Cracker Barrels can be an RVer’s best friend for the free overnight parking and the cheesy hashbrowns. What’s not to love? There are currently 687 Cracker Barrel stores across the United States. Many of them, though not all, allow RVers to park overnight in their parking lots for free (but if you do, try and purchase at least one meal or something from their store).
Have you ever spent the night in a Cracker Barrel parking lot in your RV? Have you stayed multiple times, or just once or twice?
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Cracker Barrel is a great option for a free overnight stay in the middle of a trip. I always call ahead and get permission from the manager, and then be sure to eat a meal inside. TIP: Cracker Barrels have lots of billboards on the highways. If you look in the lower right corner, and see a small drawing of a bus, then that Cracker Barrel has bus/RV parking.
Thanks. I never noticed the small drawing of a bus but now we shall begin looking for it. I always plan out our overnight stops and use Google Earth to see the satellite image of their parking lots. Many CBs do not have any RV parking. Like others have said most that do have RV parking it is not always big enough for bigger rigs especially with a towed.
I only remember seeing one on our travels and it was to early in the day to want to stop overnight. Food was ok. This was many years ago and I haven’t seen one since, must not be common where we like to travel.
Do an internet search.
Cracker Barrels are very welcoming to RVers. However, we have a 40 ft. motorhome towing a car, and do not fit in the usual CB RV spots. If the parking lot is large, we have parked in the most remote part covering many slots with CB’s permission. We feel guilty taking up other potential customers’ spots. Sometimes there’s a neighboring large lot where you can park with permission, but not often. If CB RV spots were larger, we’d use them often.
I would say when going from point A to point B on a trip, about 50% of the time I’m cracker docking. They are almost ALWAYS in a clean, safe part of town, I know I’m not alone at night (as there are usually a few other RVers around) and I’ll be on the road with a good breakfast and some hot coffee. Thank you, cracker barrel, for providing a place to stop and sleep.
I have seen very few that will accommodate a long trailer and tow vehicle. Most are only about 40 feet long. My truck and trailer is about 50 feet. That and the fact that some I’ve seen needs you to pull out through the car parking area.
We attempted to stay at a Cracker Barrel one time however the spaces they have designated were large enough for a small Class C or Class B RV, NOT a 42 foot diesel pusher towing a car. It was also difficult to maneuver around their parking lot with our coach and car. NEVER AGAIN!!!!
Sorry that it didn’t work for youDr4Film. We have overnighted 3 times in a 43′ DP towing (overall length 63′). Granted, in only one of those instances did we fit one of the RV spaces. The other two times we parked across several spaces in the distant part of their parking lot. We called ahead to get permission, arrived around 7 or 8 in the evening, left by 9 AM, and partook of at least one meal from our hosting Cracker Barrel. Good luck finding suitable places to overnight and safe travels! 🙂
The list of cities and municipalities banning overnight camping in parking lots is growing and growing and for a reason. Too many folks in RV’s spreading out and “full timing” in places not designated for overnight occupancy. Heck, even rest stops are starting to prohibit overnight stays because of people making it a lifestyle and not the exception.
Call it what it is. Overnighting at CB or Walmart is mooch camping.
It’s the cheap being cheap trying to convince others that buying a scented candle in exchange for making the parking lot look like encampments is what will keep those businesses open. It won’t. It just broadens the disdain and ordinances against all of us RV’ers.
Vince,
Privileges are taken away when abused. And the few always ruin it for the many.
I’m not against travelling on the cheap (I am a frugal senior), but I don’t endorse abusing these privileges (staying more than 1 night, setting up camp, fluid discharge, garbage disposal, etc…).
If responsible RVers wish to retain these privileges, we need to police ourselves by reporting violators to local law enforcement (business owners shouldn’t have to deal with it). Usually, something as simple as a registration/insurance check will resolve the problem.
Sven, I agree. Sadly, the few ruin it for the many but unfortunately, the repercussions for policing nets even greater expansion of ordinances.
The folks that choose a parking lot as a last resort will be “unburdened” of that option by the those that think parking lots are their personal entitlement.
It’s gotten so bad that more and more Walmarts are rescinding their consideration to those in a pinch because of those that like to pinch.
Safe travels!
Have dry camped at Walmart, Home Depot, Flying J (only ones with a Denny’sl), other truck stops, shopping centers, churches, city parks, casinos, museums, etc., but never at Cracker Barrel. Generally not for more than a single overnight stop on the way to someplace else, but we have occasionally had to stop early because of strong afternoon winds.
A few years ago while traveling from Wisconsin to Florida in our RV, we stopped at the CB in Columbia, TN for breakfast. It was mid-morning and the restaurant was slow. We had driven through the night and were exhausted. Our waitress suggested we take advantage of their RV parking area, and get a few hours of rest. It was behind the store, and we were the only ones there. It was very quiet and peaceful. Although we did not stay the night, we did sleep, so I guess that counts! It has been our only CB stay, and we would definitely stay again.
I would if I had to. I prefer having AC power.
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 Walmart parking lot? No, never. Cracker Barrel parking lot? Yes, three times and going; once in each of Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. We had a 43′ rig and a towed that made our overall length 63 feet. One time we fit the RV spaces in the back, but the other two times we went to the distant edge and parked across several spaces. Typically one or two other RVs also were there. In all instances we found no nearby campground availability, called ahead to get permission, arrived well after dark, left before 9 AM, and got at least one take-out meal from our hosting Cracker Barrel. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
As a full timer with a small Class C, I have stayed at Cracker Barrels many times over the years. They are sometimes the only option when I am traveling long distances, and I will never forget the manager who kindly let me stay three nights when I was sick.
Tried to stay at one once but even with a 32′ class A towing and older Tracker I was too long and had to park along a row of regular parking spots to get a quick breakfast as soon as they opened. My local one never has the RV spots available because they’re full of cars.
We’ve overnighted at CB a few times. As others stated, a big rig with a toad makes it a bit challenging. We’re downsizing, so we may use CB a bit more. We also overnight at WM.
we’ve tried to on a couple of occasions. Both times the lot was smallish and the RV slot just wasn’t big enough. We’re 55 feet truck and trailer. We did find another site in the same area. A businessman was closing for the night and had seen us at CB. He generously offered an area in his parking lot. He had gates on the lot and showed us how to use for our getaway in the morning.
No Crackers in Washington, I travel the Western states and have never seen one.
I’d like to chow down in one as I’ve only read good things about the menus.