1st Walmart Overnite

[Wendy]

Onaquest, We are also vendors for a variety of companies at the box stores including HD, Lowes, WM, Best Buy, grocery stores and others. We are periodically sent emails reminding us that we are NOT to take prime parking spaces but are to park in the employee areas or in the 'back 40.' Personally, I prefer parking at the back of the lot and getting some exercise.

Didn't know about the corporate policy for HD and Lowe's re RV parking. We have spent more than one night at HD and actually prefer it to WalMart....quieter. Those in our area aren't in any shopping center so I guess their rules apply but no one has ever chased us away.

[aka Porky]

Wendy, I must admit, I've never seen it in writing either.  Being an RV'er myself, I've asked store managers from each chain and received the same answer,  "not my call, it's company policy".

I even visited the Lowe's in Anchorage, in need of a parking place, and asked the on-duty mgr.  I even (shame on me) left the impression that I was a direct Lowe's employee, and got the same answer.  No can do....

BTW - the WM in Anchorage (actually the Shopping Center) has a roving security guard informing RVs to move on if they appear ready to squat.  He sends them to Fred Meyers.  I went across the street to Sam's Club and joined the other 36 RVs there.

[PA]

We are on a 7 month holiday from Australia traveling in an RV around the US and Canada.  We've been here 3 months already and have camped in RV parks for 6 nights total.  The rest of time has  been Wal Marts or roadside parks.  We haven't had any problems with Wal Marts or road side parks for that matter.  A couple of times they've had signs posted saying no RV parking so we've gone in and asked.  In one case they said don't worry about the sign, you're welcome to stay and the other manager said the council put the sign up, they didn't want it but that we could park across the road in the Staples car park, which we did.  We always make a point of shopping in the Wal Marts rather than anywhere else because we can stay there and we always pick an out of the way spot away from everything.  We would certainly recommend them.

[gypsymom]

Betty,

Yes, Walmarts can be expensive BUT usually the stuff you buy is needed. You would spend the money elsewhere if you weren't parked at Walmart. Pat likes the Supercenters because she can buy food which we always need.

Hi, I am new here and am still in the planning stage.  I just found this post odd as I have never heard anyone accuse Walmart of being expensive.  But, I'm from Kansas and here in Kansas Walmart is the cheap place to shop - most snub their nose to it as they would never be seen shopping at Walmart.  So I was wondering - is Walmart not the same everywhere?

Being from Kansas and barely being outside of Kansas I am sure I am going to have my eyes open to many new things.  My first destination trip is going to be to Manhattan.  I am excited about this and scared all at the same time as I will be traveling alone with children.  I do have a tazor and have used it before.  I have seen other post in other forums and have never seen anyone say they didn't feel safe in the Walmart parking lots. 

Anyway... enough rambling... how about the cost variance in different Walmart locations? 

[rsalhus]

No, WalMart's aren't expensive anywhere that I know of.  What he meant is that one tends to spend a lot of money at a WalMart when you shop there, and probably even more than you would if you weren't parked there for an overnight.  "It can get expensive" means that you can spend a lot of money there, not that things cost more there than anywhere else.

[Alaskansnowbirds]

As Rolf said. He was talking about the expense of staying at a campground vs staying at Walmart. You would spend $20 to $30 to stay in a campground. By staying at Walmart it usually cost us a lot more. My better half can't seem to get out of Walmart for less than $50.     

[Ron]

As Rolf said. He was talking about the expense of staying at a campground vs staying at Walmart. You would spend $20 to $30 to stay in a campground. By staying at Walmart it usually cost us a lot more. My better half can't seem to get out of Walmart for less than $50.     

Oh my ONLY $50 we never get out  spending only $50.  Let me know your secret Don.

[PancakeBill]

Kansas to Manhatten?  Dang.  Talk about culture shock.  There is a CG in NJ on the shore you can see Manhatten from.  Stay there, take alternate trans into the city. 

I have very little experience with Manhatten, That was about the extent of my knowledge.  Been there, didn't like te t-shirt. 

I don't remember the name of the CG, but you should be able to find it in one of the directories. 

***************

Walmart overnights.  I would do them while travling, our only experience to date was back in RI.  CG we wanted to go to was full, but would be available the next morning.  We stayed in their overflow till about 9PM, moved to Walmart and went back at 6AM for our line spot.  However, that overnite was trying.  There were some kids there about 1AM playing car alarm soccer.  Kick a goal, hit the car set off the arlarm.  reset, replay.  Couple hundred feet from us, but dang!

[gypsymom]

Ok, that all makes perfect sense to me as I am a big Walmart shopper as well.  However I will be on a budget if I am to accomplish my goals so I think I can refrain from purchasing more than I need - I hope.

And yes, I am sure it will be a huge cultural shock as this is what I am seeking.  I am bored!!!  I think my main goal is to experience as much as possible and find something that will interest my son enough for him to "want" to learn more.  For myself also.  I have reached a point where I feel dead inside and this can't be good.

