Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 
 


Boondocking Discussions on dry camping
Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-05-2015, 07:52 PM   #1
Member
 
Moonstruck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Tennessee & N. GA. mountains
Posts: 91
Default Boondocking at the Walmart

Pittston PA

__________________

__________________
Don and Lou
2703 TowLite
'97 Chev Suburban 2500 Diesel
Tennessee/Greenest state in the land of the free
moonstruckblog.wordpress.com
Moonstruck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-05-2015, 09:35 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Luckydog671's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Tehachapi Mountains, Calif.
Posts: 817
Default

Not trying to tell you what to do but you might want to bring those chairs in, Don. It's considered bad etiquette:

Overnight Parking Etiquette | Walmart Locator
__________________

__________________
Greg
2004 4x4 Chevy Tahoe
Former owner of a 2407T
Luckydog671 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2015, 08:26 PM   #3
Member
 
Moonstruck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Tennessee & N. GA. mountains
Posts: 91
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luckydog671 View Post
Not trying to tell you what to do but you might want to bring those chairs in, Don. It's considered bad etiquette:

Overnight Parking Etiquette | Walmart Locator
Yeah, I know. They had just come out of the camper, were folded. leaning against the camper. We then stored them in the Suburban. The light of day was leaving, so shot the picture to take advantage of that.
__________________
Don and Lou
2703 TowLite
'97 Chev Suburban 2500 Diesel
Tennessee/Greenest state in the land of the free
moonstruckblog.wordpress.com
Moonstruck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2015, 11:05 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
hilltool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,256
Default

Nice shade.
__________________
2201 TL

2010 Nissan Titan king cab SE
4x4
hilltool is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2015, 11:31 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Luckydog671's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Tehachapi Mountains, Calif.
Posts: 817
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonstruck View Post
Yeah, I know. They had just come out of the camper, were folded. leaning against the camper. We then stored them in the Suburban. The light of day was leaving, so shot the picture to take advantage of that.
As I've never actually overnighted at a Wal*Mart as of yet, let us know how it went. Hoping to try it myself at some point.
__________________
Greg
2004 4x4 Chevy Tahoe
Former owner of a 2407T
Luckydog671 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2015, 02:09 PM   #6
Member
 
Moonstruck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Tennessee & N. GA. mountains
Posts: 91
Default

Gregg, it was easy. We had to cut our trip to Canada short because of Lou's flair up of Rheumatoid arthritis. The cool, damp weather up north didn't help. We laid over in Maine a couple of extra days, but it didn't help. So we beat a fast trip home. Going by Scranton PA we asked "Funky Lady", the voice in our RV GPS to find campgrounds. The pickings were slim. So, we asked her to find a Walmart Super Center. She did a few miles down the road at Pittston, and just off the exit. I went to the service desk to ask if they allowed overnight RVs. The lady said sure do just park near the lower edge of the parking lot. The next morning there were an AirStream and a class B parked near us. It is so quick, and easy. Don't unhook. Do your shopping, and leave in about 15 minutes. No check in or out. Usually near an exit, and no cost. We were in a hurry to get home, so stayed in a Walmart Super Center at Bristol, VA last night. Home now.

All in all we drove over 3200 miles. We drove some long days, so left the fridge on propane. Even with the 12 volt fan on, it didn't cool all that well. We didn't lose any food, but wouldn't want to do it often.
__________________
Don and Lou
2703 TowLite
'97 Chev Suburban 2500 Diesel
Tennessee/Greenest state in the land of the free
moonstruckblog.wordpress.com
Moonstruck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2015, 04:06 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Luckydog671's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Tehachapi Mountains, Calif.
Posts: 817
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonstruck View Post
Gregg, it was easy. We had to cut our trip to Canada short because of Lou's flair up of Rheumatoid arthritis. The cool, damp weather up north didn't help. We laid over in Maine a couple of extra days, but it didn't help. So we beat a fast trip home. Going by Scranton PA we asked "Funky Lady", the voice in our RV GPS to find campgrounds. The pickings were slim. So, we asked her to find a Walmart Super Center. She did a few miles down the road at Pittston, and just off the exit. I went to the service desk to ask if they allowed overnight RVs. The lady said sure do just park near the lower edge of the parking lot. The next morning there were an AirStream and a class B parked near us. It is so quick, and easy. Don't unhook. Do your shopping, and leave in about 15 minutes. No check in or out. Usually near an exit, and no cost. We were in a hurry to get home, so stayed in a Walmart Super Center at Bristol, VA last night. Home now.

All in all we drove over 3200 miles. We drove some long days, so left the fridge on propane. Even with the 12 volt fan on, it didn't cool all that well. We didn't lose any food, but wouldn't want to do it often.
Hi Don,

Sorry to hear your trip was cut short and hope Lou feels better soon!

Thanks for the Wal*Mart info- sounds pretty easy. You drove a lot of miles in a short time so rest up!
__________________
Greg
2004 4x4 Chevy Tahoe
Former owner of a 2407T
Luckydog671 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2015, 06:44 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 406
Default

We have stayed at many Wal-marts, Tenn, ga, La, Tx, Az, NM.etc.....
Have met some very nice people.
Clean up after your dogs, don't litter, Don't set up like you are staying.(out-door chairs, awning)

Most people stay after a hard day of driving and are making time. In and out at your leisure. Much better than spending $40 and spend 8 hours there.

We appreciate that WM does this for travelers.

