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Wal-Mart stores that do not allow overnight RV parking
Most Wal-Mart stores — perhaps
nine out of ten — graciously allow RVers to stay the night in
their parking lots.
The following stores, the
readers of FreeCampgrounds.com report, do not allow
overnight parking. This may be the decision of the store's
management or, more often, because of a local ordinance that
prohibits such stays.
This list is best used in
combination with the Wal-Mart edition of the
Rand McNally Road Atlas, sold
at Wal-Mart stores for about $5. The atlas lists every
Wal-Mart store in America and Canada, plus its street address.
Some RVers carry the atlas with them and use it to plot
overnight stops. Using this list in combination with the atlas
will prevent drives to stores where overnight parking is not
permitted.
If you know of a Wal-Mart
(anywhere in the USA, not just the West) that bans overnight
stays that is not on this list, would you please
email us with the location. Or if you have stayed very
recently at a store that IS on
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Common sense rules about staying the night at
Walmart
No pop up trailers or tents.
Don't stay if "No overnight parking" signs are posted.
Obtain permission from a qualified person at the store
that it's okay to stay. However, if there are already many
RVs parked nearby each other in the parking lot, you can
probably assume overnight stays are allowed.
Park in an out-of-the-way corner of the parking lot. You
will often find other RVs already there.
Do not set up awnings or pull out your barbecue or lawn
chairs or do anything else outside your RV that suggests
you are "camping." In other words, "blend in!"
Do not use hydraulic levelers. You'll hurt the asphalt.
Make no noise. Don't use your generator unless you are
parked in a far corner of the lot with nobody around
including nearby residences.
Don't extend your RV's slideouts unless absolutely
necessary.
Limit your stay to one night. Never consider a Walmart a
campground, only a place to stay a night while on the way
to somewhere else or as a place to get some sleep when you
are so tired that it would be dangerous to keep driving.
Buy something from the store before leaving. Support the
RV accessories department.
Never litter. And pick up and dispose of any litter that
is already there.
Don't stay if your RV has a leak in a waste holding tank
or is dripping any oil or other automotive fluid.
Carry a pack of post cards with you. After you leave the
store after staying the night, send one to the manager
thanking him/her and noting that you purchased something
while there (if you, in fact, did).
Remember, the more people who abuse these rules, the more
stores will post "No overnight parking" signs.
Tell any RVer you observe violating these rules that you
do not appreciate his or her behavior. |
this list, please let us know.
Some may have changed their policies since we posted them here
and once again allow free overnight stays. In that case, we
would like to know. If you know the address of the store
you're writing about (or even just the name of the street or
its general geographical location within its city -- north,
south, etc.), please provide that information.
Please keep in mind that this
list is growing by the week. Many Wal-Marts that do not allow
overnight stays are not yet noted here. So check back often.
And keep in mind, too, that
many of these stores do not always enforce their "no
overparking" policy. We receive emails all the time from RVers
who have successfully stayed at many of the stores listed
here. We suspect that some of these stores only enforce their
"no stay" rule on occasion. So if you stay, you may end up
sleeping through the night with no interruptions. But you may,
in fact, end up getting a knock at the door at 3 p.m. telling
your to get out and "NOW!" So keep your pants handy and don't
drink too many nightcaps before turning in.
THIS LIST LAST
UPDATED MARCH 10, 2002
Wal-Marts
that do
not allow overnight stays in RVs
Alabama
Dothan (W.M. SuperCenter on US 231 South, about a mile
South Of Ross Clark)
Foley
Fort Payne (Signs posted)
Gadsden (No signs posted, but guard will tell you to
leave)
Jasper (Stopped allowing overnight stays because of
vandalism and liability concerns)
Arizona
Apache Junction
Bullhead City (camp for free in a casino parking lot
across river in Laughlin, Nev.)
Casa Grande (No parking anywhere in city limits except
in campgrounds)
Flagstaff (No overnight parking or Wal-Mart or any city
shopping center)
Kingman (RVer was kicked out at 3 a.m., escorted away
by city police)
Lake Havasu City (no parking anywhere in town but RV
parks.You
could get a severe fine if you stay at the Wal-Mart)
Mesa (6131 E. Southern)
Show Low
Sierra Vista
Tucson (Super Center at 7635 N La Cholla Blvd. --
Foothills Mall Location)
Tucson (7100 E. Speedway at Kolb Rd)
Yuma
Arkansas
Arkadelphia (Overnighting okay, but watch for height
barriers to prevent big rig truck entry)
Hot Springs
California
Arroyo Grande
Cathedral City (City ordinace bans stays, but RVers have
been seen staying anyway.)
Crescent City
El Cajon (store on Los Coches Road. Signs posted and
enforced)
Huntington Beach (new store, Dec. 2001. No parking due to
city ordinance)
La Quinta (police may show up at 3 a.m. to kick you
out)
Livermore (We have conflicting reports on this store.
RVers have been observed staying.)
Oceanside (the store at Jefferson Street Exit)
Pleasanton (city ordinance)
Rohnert Park
Salinas
San Dimas (off I-210 freeway)
San Leandro (on the Davis Street Exit from I-880)
Vallejo (ask the greeter about staying in an old truck
parking lot a few blocks away)
Union City (some RVers have stayed. What is your
experience here?)
Valencia (try the Camping World 100 yards away. RVers
stay there)
Vista (University Dr. store. Security guard will bang
on your door at night to kick you out)
Windsor
Colorado
Frisco (city ordinance)
Connecticut
Avon (try the store in Torrington, 10 miles away)
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Florida
Daytona Beach (1101 Beville Rd.)
