Every night in America, thousands of RVers spend the night for free in a Walmart parking lot. You have to wonder what would happen if Walmart were to pull the plug on such stays. Where would all those RVers go? Many RV parks are booked months, even years ahead. Where does an RVer stay when headed from one place to another and needs a quick stopover to sleep without Walmart?
It’s a problem.
Every week at least a few Walmart stores post signs prohibiting overnight stays. For some it’s because of a new local ordinance. For others it’s because too many RVers have trashed the premises, even leaking sewage onto the pavement.
For yet others, it’s because very poor people in decrepit RVs have taken up residence for weeks or months on end in a corner of the parking lot.
So what’s ahead? Do you believe Walmart will continue to allow free overnight RV stays in the years ahead? For the purpose of this poll, let’s say for five years.
We welcome your comments.
I think Walmart is afraid of their parking lots turning into Part Time Homeless Shelters. It’s to bad to see it happen. Because it was a Great Thing when they started allowing it years ago. It’s just sad to see the Homeless having to live like that. And with some of them being OUR VETERANS at that. WHAT A COUNTRY!
Based on what my wife & I have observed while we travel in our RV I can not blame Wal Mart for deciding to stop people from staying overnight in its parking lots. Examples are trash strewn about , loud music, folding chairs set up in adjacent parking spaces, and a total disrespect for everyone coming to shop.
The WalMarts around us have already banned RVs. (We live in upstate NY.)
Many in Florida have done the same since people tend to stay longer than overnight.
That’s exactly why we drive through NY, and never overnight. The state has adopted laws and rules that make it the least “freedoms” available in the entire nation. Unfortunately, this has been accomplished at the expense of their residents. Cost so much to live there those that can get out are filling up the southern states.
I believe they will continue to allow it for several reasons: it’s good for business, helps people/consumers and it’s good for the community.
Before owning a B van, I seldom visited a Walmart at all! Generally, I patronized Target and smaller specialized grocers and the like. Now I park in a very remote part of a Walmart parking lot and notify the manager (who is generally ambivalent) and resupply the van at the store. They don’t even notice I’m there!
Yes, there are those who leave a mess. I quietly pickup after them as I do in parks and other common spaces that I visit knowing I’m doing my small part to protect them for the future.
I always come from a position of respect and civility. Most respond in like kind. The ones who don’t, I don’t want to be around anyway.
Please everyone, leave it better than you found it applies here and everywhere!
Amen Bill, we do the same. But make sure the cap on the bottle is secure -lol.
As a courtesy to Walmart, I will randomly pick up obvious trash & return other person’s shopping carts to their designated spot.
If Walmart bans overnight RV parking in ALL of their parking lots, trust me there are plenty of other businesses that welcome RVer’s and their business. I have used many of them over the years whenever I find a Walmart that tells me NO.
Which businesses have you used?
I hope they do, I voted NO, for this reason.
Any Walmart still in the game is one serious fist fight, shooting or similar incident away from banning overnight RV parking entirely. I believe in five years RVing in general is going to be a very different ball game.
With the room they have on hand at most stores I think either the organization themselves or a private contractor could and should approach the company and start up a few well organized 20 spot RV parks, with super tight length of stay restrictions, rules of conduct, dump station and the like. An entrepreneurs dream project if you ask me. A win win for everyone. Imagine!!
Hello Alvin,
We have a youtube live stream on Saturday evenings. In our 1 hour discussion, we cover many topics….and we like your “entrepreneurs dream project”. Would you mind if we used this post in our discussion this Saturday night? We’d love to cover it….and will give you credit, if appropriate. Thanks, look forward to hearing from you.
Walmart makes too much money off of RVers to ban them.
WalMart might, but the greedy town fathers will find a way to stop it.
It has nothing to do with greed. Towns run on tax payers money. The tax payers do not want the RV’s and they make sure the town leaders hear them. Who can really blame the tax payers, when more and more RVer’s think they can do whatever they want, wherever they are?
First off, it is not all on Walmart’s, it’s the local Camber of Commerce who are hearing it from their members who have RV parks and local ordinances pushed by the community.
The second issues is RVer’s out there that ruin it for the rest of us, as they put out their camping chairs, all their slides, build a fire and roll out the grill!
We have always gone in and asked for a manager to speak with on if we could spend the night, we also inform them, we will be stocking up for grocery’s and will not leave a mess. In most cases we find no issues, but here lately, even the Walmart’s who did allow overnight parking are balking from the issues they have seen over the past few years. Wake up America, we are our own worst enemy!
I have to wonder if Walmart (in it’s present form) will still be around in 5 years…The internet has changed the way many do their shopping. Other free parking places may also be in peril for this same reason. Has anyone noticed the number of huge warehouses going up around the country? How many stores like Walmart have closed the doors and become vacant lots?
If not that, then as more and more campground “owners” b____ about free overnight parking places, then more and more City Councils will ban it. They (campground owners) think this will help their cause. Just the opposite for us. The more they push forward, the more we will push back and seek alternate locations.