There are WM that do NOT allow over night stays. The closest one to my home doesn't. Tourist areas with WM often do not. Conflicting city/govt ordinances.

Can't hurt to ask!
__________________
2002 ford f350, 7.3 diesel
1985 hi-lo funchaser
kb0nai
kd7ctk
renoites is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2015, 07:09 PM   #9
Member
 
Moonstruck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Tennessee & N. GA. mountains
Posts: 91
Default

+1 for thanking Walmart.

On another note: I will be cleaning up the trailer tomorrow, and taking it back to Chattanooga for storage. I phoned the new Cabella's at I-75 and Cloud Springs Rd. (the last Georgia exit going north from the Georgia Welcome Center). They confirmed that they do have a dump station. How nice!

Don
__________________
Don and Lou
2703 TowLite
'97 Chev Suburban 2500 Diesel
Tennessee/Greenest state in the land of the free
moonstruckblog.wordpress.com
Moonstruck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2015, 05:58 PM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Galeton Colorado
Posts: 16
Default

A week after getting our 79 hilo, (March 2015) we took a trip to Va from Co, stopping at Walmarts along the way. My advice is: have black-out curtains available, the parking lots are well lit!
__________________
Gail

2179 HiLo

2008 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4
iamgailmichelle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2015, 07:14 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 276
Default

Another area to keep in mind is Cracker barrel restaurants. Most of them allow overnight parking. Not as easy to drive around usually, but their breakfast is better than Wally's.
__________________
Jim in Memphis
Wife of 45 years is Brenda
Recently sold our 1997 24' Classic
2014 Ford F-350 6.7 Diesel Crew Cab
notanlines is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2015, 03:05 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 164
Default

Local laws may not allow overnight, but usually the Walmart still won't ask you to leave. If they don't call the police the police won't ask you to leave. So a quick overnight will fly at every Walmart I know of even if there are signs saying no overnight parking. They are just putting up with the winers who own the $100 KOA, Walmart doesn't care.
Hersbird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 04:30 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 391
Default

I'm going to give out some little secrets from primarily Canadian RVers who travel through the U.S. to southern Mexico in October/November and return to Canada in April/May. Towards the end of the driving day (before 5:00 pm local time), they pull in to the nearest Home Depot; why Home Depot, you ask? It is a lot quieter than Wal-Mart and, in most cases, they will direct you around near their loading Bay Area and suggest you hook into their electricity provided on a light pole back there. In addition, you have free use of their Wi-Fi. Also, as you are progressing through small towns and it is nearing 5:00, pull into the town's public library for the night; get permission from the librarian or local policeman (he or she will give you a little security during the night) and use the library's Wi-Fi. You can also do this at a lot of small town Welcome Centers with permission, of course. If you are REALLY desperate for an overnight space and it is getting pretty late, look for a few cars parked around small churches in small towns and go in with hat in hand and ask one of the members if you may park overnight in the church parking lot. It is very likely they will not turn you down. All this advice was provided to me from Canadian bloggers transiting through the U.S.

Dee
Summerville, SC
Dee Tillotson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2015, 05:31 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
RCREYES's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Far West Texas
Posts: 1,363
Send a message via Yahoo to RCREYES
Default

I had read somewhere at one time that Walmart said they average $200-$250 off every RV'er that camps in their parking lots. So, I guess they see it as a moneymaker. I guess it's only right to buy a little something from them for using their lots for free.

Walmart Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
__________________
"Ruben"
2404T, 2003 2500HD 4X4 GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab w/Astro camper shell and 2003 Chevy Tahoe LE 4X2
Far West Texas
RCREYES is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2015, 01:47 PM   #15
Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 13
Default

Maybe not being level was the problem with the fridge. Looks like it's riding high in the front from the picture you posted.
__________________
Jerry
Live in Indiana
Brand new owner of a '94 22' Hi-Lo
phoneguy1212 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2019, 05:15 PM   #16
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: south, fl
Posts: 20
Default

When you're at Walmart be as unnoticeable as possible. No chairs nothing outside. it's not a camping space, it's just a place to rest for the night and move on. they hope you buy some things at Walmart. I'm hoping in the future that option does not evaporate for everyone.
restart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2019, 11:41 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Niagara Falls
Posts: 352
Default Overnighted once in Ohio at Walmart.

I called ahead and spoke with the manager. When we got to the store I did some shopping. The manage told us to park between the Home Depot and Walmart. I couldn't sleep because of the piped in music all night. DH slept well. I don;t feel bad about "Wally docking" as I am usually in my local Walmart frequently shopping. DD works for Home Depot. Some call it "Gallmart" You have the gull to park there for free.
Usagi5678 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2019, 08:13 PM   #18
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Missouri
Posts: 33
Default

Did some camping at Walmart's.
When we get a different camper we do the maiden voyage at a local Walmart. If we need something they usually have it.

Things I've noticed
The blacktop parking lots stay warm all nite.
Any spot not under a light is taken early by a semi.
I have parked in used car lots and in an empty lot next to a Sonic.
Not being cheap however sometimes we fail to plan ahead.
In early spring we usually go to a Corp of engineers campground that opens May 1
It is located on the Mississippi river in South West Wisconsin. It didn't open until the end of June this year because of flooding.
We also stay at a couple of Fair grounds, they have hookups for the carnival's campers, However if they have other events going on they are closed to campers.
__________________

Arti is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hi-Lo Trailers Worldwide or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
HiLoTrailerForum.com Copyright 2010
×