It is often much better to find free overnight RV parking than to constantly overpay for campgrounds that cost a lot of money. If you are not planning to stay in that place for a longer period, finding a place to park your RV and rest for the night for free is the optimal choice. Many people choose to go for free overnight parking because they prefer to rest at a stop where there is no noise and too many people.
To safely park overnight and sleep in your RV for free you will have to make sure the ground allows RVs to stay overnight. For this, you will have to follow a few rules and act properly in these free campgrounds.
Park and move your camper anywhere with ease
How To Find Free Overnight RV Parking
There are many RV parks where you can get free overnight RV parking and rest before you hit the road again in the morning but making sure they allow RVers to park there is paramount. Some safe and popular options where you can rest for free are the following:
Truck Stops
Truck stops are one of the most common places where you can park your RV for the night and get some rest without having to pay. They are probably the cheapest option but the riskiest one because most truck stops have no supervision and letting someone know where you are before you go to bed is a smart decision.
Walmart Parking Lots
Walmart parking lots are usually available for RVers to park for 24 hours. While you are there you can use the time you have to renew your supplies and go back to the road fully equipped for what is waiting for you up ahead. The bonus here is that these parking lots have security cameras and you are much safer if you decide to camp there.
National Parks
You can also find free RV parking by looking up service roads in national parks that are on your way. You can use these roads to find a spot to park your RV and camp for the night. This is especially fun for those who love nature and want to spend their night in a quiet environment surrounded by national forests.
Big Box Stores
Walmart is not the only big box store that offers free overnight RV parking locations. You can find free camping grounds in many other big box stores like Cracker Barrel, Cabela’s, Denny’s, and IHOP. Not all of them allow free overnight RV parking but the store usually has this information on their site so make sure you check it before you plan your road trip.
BLM Land
You can also use the national forests and the Bureau of Land Management for your RV camping trip. These campsites are quite primitive and do not offer any amenities but if you are looking for some rest and a one-night stop they can be amazing.
Hitch without the hassle of cranking
Backcountry Camping
If you have a small RV or a smaller travel trailer, backcountry camping can be an amazing choice for an overnight stop at no cost. Going for this option will allow you to rest safely even though these campsites do not have dump stations and hookups. Before you decide to camp somewhere in the backcountry you will have to check if the place you chose requires a backcountry permit or not so you can be on the safe side.
Dry Camping
The final option that you can go for is dry camping. Dry camping is when you are in a campground where you can hook up your RV but you decide not to so you can save money. This way you completely rely on your own resources and generators. These campgrounds where you can stay without hookups are often much cheaper than those who have full hookup options.
Related: 5 Best Waterfront RV Park
Final Thoughts
Remember that planning is key so researching the places you want to stay at before you head over there is very important. Picking the wrong place for an overnight stay may get you in trouble or even ruin the entire positive experience you would otherwise get from RVing across the country. Once you do your research properly and you map out the places you are going to stay at you will be able to save a ton of money just by not paying for parking your RV when you want to rest for the night.
We hope that this article on how to find free overnight RV parking will cut the cost of your trip in half and allow you to be on the road for longer so you can enjoy more RV adventures with your entire family.
Cracker Barrel can be added to this list, but please PLEASE just park and pick the FK up after yourself.
The reason so many places are shutting down overnight parking is inconsiderate people who trash the place, don’t do some courtesy shopping (it’s expected), and act like they’re camping. Don’t pull your chairs out, BBQ, or whatever.
Just s l e e p.
That is literally all they are offering.
And if you see anyone abusing this, yell at them! Societal pressure is effective and will help make this available for you in the future.
Some air bnb properties will allow rv parking at discounted rates during unoccupied days, so they’ll still make some money
How true. Some just don’t care, do what they want and the heck with anyone else. What do they call them . . . Ah yes, “A hole”.
Where are the Free RV park in Kenosha Wisconsin
I parked my RV at the Walmart parking lot in Vineland NJ and the security woke me up in the morning and told me I wasn’t allowed to park my RV there in the property is that true.
Yes many places no longer alow pkg
I’m stuck in a no parking zone my rv won’t turn on and I try to jump it didn’t work would they still tow my rv or give me a ticket?
Up north they aren’t so friendly. South and west of va you will be fine. Very friendly and helpful.
Unfortunately not all Walmart’s or Sams clubs are on board with the overnight parking any longer. A lot has to do with city regulations.
WalMart no longer has 24 hour locations. COVID put a stop to all of that. Since 2020, your options for parking are a lot more limited, unfortunately.
No, it was not COVID that did that. It was your GOVERNMENT.
Not so much your government, but your/our people, citizens who don’t consider where they are, and try to be responsible. Setting up “camp”, leaving trash, having campfires in the parking lots…. these are some of the things irresponsible folks do when supposedly they are just overnight parking.
It makes it difficult, sometimes impossible, for the rest of us.
You are 100% right. I worked at a 24 hr Walmart in Orange County , ca the closest Walmart to Disneyland and they would leave the bathrooms trashed , try to steal stuff. Unfortunately most of the rv travelers were drug addicts. Breaking into employees cars. So ya you can blame government for protecting there citizens trying to live there life’s I guess.
Please don’t park at Truck Stops in the truck parking. Truck drivers already have a parking shortage.
They also are regulated on how many hours a day they can drive. If they go over their hours they will get fined and be in trouble with the DOT.
True!
The government, rather, put a stop to it
Not to be pessimistic however surely you must know that when they save the opting out option and say it is a store by store decision. You can almost be certain that it is more and advertising scheme to make the whole Corporation name seem benevolent and anytime it is store by store you were going to get turned down 98% of the time …at least I found that to be true. There is something I heard about you might want to research I forget the name of the outfit, however it’s private property owners that let you stay on their land and you can pitch in and help out a little but it is not mandatory they also offer little trinkets that they make them sell I guess like stuff you see on Etsy and it is supposed to be customary and in good etiquette to purchase something especially if you don’t want to do the help out deal. It sounds kind of cool I heard people make a lot of good friends and contacts. It sounds so opposite of Walmart and all these other even privately owned RV parks that charge so much money it is incredible especially when you think you are bringing your own house it is almost laughable they let you park your rig on the land and they charge you like some places even $350 a night so that’s why I suggest checking out this other thing I forget the name of it but it’s pretty cool take care good luck
Harvest Hosts for example… Wineries and similar proprietors. They have an app.
If RV parking is not allowed it generally will be posted. If you are not sure, call the store.
Brentwood, TN doesn’t allow RV overnight parking. They say it is because of a city ordinance.
Same with Spring Hill Tn
No over night parking anywhere!
Same thing happened to me in North Bay Area, CA…. maybe in the middle of the US Walmart is still option to park overnight…. but in the coasts it always that’s no longer the case.
Great article