Then, there are those who don’t understand a good thing when we have it. As pointed out, they stay for months and litter like crazy. Walmart CAN stop this by limiting a stay to 1 or 2 nights max. Have the security team or local police get involved if the drydocker violates this. We love the convenience of getting groceries and gas here when we stop. Others that can’t understand this are just free-loaders.
The unfortunate reality is that we are all seeing the rapid rise in the use of out of repair or abandoned RV units as a perceived solution the affordable housing challenge in our country. While WalMart may be able to continue their practice in the near term my thinking is that ultimately it will become too expensive or provide too much liability to manage RV units in their parking areas. We already are seeing specific stores abandon the practice due to local enforcement issues and I will not be surprised when it ultimately becomes a corporate policy.
Maybe Walmart should create 24-hour only parking spaces at their stores.
12 hour even better.
Maybe they should force a deposit on free overnight RV parking and get it back AFTER a site inspection.
Too many people over stay. There are TOO many people that think “Others or God will provide for free.”
I think maybe Walmart should look at this as a new profit center, Add a few electric hookups and charge $15 bucks a night. One night only. No ticket, no stay!
I like this proposal. Even if the overnight cost only $5 it would work. No electric hook ups though because it keeps feasibility cheap.
Paying your five bucks and leaving your name and license plate numbers in exchange for a dashboard receipt should be deterrent enough to keep the pigs among us in line.
Absent local ordinances, the answer is whether the sales to RVers is greater than the inconvenience. I suspect (without proof) that RVers pose less of a problem to Walmart than its non-RV everyday customers. And like its non-RV customers, unruly or unwanted customers can be asked to leave.
In our experience, it’s small towns with an RV park that bans over nighting at Walmarts. Find a Walmart or similar big box store in a small town without an RV park and it’s all good!
We’ve begun looking for industrial parks as possible spots to overnight. We arrive after business hours and then leave early the next morning. So far, hasn’t been a problem.
I think the biggest problem for Walmart is the fact that many municipalities have made it illegal for them to offer it. I know that is the case where I live, in a very large city.
The best way is to avoid the big city Wal-Mart’s.
Small town stores will still allow over nighters
In most cases.
At the current rate of RVers not cleaning up after themselves or dumping excess garbage, overstaying the 1 night policy, etc., it is unlikely any business will allow RVs to stay overnight. Classic case of, “abuse it – lose it”. The real tragedy, a few have ruined it for everyone.
I believe Walmart makes a great many sales (experience talking) from RV people who park overnight. They will not forgo this source of revenue unless forced to do so.
I believe that city and county ordinances are why a lot of Walmart stores do not allow it.
However, there are many pigs among us. I have seen trash bags just left on the parking lot, I have seen people discharging grey water onto the parking lot. I have seen RVr’s just randomly park without regard to the rest of Walmart’s customers. But, I have also seen many truckers doing the same.
If the problems continue I believe we will be banned regardless of how much money we spend while there.
I would be VERY surprised if, in the next five years, Walmart ended ALL overnight parking for RVs. RVers spend a LOT of money when they overnight at a Walmart and, I believe that much (most?) of that money would be spent elsewhere if RVers had to overnight elsewhere. Walmart understands this and, will fight to keep RVers spending those dollars AT Walmart. Allowing overnight RV parking is a simple, low cost way, to keep those RV dollars AT Walmart. I understand that there are too many slob RVers out there and, that these slobs make it more difficult for responsible RVers but, other steps could be taken to deal with these nuisances WITHOUT chasing away an otherwise excellent revenue stream. I still occasionally overnight at Walmart but, I find I prefer to stop someplace where I can get a good meal, either when stopping for the night or, to get the morning off to a good start (or both!). When a Walmart store also has a fuel station on site, that increases the likelihood of me choosing that Walmart as a good place to stop. RVers buy a LOT of diesel and gasoline. If Walmarts has fuel lanes that were friendly for large vehicles, I expect their fuel sales would soar even higher than they now are. I fully expect to be RVing five years from now (January, 2020) and, expect that I and my RV will be welcome at most Walmarts then too.
Sadly, in my opinion WalMart and most other free parking sites, will restrict parking for a variety of reasons. One is the complaints to City officials from private RV parks …. which is BS but thanks to Rotary and similar groups, they weld a lot of influence. Second is the lack of common sense of some RV’ers. Third is the growing problem of homeless people who are buying junk RV’s and parking them any where its free, such as those on PCH in Malibu. Eventually restrictions will spill over to places like WalMart. Third is civil liability suits from those who run to attorney’s for deep pocket businesses.
Just the world we live in today. At least on the east and west coasts.
I do hope Walmart will keep letting us park overnight at their lots. Surely they will, if everyone is consciuos of this priviledge and do a couple of things: Advice them you are parked; buy something at the store, even a candy!; be considerate by parking away from the entrance to the store; don’t open the canopy or place chairs outside as if it were a campground and always, always, leave behind “only your footprints”, not trash.
