Jump to content

Walmart


kathyg

Recommended Posts

I don't consider $2.99 a costly app when is can save 30 to 45 dollars a night, every night, on campground fees for a quick overnighter.

 

The following covers other options: http://community.fmca.com/blog/39/entry-1033-theres-an-app-for-that/

Jan and Rocky Larson, Volunteers, USFWS , 9,300 hours each. 29 refuges since 2006. 2 new each year.
2004 Allegro 30DA, Workhorse 8.1, Banks, 2012 Jeep Liberty, Blue Ox Aladdin, 300 watts solar, 5 Optima group 31 AGM's, 2000w PSW inverter

Philippians 4:11-13 KJV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't there a guide out there for Walmarts that may allow parking? I came across a websites Allstays but you have to join that for a rather costly fee. I know I can just google Walmarts.

 

Kathyg

Bill Halberstadt's website http://halberstadt.macmate.me/Walmart/Walmarts.html has the best and I believe the most accurate info. However there is no fail safe site that lists exactly which Walmarts allow and don't allow o/n parking. The o/n parking may change overnight and the is no way to know for sure w/o calling the Walmart on the day you are going to arrive. That is what I do as we travel, when we stop for a break in the morning I call ahead to the Walmart's in our route to check on their o/n parking status.

 

Also we have the best luck and usually the quietest parking lots by staying as smaller towns. Some of the Walmarts in large cities don't own the parking lots. The lots are owned by the development owners and Walmart has to abide by their rules. Also large cities frequently have very busy and crowed parking lots.

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've used Allstays and Bill Halberstadt's website but the one we find most useful for our purposes is http://www.overnightrvparking.com/index.php . I really like the user interface and it lists a wide range of overnight parking spots that are either free over very inexpensive. Besides the many Walmarts there are many other stores, city parks, public parking lots, rest stops, etc. The site is operated by Jim O'Briant who does an excellent job of making sure that the information is accurate. Users contribute updates, revisions, and new locations to earn free weeks of subscription. Each site is quite extensively described as to its suitability, safety, noise level, levelness of the parking, lighting, GPS coordinates, driving directions, etc. If you use it frequently and contribute updates you'll more than earn a free subscription. I highly recommend it if you travel a lot and like to find free places to overnight along the way.

Ron Engelsman

http://www.mytripjournal.com/our_odyssey

Full-Timing since mid 2007

23' Komfort TT

2004 Chevy Avalanche 4x4 8.1L

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kathyg, you didn't state whether you have a smartphone or not, but this is the most accurate and up-to-date way to determine if a Walmart allows overnighting - and it's FREE ...

 

Download the Walmart app here and use the Find a Store feature. It'll bring up a map with the Walmart location nearest to you, or you can scroll along the highway you're currently traveling to find one you want to stop at for the night. Click on the location and it'll bring up the address and phone number. Click on the phone number and speak with a cheerful and helpful employee at that location who will give you the latest and greatest about parking availability at that location.

 

I've had too many bum steers from websites that aren't kept up to date. I'd rather make a 30 second phone call and be certain I won't be run off by security after I'm all settled in for the night.

New Domain!! Blogging at workingtourists.com

 

Fulltime FreightKampers since 2010

2006 Freightliner M2 Business Class

96" ICT Sleeper - Living Fulltime Comfortably in 64 sf !

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Click on the phone number and speak with a cheerful and helpful employee at that location who will give you the latest and greatest about parking availability at that location.

I have found calling the store to be much more pleasant than going in and looking for the right person. I often use my mapping app to find the nearest Walmart then call to ask them where they prefer I park. I've been known to call right from their parking lot. :)

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the wal mart where I am doesn't allow parking but the funny thing is that I see people parking there all the time and there's no signs up saying no parking and there's security cameras all over and security guards and they never bother anyone!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Home Depot and Lowes are also good places for an overnight. And much less traffic than Walmart.

An added benefit is most of them have a WIFI hot spot for you to use.

I usually find something I need when stopping there for the night.

Doug

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

It is against the law in Nova Scotia....go figure...

Unless something has changed, it is against the law for a business like Walmart to "give permission" to park overnight. However there is no law preventing someone to park overnight at a Walmart or Canadian Tire Store.

 

It has been a few years (2008) but we spent a couple of nights at Walmarts w/o problem.

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the wal mart where I am doesn't allow parking but the funny thing is that I see people parking there all the time and there's no signs up saying no parking and there's security cameras all over and security guards and they never bother anyone!!

 

That's not all that unusual. There may be a local ordinance prohibiting such use, but enforcement is by property owner complaint only. If the store does not call in a complaint, there's no enforcement.

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I appologize. The act doesn't have Wal-mart's name in the legislation however, we Niova Scotian's refer to it as the "Wal-mart Law".

 

It was enacted because Rv'ers were staying at the large parking lots free vs. going into the campgrounds and paying.

 

This article was written in '07 but to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't been repealed.

 

http://www.rvtravel.com/blog/canada/2007/12/nova-scotia-may-lift-ban-of-wal-mart-rv.html

 

I understand that there is one state in the lower 48 that has the same type of legislation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

That's not all that unusual. There may be a local ordinance prohibiting such use, but enforcement is by property owner complaint only. If the store does not call in a complaint, there's no enforcement.

Not local, Provincial.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I appologize. The act doesn't have Wal-mart's name in the legislation however, we Niova Scotian's refer to it as the "Wal-mart Law".

 

It was enacted because Rv'ers were staying at the large parking lots free vs. going into the campgrounds and paying.

 

This article was written in '07 but to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't been repealed.

 

http://www.rvtravel.com/blog/canada/2007/12/nova-scotia-may-lift-ban-of-wal-mart-rv.html

 

I understand that there is one state in the lower 48 that has the same type of legislation.

This was discussed in forms (I don't know if it was discussed in this forum), in the 2007/2008 time frame and the conclusion was businesses could not give "permission" to anyone to park overnight w/o getting a license to operate a campground. Everything I read at the time was that there was nothing in the law specifically prohibiting anyone from parking their RV overnight in a store's parking lot. Nor is there any penalty for the person parking, or any requirement for law enforcement to make them move.

 

I am not sure where we could get a copy of the actual law in question to settle the question.

 

The link given in the quote above is a very brief entry from an RV writer's blog, quoting a newspaper article. Not exactly an official source of information, any more than the statements I am making.

 

Like I said earlier, we spent a few nights in Walmarts in the summer of 2008 without any issue.

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if it is still available but for years Walmart sold a Rand McNally Walmart edition atlas that listed and gave directions to all the Walmart's in the country and also indicated if overnight RV parking was allowed or not .

Clay(WA5NMR), Lee(Wife), Katie & Kelli (cats)
Full timed for eleven years in our 2004 Winnebago Sightseer 35N Workhorse chassis. Snowbirds for 1 year. Now settled down in western CO.
Honda Accord toad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if it is still available but for years Walmart sold a Rand McNally Walmart edition atlas that listed and gave directions to all the Walmart's in the country and also indicated if overnight RV parking was allowed or not .

I have bought them for years and still own one, but I don't recall it saying when camping is prohibited in that directory. Looking at our present copy I didn't see any indication at all of camping allowed or not. It isn't a camping directory, just a store directory.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...