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I'm familiar with this although we have never done it. More and more of the stores are not allowing parking, since many people can't follow simple rules.
We lived in the Tucson area for some time, and the one on our side of town finally put a stop to it. People would leave bags of trash outside their RVs and drive away, and the bold ones would empty their holding tanks onto the parking lot. Some of the larger units left indentations in the black top. People put out their slides, lawn chairs and some barbeque.
Many areas can be dangerous. A security guard can only move so fast.
We have stopped at a Wal Mart for a couple of hours or less, on occasion. One time we were moving our family across country with multiple animals and we were hit with bad weather forcing us to take a detour that increased our trip time drastically.
We had been driving for thirteen or more hours and through bad weather. I was exhausted and no motel was going to allow us to stay with two large dogs, two cats, and various other small animals. We found a Walmart and slept for an hour or so before it got so cold that we woke up and moved on.
Another time we were driving through the night and my husband started getting tired. Rather than drowsy driving we stopped at the nearest town that happened to have a Wal Mart. We crashed out in our trailer, no slides, no.leaving a trace that we were there, got some zz's and we were back on our way a couple of hours later. We parked in the side lot where the other big trucks and RV's were so we'd be out of the way.
We'd prefer to stop at a rest stop, but sometimes they are few and far between. Utah is very concerned about drowsy drivers and they have multiple signs reminding people to.pull off and get some sleep. They have a good amount of rest stops along the I-15 which is wonderful!
I like researching stuff and recently I have been looking at converting a van or cargo trailer into a camper for retirement travel. I have always been intrigued at the Walmart idea, I mean paying $40-$50 a night for a campsite is pretty ridiculous when you can get a cheap motel room for that price.
Then I realized my dream retirement is probably not sleeping in a van in a Walmart parking lot. I would be concerned about safety, not sure I could relax and fall to sleep. I have never been to ours late at night, I guess if there are several RVs camped I would feel a little better. But alone in an abandoned parking lot? Probably not.
Quite to the contrary... I am ALWAYS happy to see people 'resting' from driving !.
I was / am always surprised when occupants don't get killed in RV crashes. There is always a really big mess and when you show up first... you wonder how many kids are strewn through the wreckage. Overhead campers of yesteryear were my greatest fear as you saw multiple kids peering out the overhead window, then happen upon a 'rollover' and wonder how the kids survived.
Yes, this! I've mentioned on my thread that I used to live near the crossroads of I-81 and I-77, and there was always a totally demolished camper strewn about the medians!
We know about staying in them but would only do so as a last resort. We take trips for two months at a time usually across the country and we’ve never had a problem finding KOA’s right off the interstates with hookups and quiet.
We know about staying in them but would only do so as a last resort. We take trips for two months at a time usually across the country and we’ve never had a problem finding KOA’s right off the interstates with hookups and quiet.
While true, I've been in KOA's that charge $70 a night compared to Wal Mart at nothing. I would rather spend that saved money at my destination or just save it.
While true, I've been in KOA's that charge $70 a night compared to Wal Mart at nothing. I would rather spend that saved money at my destination or just save it.
We mostly find KOA Journey campgrounds that seem to run $30-$40 a night and are quiet and safe, with full hookups.
The little extra is worth it to us, but to each his own.
"I mean paying $40-$50 a night for a campsite is pretty ridiculous when you can get a cheap motel room for that price."...if you're not careful, you can get a lot more than you bargain for in a cheap motel.
"I mean paying $40-$50 a night for a campsite is pretty ridiculous when you can get a cheap motel room for that price."...if you're not careful, you can get a lot more than you bargain for in a cheap motel.
Regards
Gemstone1
And you don't have to breathe that nursing home air freshener that cheap motels use. Gack, I hate that stuff.
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