Religious buildings are another example of where you can sleep in your car. You can stay at gyms like Anytime Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, and Planet Fitness, as they are open 24 hours a day. So, technically, you`re not “breaking” the rules. The goal is to park away from the entrances and exits of these stores. Look for areas that receive the least traffic and go unnoticed during normal shopping hours. Due to traffic, municipal laws, private property, and neighborhood watch programs, sleeping in an RV is strictly limited. So be prepared in advance with knowledge of places along your route where you can legally park overnight. We`ve listed a few ideas below. Home Depot, Lowes, Menards and other hardware chains are often popular options for overnight parking. As with Walmart, the stores themselves usually don`t care. However, cities may have laws that prohibit sleeping or camping in your car.
The reason hardware stores are a popular choice is that they open very early, so security or law enforcement agencies may think you`ll not be there until early when the store opens. Most house depots open at 5:00 a.m. Lowes, Menards and others usually open at 6:00 in the morning. For more information, “Can you park an RV overnight at The Home Depot?” One of the safest places would be a casino parking lot. Security patrols are constantly vigilant and toilets are usually open until 2:00 a.m. or even later. But there are still plenty of Walmarts that allow overnight parking. When asked, they usually tell you which part of the parking lot to move to. One of our popular topics of conversation at family gatherings is mentioning that not only do we frequently camp at Walmarts, but we have our favorite Walmarts in the United States, where we parked several times overnight. We are, for lack of a better term, connoisseurs of Walmart. When crossing state borders or entering national parks, there is almost always a visit/information center.
It is a great place to get information and advice, rest and use the toilet. Spending a night here is an option as they are generally safe and well-lit, but the centres usually operate at limited times, so not everything it has to offer is always available to you (something you should consider for night toilets). These stores allow overnight camping, but it`s usually up to the local manager of each store to make the final call. You should always call ahead to check all locations. Please do not use touch spaces. Truckers have extremely limited parking options, typically run out of time, and can be fined hundreds to thousands of dollars when their “driving time” expires. Were like a VRer can go on without being punished. Camping has become so popular that it has become a competition to find places to park your motorhome. Most campsites are full well before you arrive at your favorite destination.
We don`t know if they really mind people parking at night and sleeping in their vehicles, but we`ve never had a hard time staying overnight in a casino. Especially in Las Vegas. So here`s a safe list of stores where I`ve camped myself or where I know their policies allow overnight parking for RVs, RVs or intercity equipment. And all these campsites are free! Some types of parking lots and even states are illegal to sleep in your car. It is best to avoid these places. Otherwise, you may be asked to leave in the middle of the night or get a ticket. Also, your car should be parked while you sleep, even if you`re in a Tesla on Autopilot. Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome are basically databases that list RV businesses and owners willing to let you park for free at their location. With Harvest Hosts, you can stay at participating wineries, farms, breweries, museums, ranches, and even golf courses for one night and sometimes more. You`ll need to be in a standalone platform (no car or tent campervan), and there are usually no hookups. Information centres are good examples of free sleeping places in your car. They usually offer free overnight parking, but always check the website and signage before making a decision.
In general, it is illegal to spend the night in the parking lot of a grocery store, shopping mall or restaurant. However, if you are willing to take the risk, sometimes no one will notice that you are there. They are convenient in many suburbs. Keep in mind, however, that mall parking lots sometimes attract thieves. Industrial parks are a ghost town after 5pm on weekdays and all weekend. Usually in secluded locations with plenty of doorless parking. As a former security guard, research the types of businesses in the park. If it`s a central bank or a big software/tech company, forget about it. Security will be on you in seconds and they will take you further. They want businesses where people sit at their desks, drop papers, and go home and at the end of the day. Generally well-lit and quiet, although these places can attract young people looking for mischief in their cars or on their skateboards.
Many fitness centres are open 24 hours a day. 24 Hour Fitness, Anytime Fitness, and Planet Fitness are popular options for overnight parking. These places have smaller parking lots, so larger RVs may not be a wise choice to park here. Because these gyms are open 24 hours a day, security and parking checks don`t know if you`re sleeping or exercising in your vehicle. If you want to stop somewhere and take a nap, you might find an expensive parking ticket on your windshield or wake up in the middle of the night by the dreaded knock on the door. While cities were the pioneers of safe parking programs, many found local homeowners and nonprofits willing to help. Even if you are in a city without such a program, you can find people who want to help you. It`s perfectly legal to ask business owners, landowners, or a local church if you can park and sleep in a car. The worst thing you can say is no. You can generally camp anywhere on BLM land as long as it`s outside of designated campgrounds or hiking trails. All the places described below are places where you can legally sleep in your car, so read on to get all the information about each of them.
