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Old 04-19-2016, 03:31 PM   #1
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Overnighting on the way?

How many here stay overnight at rest areas, truck stops, etc...? How do you plan your trips when an overnight stay is required between your departure and your arrival...what do you look for? I have a travel trailer and not sure how that would differ from an actual RV. Any tips are appreciated.
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Old 04-19-2016, 03:35 PM   #2
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How many here stay overnight at rest areas, truck stops, etc...? How do you plan your trips when an overnight stay is required between your departure and your arrival...what do you look for? I have a travel trailer and not sure how that would differ from an actual RV. Any tips are appreciated.
We always stay in campgrounds. We do not stay in rest areas, gas stations, Walmarts or Cracker Barrels.
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Old 04-19-2016, 03:49 PM   #3
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Overnighting on the way?

We stayed in the Rv parking area of a Flying J last week on the way to TN. the temp was just right to not need heat or ac. Only stayed long enough for a four hour nap, but we may do it again in the future.
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Old 04-19-2016, 04:27 PM   #4
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I have stayed @ Wal-Marts. I don`t leave home without a firearm . So places like that don`t bother me.
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Old 04-19-2016, 04:30 PM   #5
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Pull thru sites at an RV park for us. There are plenty of mom and pop camp grounds along major highways. You just have to look for them.
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Old 04-19-2016, 04:42 PM   #6
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KOA's for a 1 nighter when we were travelling. Close to freeways.
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Old 04-19-2016, 05:01 PM   #7
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How many here stay overnight at rest areas, truck stops, etc...? How do you plan your trips when an overnight stay is required between your departure and your arrival...what do you look for? I have a travel trailer and not sure how that would differ from an actual RV. Any tips are appreciated.
We have stayed in truck stops, rest areas and casinos.

By the way a travel trailer IS a RV, as are 5th wheels, popups and truck campers.

It doesn't have to be a motorhome to be a RV.
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Old 04-19-2016, 05:07 PM   #8
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KOA's for a 1 nighter when we were travelling. Close to freeways.
This is the same thing we do. We starting looking around 1:00 PM for a KOA near the night highway then call ahead with plans to get off the road before 5:00pm. Getup around 7AM and be on the road by about 8:30AM after a couple cups of coffee and the morning news.
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Old 04-19-2016, 05:23 PM   #9
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Doing a couple of back-to-back travel days on our summer road-trip, and we have a pull-through RV site booked for each.
Just adjusted timing of stops, and made minor route adjustments to accommodate.
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Old 04-19-2016, 07:33 PM   #10
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DW likes campgrounds, I like cheap. We have stayed at Walmart and rest areas. But mostly campgrounds


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Old 04-19-2016, 07:34 PM   #11
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How many here stay overnight at rest areas, truck stops, etc...? How do you plan your trips when an overnight stay is required between your departure and your arrival...what do you look for? I have a travel trailer and not sure how that would differ from an actual RV. Any tips are appreciated.

We stop in rest areas often when en-route. Usually arriving late and leaving when we wake up. Works great.


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Old 04-19-2016, 07:46 PM   #12
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We made a road trip out to Yellowstone from Michigan in 2007 and stayed mostly at rest areas, but we were only in an SUV and the kids were much smaller back then. We didn't have any issues other than wanting a real bed and a shower. Has anyone ever had an issue with attempted burglary or anything like that while on the road? We had one incident in Florida when we arrived at our hotel at 3am and decided to sleep in the back of the SUV. We obviously forgot to lock the doors and some kids decided to try to steal our GPS. I woke up to my wife yelling...I had no idea what was going on so I just started yelling along with her. They didn't get the GPS and no harm was done but I wonder if a travel trailer is a bigger target in a rest area or anywhere else for that matter.

