places to see and campgrounds planned to stay at that took most of last winter to plan.

We live on Vancouver Island (where most campgrounds are open 365 per year) and stupidly assumed that we would be able to stay at campgrounds all across the northern states as we traveled to our granddaughters wedding on May 12th.

Guess what; the first campground our GPS steered us to had a sign on the gate "SEE YOU MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND" so what were we to do? The "CLOSED" signs were at about a 4 to one compared to opens and after two days of fruitless redirects and listening to a nauseating voice claim, "Recalculating" we gave up and started Wallydocking.

Met some great people along the way, got to donate a couple of unused sleeping bags to a homeless gentlemen and his dogs, had easy to find night time sleeping arrangements and low and behold come the Memorial day Weekend we started staying in the campgrounds we had planned to stay at. I have no qualms about being considered a low life if my sleeping is in jeopardy.

Not everything is cut and dry and if you don't Wallydock, then unsubscribe from this very fun and fascinating thread.

[HD4Mark]

Originally Posted by Possum

then unsubscribe from this very fun and fascinating thread.

That about sums it up.

[Davdeb1]

When you are just trying to "get to your destination", it is not uncommon to drive a little later in the day. I will call ahead and reserve a site and pay over the phone by CC. Last year we bought our RV, and took 5 days to drive it home, Tucson to Cleveland. Two out of the four nights we got in late to the campground, and had a problem. First at a Koa, we got our paperwork and went to our designated spot, well guess what someone else was in it. We knocked on their door and no one would answer. We then called the number and only got a recording. We drove around the park until we found spot, and it was all rutted and unlevel. Also, the next morning we go to dump and the sewer is broke. The other place was privately owned. We had to move twice before we found a sit with the electricity working.

All that for the pleasure of paying $40 a night.

Trying to get to your destination, overnight at Walmart. It is always level, no need to call ahead, there is always room, the campground store is never closed, and oh yea,
Saved $40

[cekkk]

Fleamarketer, I think the problem some of us are having with your posts isn't your viewpoint on what camping is so much as it is your lack of understanding that others have their own views of what camping is.

For us, it absolutely is not requiring that we get to Point B by 1800 hrs., but rather that after 45 years of working to a schedule, our time is now ours. And if we don't get started until 1100, so be it. And if we go 150 miles today or 400, what's the dif?

So assuming you're an intelligent person, you'll see the wisdom of taking a moment to ponder how others will see your next post from their viewpoint. And allow that they have as much right to their viewpoints as you do to your own.

Just a suggestion. Of course, ultimately you'll do what you want, as we all do.

[RoadHogg]

Originally Posted by fleamarketer

That is childish ill-logical nonsense.

Wow!

[RedneckExpress]

Another successful walmart stop at the Mitchell, SD Walmart Supercenter, wonder who this fellow is? They've got an iRV2 sticker .







So far, I've stayed in 3 pay use rv parks, 1 free rv park, 1 rest area, 3 nights in front of a friends house visiting, 1 night at a fellow NATCOA members home, and the rest of the nights have been at walmarts, with the exception of the night before last, I stayed in the wall drug lot that is by the tracks and behind the Badlands Bar.

Right now my allstays app is set up to list truck stops, rest areas, dump stations, overnight parking spots, and walmarts.

[georgetown350]

So assuming you're an intelligent person

[cekkk]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

Don't criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes.

Then you're a mile away from him and you've got his shoes!