Drycamping in Store Lots

[CampingFam]

Anyone dry camp in store lots?  Such as Wal Mart or Lowes.  I often see folks camped out in the parking lot of my local Wal Mart, but there are absolutely no attractions nearby.  So I don't understand why they stay there.  My husband says there probably just passing through.

If you camp in store lots, are you just passing through or are they convenient to places you want to visit?

[AZsix]

Anyone dry camp in store lots?  Such as Wal Mart or Lowes.  I often see folks camped out in the parking lot of my local Wal Mart, but there are absolutely no attractions nearby.  So I don't understand why they stay there.  My husband says there probably just passing through.

If you camp in store lots, are you just passing through or are they convenient to places you want to visit?

A lot of Wal Marts allow camping in their lots. These are people that are just passing through and since Wally World carries a fair amount of rv supplies along with groceries it's not a bad marketing ploy. Some towns here in AZ have ordinances against it however so even though Wal Mart is willing to let them stay the town is not.

[AzRon]

I wouldn't camp in a Walmart or Lowes parking lot this time of year, the stabilizers would sink thru the asphalt  :yikes:   AzRon

[dthurk]

We have overnighted in WalMart and Cracker Barrel lots as we were traveling to a destination.  Did not unhitch, did not use stabilizers, just stopped and went to sleep.  We have a TT, not a PUP and are set up for dry camping.

[flyfisherman]

I've only seen one popup set-up in our local Wally-Mart parking lot and that some years ago. It was set-up, sort of sandwiched, between two TT's as if they were traveling together. Since Myrtle Beach is just 35 miles south of here, motor homes, TT's and 5th wheelers were common place but seem to be fewer these high cost fuel days.

Never have set my PU in a Wal-Mart lot but have done so at the Cabela's "back lot" at Dundee, Michigan. Years past we've made spring or fall fishing trips to northern Michigan and a stop off at Cabelas is a must. Since the place is so huge and it takes at least a half a day to "look things over" (and they have a great snack bar for soup and sandwiches, plus a great breakfast entry) - we try to get there by late afternoon, do some shopping, have a soup and sandwich (I love their smoked elk sandwich) supper and head out to the parking lot and set-up for the night (along with serveral other RV campers). Coffee and their breakfast offering for early morning (plus the use of spotless clean bathrooms) and we're off for the woods and stream!




Fly

[Dray]

I say hooray for Walmart for allowing this.  It's a brilliant move on their part to allow it I think.  Maybe they could grow their enterprise by even setting aside some of their huge parking lots as an area for through campers.  They could set up a dump station and provide water too.  But then they would have to start charging for these services.  And the brilliant thing about it now is that it's free.  I hope it continues to be a practice by mostly people passing through.  Because if it starts getting abused by the thoughtlesss it will no doubt grab the attention of the insurance companies and their nervious lawywers and be banned.  

Just my 2 cents.

[ScouterMom]

here's a site that lists free places to camp, including the WalMArts that DO and DO NOT allow camping overnight, as well as other stores, restaurants and other locations.

http://www.freecampgrounds.com/index.aspx

you can also order a guide to the specific walmarts and their nearby amenities.  However, WalMArt's guides specifically exclude pop-ups or 'tent campers' - they are meant strictly as a conveinience for overnight sleeping/parking, not for staying during the day or more than one night.

that group you saw probably was traveling together - personally, even in a rural area or small town like mine, I would not want to have only canvas between me and some of the weirdos that hang out at our 24 hr WalMart!

Some of the other places, like Cabellas, other camping stores, some mom-and-pop restaurants, encourage slightly longer stays.

Personally, I would LOVE to 'camp out' at a Gander Mountain, Cabellas or camping store - but there arn't any where we normally go.

laura

[GeneF]

DW and I have done a couple of WalMarts but in our HTT and we turtled.

Neither one of us would be comfortable overnighting it at WalMart in a popup, especially a 24 hour one.

Both times it was just a stop over.

Once we had a long drive day and said either the cg or WalMart, whichever comes first.

Walmart came first.  Next day we found that we were less than five miles from our intended cg.  Oh well, it only cost me $87 to camp that night a WalMart.  DW went shopping.

We have also learned that even if the sign says, "No Overnight Parking" at Walmart, go in and ask.  What you read is not always true.

[cyclone]

I posted this on another thread, but I've been following a travel journal of some full-timers.  They frequently stop at WalMart along the way -- so much so that when they had gone a few days without stopping/shopping there, Visa called to make sure they were ok.  Visa noticed there were no WalMart charges and got worried.  This cracked me up, btw.  We often see RV's in the store lots around us - and I concur with those who say I would never stop there in my pup even if it were allowed.  I don't even like going there - period.  It is a brilliant marketing move for WalMart to allow RVs to "camp" there.

[Calstate361]

We have stopped at Flying-J's coming back from South Dakota for overnighters in our Hybred when we had it.  Not too bad on the noise with the trucks parked close.  Truckers are nice people.  Also, did you know that if you fill up at a Flying-J or most truck stops you can take a free shower?  They are usually very nice and clean.

Joan