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Old 04-19-2016, 10:59 PM   #13
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We made a road trip out to Yellowstone from Michigan in 2007 and stayed mostly at rest areas, but we were only in an SUV and the kids were much smaller back then. We didn't have any issues other than wanting a real bed and a shower. Has anyone ever had an issue with attempted burglary or anything like that while on the road? We had one incident in Florida when we arrived at our hotel at 3am and decided to sleep in the back of the SUV. We obviously forgot to lock the doors and some kids decided to try to steal our GPS. I woke up to my wife yelling...I had no idea what was going on so I just started yelling along with her. They didn't get the GPS and no harm was done but I wonder if a travel trailer is a bigger target in a rest area or anywhere else for that matter.

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Old 04-19-2016, 11:29 PM   #14
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We generally plan to cover long distances as quickly as possible. Rather than disturb neighbors at 11pm or later, we opt for Walmarts or the like.

We generally will have a plan for distance that we are trying to accomplish. Then I check the Walmart Overnight Parking list (on a Yahoo group).

We are fair weather Walmart parkers as we don't have a generator. We can only stay if we can get by with our battery alone.

Another option, if you stop early is Harvest Hosts. These are tough for me as you are supposed to stop during their business hours and we like to push through more times than not.

And, in before someone calls you cheap - for me, it's never been about the money. It's convenience.
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Old 04-19-2016, 11:29 PM   #15
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We stop in rest areas often when en-route. Usually arriving late and leaving when we wake up. Works great.
We do the same,.... an advantage of the rest stops, is you can travel until you're tired and then stop, we don't lose traveling time by having to find a campground before it gets dark,....... we pull in between the truckers and feel as safe as anywhere else, ... we're not there for camping, just to sleep,..... some allow it and even have night security, but we've never had a problem, even at rest stops that have posted "no over night parking", .... was told yrs. ago by a deputy, "if you've gotten tired, we'd rather have you sleeping here, than falling asleep out on the road".............
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Old 04-19-2016, 11:42 PM   #16
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Out of 350 days on the road in the last 5 years, I have spent about 25 in truck stops and Walmart as a matter of convenience and safety. When I get too tired to continue safely, I will check for nearby campgrounds. If none, it's whatever else is closest. Wally Docking is sometimes as nice as a campground, and the store prices are much lower.



I feel safe at 24 hour Walmarts and truck stops.
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Old 04-19-2016, 11:50 PM   #17
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We've stayed at a few Casino's that allow overnight parking along with Cabela's. Never stayed at a Wal-Mart as everyone we want to stop at doesn't allow overnight parking because of city ordinances. Never tried a truck stop as many say they are too noisy.
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Old 04-20-2016, 12:42 AM   #18
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Last vacation I planned on Wallydocking on the way up, I called, spoke with the store manager, who approved it, but please check in with my night manager when you arrive. On arrival I strolled in, spoke with him, who said no. The manager spoke with him relaying his approval, but young night manager feels it's "stupid" when I should be in a campground. I showed him my provisions list, which should have pushed $125 or so, and said fine, you don't need my money either.

It was late Saturday evening, Chick-Fil-a was closed so I borrowed their section of the parking lot. There are many ways to defur a feline.

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Old 04-20-2016, 05:48 AM   #19
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On our long trip 2 years ago, we stayed at Walmarts for all of the long travel days. Worked out very well except for 2 main issues. 1. No A/C on a hot night was a problem once or twice. 2. They clean those parking lots in the middle of the night, so have white noise with you.

Some things to point out to those that are worried of security. At every one that we stopped at, there was a small community of other travelers. Most had about a dozen other RV's that sort of gathered together. Also, we were under cameras and lights at all of them. And lastly, yes, I carry a firearm.
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Old 04-20-2016, 06:32 AM   #20
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Our first trip last week I actually planned to use a truck stop. My wife and son worked until 8pm so we didn't get on the road until 9pm. I planned to stop at 1am. The truck stop was full so we found a Cracker Barrel at 130am and pulled in. Awoke at 6am and had breakfast and was back on the road at 7am. We arrived at our KOA in Hatteras at 10am. It worked out nicely. I'd do it again.

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