By Gail Marsh
A few summers ago, my husband and I were traveling in our RV, aiming to reach our reserved campground well before nightfall. However, a terrible accident brought Interstate traffic to a standstill. We wondered where we’d ever find sanctuary for the night.
Searching everywhere
With the Interstate closed, we scoured the internet for nearby campgrounds, local parks, Walmart, and any other potential place that came to mind. Then divine inspiration hit! We discovered a nearby Lutheran church.
Praying for a place to stay
We contacted the church office and reached the pastor just as he was leaving for the day. After explaining our predicament, he graciously invited us to spend the night in the church’s parking lot.
Thankfully relieved for this provision, we carefully exited the highway. We then navigated our RV to the back of the church lot. It was a lovely spot where trees provided shade, and a gentle breeze cooled our frayed nerves. This experience opened our eyes to the possibility of utilizing church parking lots for overnight RV stays.
I don’t recommend asking permission to park your RV at the very last minute like we did—unless you find yourself in a similar situation. (Our 40+ years of teaching in Lutheran schools may have helped our last-minute request.)
Understanding church parking lot etiquette
- Seek permission: Always contact the church beforehand to request permission. Churches are private properties, and policies regarding overnight parking vary. A courteous request can go a long way.
- Be discreet: Park in a manner that doesn’t obstruct daily or evening church activities. Avoid setting up extensive camp setups; keep a low profile to respect the sanctity of the place.
- Limit your stay: It’s advisable to stay only for one night unless explicitly permitted otherwise. Arriving late and departing early can minimize any inconvenience to the church community.
- Express gratitude: While many churches don’t expect donations, offering one as a token of appreciation is a kind gesture. Additionally, attending a service or participating in church activities can foster goodwill. (The next day, we were able to join the worship service. We happily donated to the church’s building fund.)
Benefits of overnighting at churches
- Safety: Church parking lots are often in safe, quiet neighborhoods, providing a peaceful night’s rest.
- Community engagement: Staying at a church offers an opportunity to connect with local communities and share in their fellowship.
- Availability: With numerous churches across the country, they can be convenient options when traditional campgrounds are unavailable.
Did you know?
Harvest Hosts recently added churches to their roster of places RVers can stay. If you’re a member of Harvest Hosts, you’ll want to check this out. Follow all of the recommended guidelines mentioned.
Final thoughts
Our unexpected stay at the church parking lot turned a very stressful situation into a memorable experience of hospitality and community.
Have you ever stayed in your RV overnight in a church parking lot? Tell us about it in the comments, if you wish.
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RVDT2832
We have stayed in church parking lots and even side yards many times. We are part of the Methodist NOMADS organization and the mission work we do often has us parking at churches or church camps. They have electric and water and a place to dump whether it’s a direct hook up or even a sewer clean out. Admittedly not all churches have these arrangements but some do. Regardless, I agree churches are a great option.
Good for you, Mike! I’d love to see rvtravel do an article on the NOMADS
We have not stayed in a church parking lot but we did stay in a community college parking lot once. We were evacuated from a Malibu campground because of a huge fire heading our way. We headed north to Ventura. I called the Ventura Community College police department and explained the situation and promised we would leave by 7 a.m. the next morning as to not interrupt the students arriving for classes. They graciously allowed us to stay the night. It is important to call ahead to ask for permission.
The same thing happened to us during our early years of RVing. We detoured off the blocked interstate and stopped on the side of a local road to check the map (no GPS in those days). After a few minutes a car pulled onto the side in front of us and stopped. The driver walked up to us and asked if we needed help. I replied that we were heading to (wherever we were going) but had to leave the interstate due to a major wreck and we were trying to figure out how to get there from here. He told us it would be a long drive on surface roads and was getting late. Turned out he was a local pastor and offered to let us stay in the church parking lot for the night. We also made a donation.
My parents occasionally stayed in church lots for an overnight. As stated, they asked permission, attended services Sunday morning, or that Saturday evening, and donated. I think they only did it for normal weekend services while enroute somewhere and in small towns. They were boondockers, so their stays at churches here and there really filled the bill.
My Boy Scout troop stayed at either military bases or churches when traveling to out of state summer camps. My niece is a Methodist minister and kindly allowed us to camp in her church parking lot for a couple of nights.