Destin (but RVers have been staying there. anyway)
Florida City (the city owns a campground, doesn't want
competition)
Ft. Myers (store just south of airport on 41S has no
parking signs
Haines City
Homestead (RVers have been kicked out)
Kissimmee (4444 W. Vine. City ordinance)
Live Oak (U.S. Hwy. 129 at I-10)
Merritt Island (on State Road 520)
Naples (there are two stores here. We're not sure if
just one or both bans stays)
New Smyrna Beach (just off I-95)
Oldsmar (see Tampa)
Ormond Beach (1521 W. Granada)
Port Charlotte (RVs have been staying anyway)
Port Orange (just off I-95)
Punta Gorda (3811 Tamiami Trail)
Sebring (On U.S. Hwy. 27 between Sebring and Avon Park)
St. Augustine (2355 U.S. Hwy. 1 South)
Stark
Tampa: 3 stores:
Store along I-275 at exits 23A & B at 1505 N. Dale Mabry Hwy
Store at 7011 Waters Ave West
Oldsmar store at 3801 Tampa Road
Titusville (city ordinance. However, we have been told
(Jan., 2002) that the store allows overnight stays if an RVer
asks first)
Venice
FREE CAMPING DISCUSSION GROUPS:
Exchange messages with other RVers interested in free and
budget camping
Free Campgrounds of the West
Free Campgrounds of the East
Georgia
Cartersville
Commerce (No overnight parking signs were on order in mid
Oct. 2001))
Dahlonega
Perry
Illinois
Elmhurst (no signs posted, but an RVer who asked to say
was told he couldn't)
Iowa
Decorah (city ordinance)
Kentucky
Berea (the parking lot is too small, the management
claims)
Louisianna
Bunkie (Signs posted.)
Maine
Bangor (signs posted)
Ellsworth (but RVers have been staying there despite no
parking signs)
Maryland
Westminster
Massachusetts
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Finally! A Campground Directory for Big Rig Motor
Coaches and Fifth Wheel trailers!
More info:
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Plymouth (City ordinance)
Michigan
Auburn Hills
Traverse City
Minnesota
Bloomington (and don't try the Mall of America parking
lot. You'll get
the boot)
Missouri
Branson
Chillicothe (signs posted)
St. Louis area (if you stay, you will likely get booted
out by midnight)
Town and Country - Manchester Rd (Mo. Hwy 100)
Kirkwood - Lindbergh Blvd and I-44
Eureka - I-44 at Six Flags St. Louis
Montana
Missoula (RVers have been observed staying anyway)
Nevada
Carson City (security guard knocked on door 5 minutes
after arrival to tell RVer he couldn't stay. The Carson City
Nugget casino welcomes RVers in designated overnight parking
lot. Stay there.)
Elko (signs posted)
Henderson (No overnight stays in RVs permitted anywhere in
town but in a RV park)
Las Vegas (we do not believe any of the Las Vegas
stores allow overnight stays)
Reno (Northtowne Lane store.Try the Peppermill casino
or the Nugget casino in nearby Sparks)
FREE CAMPING DISCUSSION GROUPS:
Exchange messages with other RVers interested in free and
budget camping
Free Campgrounds of the West
Free Campgrounds of the East
New Hampshire
Tilton ("No parking signs" apply to trucks. Ask manager
if you wish to stay in an RV. Probably ok)
New York
Greece
Plattsburg
North Carolina
High Point
Ohio
Mentor (signs inside store say "No overnight parking")
Oklahoma
Ada
Shawnee (Part of a larger Mall. No signs, but an RVer was
kicked out recently at midnight)
Oregon
Coos Bay/North Bend (try the casino north of Coos Bay.
See our Oregon listings)
Hood River
La Grande
Newport
Roseburg (city ordinance signs posted)
Woodburn
Pennsylvania
Ephrata (No parking signs posted, but ask manager and
it may be okay)
South Carolina
Myrtle Beach (try the Big K just a few blocks away)
Surfside (south of Myrtle Beach). Signed posted
Tennessee
Chattanooga (5764 Highway 153 location)
Chattanooga (2020 Gunbarrel Road)
Texas
Galveston (police will kick you out if you try to stay
— city ordinance)
Orange
Sulphur Springs (exit 124 S on Rt 30. Parking may be
allowed but watch out for low entrance to parking lot -- could
cause damage to your rig)
Victoria (but RVers have stayed with no problem)
Utah
Vernal (City ordinance. Signs posted)
Washington (city ordinance. Signs posted)
Vermont
Rutland (Signs say "3 hour parking" limit)
Virginia
Charlottesville (store on Hwy 29. Tow away signs are
posted)
Leesburg (city ordinance)
Mechanicsville (store at 7430 Bell Creek Rd. "No
Overnight Parking" signs are everywhere)
Washington
Kennewick (RVers have been observed staying anyway)
West Virginia
Morgantown
Wyoming
Cheyenne (but RVers have been staying anyway. Police
may knock to kick you out)
Rock Springs (but a Flying J Truck Stop along I-80 just
east of town allows free stays)
FREE CAMPING DISCUSSION GROUPS:
Exchange messages with other RVers interested in free and
budget camping
Free Campgrounds of the West
Free Campgrounds of the East
Help us identify other Wal-Marts that do not
permit overnight RV parking.
Email us, with the city where the store is located and its
address (or general location within the town).
Wal-Marts that were once on this list that we now believe
allow overnight stays. Please let us know if you learn
otherwise:
Cody, Wyoming
Roseburg, Oregon
Rapid City, South Dakota
Support Wal-Mart by shopping at its stores.
Find a store with "Store Finder"
CLICK ABOVE
Experienced rude or especially nice treatment at Walmart?
Tell the company. Write to:
Don Harris
Walmart
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716
Call: 501-273-4000
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