Amarillo Tx overnight?

[Having A Ball]

Wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction ? I am taking my family to Dallas and would like to overnight in Amarillo. We won't be pulling in till about 8-9 pm so I was thinking we could just hit the Wally World off I40 or the Texas Travel Info stop rather than a CG. Is one better than the other or do y'all have another option to advise on? Never stayed at anything but a CG
This is our first camping trip out of state this far with my 15 week prego wife ( just confirmed last week) ) and our 18 month old daughter.
Thanks in advance

[NO3putt]

If I remember right, the walmart there had those height poles across the enterence to keep RVs and large trucks out, don't think they allow overnight camping at that one walmart. We have stayed at Pioneer rv parks a few times, easy in and easy out.

[ependydad]

There is a Yahoo group dedicated to Walmart parking in your RV for the exact purpose you've identified. They keep a master list of reported overnight parking status at most Walmarts based on actual contact with the stores.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/walmartrving/

[jimh]

if ur coming in from the west, there is a campground (on the right) shortly after u pass the cadillac farm. easy in and out and reasonable. off hand i don't remember the name.

[F.R.O.G.]

Originally Posted by NO3putt

If I remember right, the walmart there had those height poles across the enterence to keep RVs and large trucks out, don't think they allow overnight camping at that one walmart. We have stayed at Pioneer rv parks a few times, easy in and easy out.

Just for the record, those overhead poles are to keep heavy trucks, sometimes weighing upwards of 80,000 pounds, off of the front lot to prevent damage. They don't necessarily mean that RVs aren't allowed.

You can always go around to the truck entrance at the side or rear of the store. You won't find an issue with the overhead poles there, since trucks are generally 13'6" high and have to get in.

I'd call the store, though, or check the link that someone posted to see what their rules are.

[Having A Ball]

Thanks all.
Thanks for the link ependydad . Pretty cool info .
We will end up there . Overnight parking is permitted, it's right off the highway and should work just fine.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Having A Ball

Thanks all.
Thanks for the link ependydad . Pretty cool info .
We will end up there . Overnight parking is permitted, it's right off the highway and should work just fine.

Cool. It seems like the "proper" way is to go inside and talk to customer service when you get there to get their approval for staying (or sometimes an alternative of where else to stay). Having a shopping cart usually helps.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by ependydad

...Having a shopping cart usually helps.

A FULL shopping cart full of bagged/paid for merchandise helps more I would imagine.

[F.R.O.G.]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

A FULL shopping cart full of bagged/paid for merchandise helps more I would imagine.

Cindy and I always say that the Wal-Mart Astoria is the most expensive free camping spot in the world. We always seem to find somethng that we didn't know we needed. (And it usually turns out that we were right.)

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

A FULL shopping cart full of bagged/paid for merchandise helps more I would imagine.

details, details

[Stg1]

If you are driving in from the west on I 40, and want a cg. the Oasis cg is a great place. it's on the right before you get into town and there is a gas station and restaurant just before you turn right. Google Oasis in Amarillo to get to their website

[Flying dutchman]

We stayed a couple of times at KOA Amarillo. Nice CG with enough space. You may even see V-22 Ospreys flying from the Bell Boeing assembly plant. And if you like beef there is a free shuttle service to the Big Texan steakhouse, home of the 72 oz steak challenge.

[B47]

Originally Posted by Flying dutchman

We stayed a couple of times at KOA Amarillo. Nice CG with enough space. You may even see V-22 Ospreys flying from the Bell Boeing assembly plant. And if you like beef there is a free shuttle service to the Big Texan steakhouse, home of the 72 oz steak challenge.

The Ospreys are built/assembled at what was the Amarillo AFB. I went to the second phrase of AF basic training there and then to the B47 mechanics school where I first saw my first B47.

There was a SAC wing there at the time plus the AF Training Command (split base which was interesting).

Some interesting trivia about the base - the base contains the longest paved runway of any AF base ( either 12k or 14k long) and is now used by the Amarillo Airport (KAMA).