Anyway... that was probably TMI so I'll just say thanks so much for the clarification.

I had read quite a bit in this forum and was planning to check out transportation by train.  I would camp outside of Manhattan far enough to take an awesome train ride but close enough to ride back the same day - assuming I can see all I want to in one day.  Still have a lot more planning to do so there is no surprises - at least not costly ones.

[geodrake]

I have never seen anything posted about overnighting in a Sam's Club lot.  Does anyone have knowledge about that?  Costco?

[ArdraF]

GypsyMom,

When you get to NYC, if you can possibly fit it into your budget I highly recommend a day-long Gray Line city tour.  It will give you a wonderful overview of the city, some of its history that you've long since forgotten, and it's a relatively safe way for you to explore a large city alone but with children in tow.  We stayed at an RV park on the New Jersey side and the tour bus picked us up there and returned us there at the end of the day.  One of the things we liked best is that we were shown, for example, where famous people currently lived.  These are things we never would have known about had we just driven or walked by on our own.  That was many years ago and we felt a city tour was such a good thing that we've since made it a habit when visiting a new city.  You learn so much more than you would on your own.

ArdraF

[RV Roamer]

Sam's, which is a Walmart company, has the same policy as Walmart. We've stayed in a few Sam's Clubs lots here and there.

Costco is another matter - largely decided locally, from what I hear.

[KodiakRV]

Sam's, which is a Walmart company, has the same policy as Walmart. We've stayed in a few Sam's Clubs lots here and there...

We haven't done either yet, but I would be more comfortable staying at a Walmart that was open all night than at Sam's Clubs which are not.

[Tom]

I would be more comfortable staying at a Walmart that was open all night than at Sam's Clubs which are not.

Just curious .... occasionally, I've found a Wal*Mart adjacent to a Sam's Club, and they shared the same parking lot. Would you feel safer on the WM end of the lot than on the Sam's end?

[Jim Dick]

Just curious .... occasionally, I've found a Wal*Mart adjacent to a Sam's Club, and they shared the same parking lot. Would you feel safer on the WM end of the lot than on the Sam's end?

Tom,

I think the key, for us, is we feel better with a 24 hour WalMart than one that closes early. Most have a security car that roams the lot all night long.  We recently stayed at one outside Savannah with Gary & Nancy and felt quite comfortable. Several other rigs were there as well.

[Wendy]

We've stayed at several Sam's Club parking lots. They tend to get a lot of deliveries late at night and early in the morning so we never felt like we were isolated or alone. Of course, it also wasn't quiet but we didn't expect it to be. I've never felt unsafe in either Sam's or Wal-Mart parking lots.

Wendy

[Tom]

Understood Jim. I was just curious about a situation where a WM was open 24 hours while the adjacent Sam's closed at night. Brought a smile to my face, and reminded me of the sleazy campground we stayed at which was the other side of a fence from a Wal*Mart parking lot. Story and photo here. The fence even had a walk-through hole in it. Was I safer one side of the fence than the other?

[aka Porky]

Tom, the very situation you described exists in South Charleston, wv.  The Sam's Club, a Sporting Goods store and a 24 hour WM share one big parking lot.  I've stopped there twice in the past three years.  Maybe it's because the sporting goods store is in the middle, and closed along with the SC, but all overnight trucks and RVs parked only in the WM third of the lot.  I did the same just so I wouldn't stand out.

[Jeff]

Tom:

There are just us Wal-marters and the rest of you.

[WilleyB]

They tend to get a lot of deliveries late at night and early in the morning so we never felt like we were isolated or alone.

Yes we find it to be the same. The WM's in Canada (the ones we know of) close at 10:30pm. As Wendy says there is staff there all night, restocking shelves I presume. The lots are still well lighted (50% lights on all night). The stores I know of are (stand alone) with their own parking lots. If there were any re supply trucks they didn't disturb us as delivery's are usually at the back or the side areas of the stores. There are WM stores that are inclusive in shopping malls and share the parking lots with the other business, but most of the stores are new and on their own in buisness parks like this.

 

[Jim Dick]

Tom,

Interesting thought. Who would be more safe?? Hard to say but you made it so I guess it was alright. I felt more uncomfortable in a Vicksburg, MS campground than I ever did in a WalMart parking lot.

[Tom]

Jim.

You know this is self-deprecating humor on my part. I catch a lot of brown stuff and ridicule from folks because of my lack of desire to stay at WM, and my distain for folks who roll out the slideouts, fake grass, chairs and BBQ in a WM parking lot, then try to convince me they're only staying for a few hours sleep on a cross-country trip.

[RV Roamer]

The whole Walmart camping business has taken on a life of its own, a cult-like thing.  Oddly, it encompasses those who passionately disapprove as well as those who love them, and all sorts between the extremes. RVers have even invented a code of conduct for Walmart camping overnighting, something that Walmart itself does not seem to think necessary.  I wish I could sit in on a discussion among Walmart execs and hear what they really think, if they indeed spend any time thinking/talking about it at all.

For myself, we will continue to use Walmarts (& Sams & Cabela's and ...) occasionally, which typically amounts to 6-8 nights a year for us. We arrive at our usual stopping time, about 4 pm) and depart in mid-morning. We look for an area of the lot where we won't interfere with regular shoppers, put the slides out if there is enough room and put the jacks down if necessary to get reasonably level. We've even been known to stay a couple nights in one spot. We suffer neither guilt nor angst but we do try to be good guests during our brief stay there,  minimizing the inconvenience to our host.  Just like we would if staying in a friend's driveway or yard.

It's not a credo - just what works for us. Others will have different perspectives and that's OK by me.

[Tom]

I see truckers parked overnight in WM lots, and they're not necessarily WM trucks. I'm never sure if they're making WM deliveries, or needed somewhere to park/sleep, or both. I'm also never sure if the drivers spend the night in the sleeper, or if they walk to a nearby motel. Any truckers or ex-truckers here who might care to share their WM/overnight perspective?

[RV Roamer]

We often see truckers parked in Walmarts (etc) when we overnight there. In most cases they stay in their trucks, as far as I can see. I have, however, seen a few where somebody picked them up in a car and off they went for an undetermined time - I assume they are not allowed to park a truck at their home and so leave the rig at a nearby Wally World.

We have even seen trucks  transfer cargo or change drivers in parking lots. Also saw a tour band onload their bus with instruments and people from several smaller vehicles late at night - presumably after a concert somewhere that had no bus parking. It said Loretta Lynn on the side of the bus.

[Tom]

Aye Gary, the entertainers have to stop and sleep somewhere. When one of the kids got married approx 20 years ago, Chris hired a pro DJ. The guy turned up early that day with a large van, and was leaving the following day for a gig in Vegas. He proceeded to unload his equipment and get set up for the evening wedding. I offered the guy a room at our house, but he said "I usually sleep in the back of the van". Didn't think of asking where he was planning to park the van. The local WM store hadn't yet opened, the scenic park across the street didn't allow overnight parking, and I doubt the winery where the wedding was held would have allowed him to stay overnight

[WilleyB]

Tom>
my distain for folks who roll out the slideouts, fake grass, chairs and BBQ in a WM parking lot, then try to convince me they're only staying for a few hours sleep on a cross-country trip.

As a person who uses parking lots exclusively while traveling, I couldn't agree more with that statement. While they may only over night, they do give the impression of setting up camp. We don't have slides nor would I want any (my preference). However I have seen big rigs with the slides out that in my opinion looked acceptable. In those cases the RV was parked parallel on a far perimeter of the lot with the slides extended only over the grassy area. Only one time that I saw a couple with chairs out (at our local WM) and it actually looked ridiculous. Enough incentive to ensure I'll never do the same.

Gary>
The whole Walmart camping business has taken on a life of its own, a cult-like thing.  Oddly, it encompasses those who passionately disapprove as well as those who love them, and all sorts between the extremes.

"Cult-like thing" yep right on the money. look at the number of web sites, forums dedicated to free Over night parking and dump sites, (pay and free types). I suppose what it all boils down to is the reasons that each of us has an RV.and the purpose it is used for. I've no doubt between the three of us there are three different reasons why we have and use our RV's,  no doubt I'm at the far end of one of those extremes. Due to DW's MS, the "motor home" is the one and only way we can travel away from our home. Could we afford it? not really but we get by OK.  The only thing useful a CG can supply for us is "elect, water and sewer" required maybe every 5 days. However fresh water and a dump stn. I have no problem finding on the traveled route. We travel to visit friends and relatives. When we get there we stay on their property during the visit. Next year it will be a toss up in a couple of cities we'll visit.  In one city in SK. although parking on the street is allowed, we will use the close by WM lot each night after the store closes and be gone before opening time each day probably 3 days. That's only one type and I'm sure there are many more types between us and the dyed in the wool camp ground follower 

Cheers
Willis

[Jim Dick]

Jim.

You know this is self-deprecating humor on my part. I catch a lot of brown stuff and ridicule from folks because of my lack of desire to stay at WM, and my distain for folks who roll out the slideouts, fake grass, chairs and BBQ in a WM parking lot, then try to convince me they're only staying for a few hours sleep on a cross-country trip.

Tom,

Sorry for the delay. Major problem with computer but it's getting back to normal.

Yes, I'm aware of the brown stuff you catch. There's nothing wrong with not wanting to use WalMarts. I agree with you on the folks that make it appear they are camping long term!

[Tom]

Glad to see you back online Jim.

[Ron]

Welcome back Jim.