Also - LBJ closed the base after he learned that Amarillo didn't give him the majority vote when he first ran for president. I believe that part of the former base is now occupied by a branch of the Texas State Technical Institute and Bell Helicopter moved the Osprey production from Fort Worth to Amarillo.

I believe Bell also refurnished the Huey helicopter at the Amarillo facility during the Vietnam War.

One other thing - the U.S.did and I believe still does store,maintain and break down our nuclear weapons at a facility called Pan-Tex which is located close to the Amarillo city area.

[Ida Ratherbe Camping]

Lived and grew up there. But never camped in Amarillo. Always went to the area lakes, that are now dried up, or Palo Duro Canyon. Either way, try to stay upwind of the stockyards.

[B47]

Originally Posted by Ida Ratherbe Camping

Lived and grew up there. But never camped in Amarillo. Always went to the area lakes, that are now dried up, or Palo Duro Canyon. Either way, try to stay upwind of the stockyards.

Good advice - however that what most people call stink from the stockyards is called money by the ranchers there.

[Flying dutchman]

Of course Amarillo was a stopover to go to Either Palo Duro S.P. or Caprock S.P. But but would not be close enough to I-40 to serve as an overnight stop. But both are highly recommended. Lots of history.

[Having A Ball]

Thanks, we might stop on the way home spend the night at the koa and explore.

[Having A Ball]

Originally Posted by B47

The Ospreys are built/assembled at what was the Amarillo AFB. I went to the second phrase of AF basic training there and then to the B47 mechanics school where I first saw my first B47.

There was a SAC wing there at the time plus the AF Training Command (split base which was interesting).

Some interesting trivia about the base - the base contains the longest paved runway of any AF base ( either 12k or 14k long) and is now used by the Amarillo Airport (KAMA).

Also - LBJ closed the base after he learned that Amarillo didn't give him the majority vote when he first ran for president. I believe that part of the former base is now occupied by a branch of the Texas State Technical Institute and Bell Helicopter moved the Osprey production from Fort Worth to Amarillo.

I believe Bell also refurnished the Huey helicopter at the Amarillo facility during the Vietnam War.

One other thing - the U.S.did and I believe still does store,maintain and break down our nuclear weapons at a facility called Pan-Tex which is located close to the Amarillo city area.

As a former aviation guy ( 10 year bag smasher for Delta) this sounds like a great place to check out and explore the history . During the recent floods in Co, I watched all the helicopters fly back and forth for recovery efforts. Pretty amazing, if you appreciate it!

[B47]

Originally Posted by Having A Ball

As a former aviation guy ( 10 year bag smasher for Delta) this sounds like a great place to check out and explore the history . During the recent floods in Co, I watched all the helicopters fly back and forth for recovery efforts. Pretty amazing, if you appreciate it!

I don't know how much of the base is still there (I was there from 09-60 to 12-60) and interesting when I was hired as a FAA inspector, I was based in Lubbock which has Amarillo in its district,so I was back in Amarillo quite often. I was at Lubbock from 1980 to 1990.

There were still some B52 nose hangars standing then,but they may be gone now.

There is probably some local history regarding the base around Amarillo that you might seek out plus do a Goggle search.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by B47

The Ospreys are built/assembled at what was the Amarillo AFB. I went to the second phrase of AF basic training there and then to the B47 mechanics school where I first saw my first B47.

There was a SAC wing there at the time plus the AF Training Command (split base which was interesting).

Some interesting trivia about the base - the base contains the longest paved runway of any AF base ( either 12k or 14k long) and is now used by the Amarillo Airport (KAMA).

Also - LBJ closed the base after he learned that Amarillo didn't give him the majority vote when he first ran for president. I believe that part of the former base is now occupied by a branch of the Texas State Technical Institute and Bell Helicopter moved the Osprey production from Fort Worth to Amarillo.

I believe Bell also refurnished the Huey helicopter at the Amarillo facility during the Vietnam War.

One other thing - the U.S.did and I believe still does store,maintain and break down our nuclear weapons at a facility called Pan-Tex which is located close to the Amarillo city area.

Just a side note. Edwards AFB hard surface runway is a little over 15000 ft and the dry lake bed runway is about 7 miles long.