On our long trips, Walmart is very convenient when we are just passing by the town.
More and more will restrict over night as those abusing the privilege increases.
Yep,, it’s tobad for the rest of use that have respect for others
Is this the real Billy Bob Thorton.??
Hi, Robert. Yep, this is the “real Billy Bob Thorton” — as opposed to the “real Billy Bob Thornton,” the actor. 😉 —Diane at RVtravel.com
I stayed overnight at a Wal-Mart in Post Falls Idaho a few years back. Just after 11pm a van conversion that was parked a few spaces down fired up and revved the engine a few times before slamming into gear and after a lot of loud foul language eminating from within drove next to the rest of us RVs, opened the side door and dumped a person out while still moving at a brisk pace. We called 911 and since the van was still roaring around the lot stayed in our rig until the cops showed up. I was told to stay in my rig and a few minutes later an ambulance showed up and left with the unfortunate person. We watched as the van left the lot without a police car following even though several of us pointed it out.
Wonder if that Wal-Mart is still allowing overnight RV stays.
Around these parts of Calif, Wally World has banned overnighters. Mostly due to city regulations that an agreement was made with Walmart and the city to build the store.
But, every once in a while, we find homeless campers parking their trashed rigs in the lot. Some,believe it or not dump their waste tanks on the lot before leaving. Most throw their accumulated trash outside as well.
So no. Walmart will end this courtesy in a couple years if not sooner.
Campers that dump in parking lots and trash same should be shot.
Sorry, I’m ex-military, that’s my solution for all sorts of problems including politicians.
I vote yes, but I quit using them . Too many beggars coming up and wanting money for “gas to get home with,” funny when I’ve offered gas they really don’t want , money to buy gas with is better.l
Walmart, per se, is not disallowing RV parking in their parking lots when large enough to do so. The city ordinances where the Walmart is located determines the signs of that nature.
First question should have been will Walmart still be open?
Valid point.
It will depend on the RV community, the Vandal and Robber community, and the Insurance community.
If RV’rs pay respect to the Walmarts that DON’T allow overnighting, and use their own common sense on selection and where to park………. And OF COURSE do NOT trash the premises in ANY way…….
If the Vandal and Robber community doesn’t get more bold……… (for you newbies, THIS problem generally ONLY exists in certain poorer demographics).
If the Insurance industry doesn’t get more greedy, or if it is forced to get more greedy…….
Walmarts know that overnighting RV’s often come in to provision…..this is a plus for us.
We’ve always gone in and checked when we pull into a Walmart at dusk, to be sure they allow us and just to not be taking them for granted. Of course, if we pull into a Walmart with 12-15 campers on the outskirts, we don’t bother to check. And we’ll delay our purchasing until this time, if we plan it out right, so we can patronize THE Walmart where we overnight.
ps: If it hasn’t changed in the past couple of years, Cracker Barrel Restaurant’s corporate policy is to allow overnighting……..they have large lots. We ALWAYS check with the staff to be certain it’s OK, unless we pull in after closing…….then we always check closely for signage prohibiting same. Have never seen this at a CBs. Same advice to consider the area you’re in. They are usually close to freeways and noisy, so have a fan or something for white noise to sleep by. Oh, and of course, we know where we’re going for Breakfast before heading out !!!
Generally the corporate world is like the rest of us: Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours!!!
FINALLY…..to answer the question: YES, I believe Walmarts will still be allowing overnighting five years from now.
I think they will still allow RVers to park over night because wal mart is all making money.. and those people in RVs will spend lots and lots of money at Walmart over nignt.. and and wal mart has the big vacuum truck to and cleans up fast and cheap any way…Walmart is a billion dollar business..wtf they care about a little poop and trash that will be there with or without RVs…
And thus you’re part of the problem
I care…I dont want to accidently walk onto someones urine or poop that carrys Ecoli bacteria that can cause a serious infection. There is NO excuse from ANY RV owner not to clean up after themselves. Just parked my car in a parking lot next to a man who was throwing his car trash out his window. I asked him to stop, he told to me to F— off. I picked up the trash and threw it back in his window. l walked away. He sat there yelling at me.
A few PIGS will ruin it for the rest!!!!
CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!!!!
DONT PUT YOUR STABILIZERS DOWN AND RUIN THE ASPHALT, LEAVING HOLES…
CLEAN UP SEWERAGE LEAKS, IF YOU HAVE THEM!!!
Cromwell Ct. There are campers and vans and cars living at this location,its only a matter of time….
I see the Walmart in Parker, AZ this week now has signs on their doors stating “No overnight parking”
Be interesting to see how that works out.
Bluebird Bob — That Parker, Ariz., Walmart parking lot was packed with RVs when I visited about two years ago at this time of year. Lucky for RVers there, the Blue Water Casino, less than a mile away, offers a free night’s stay in its parking lot.
As long as people respect the property and are spending a few dollars in their stores, Walmart will continue to allow overnight parking providing also that the local bylaws don’t interfere.
Walmart perviously owned all stores and property. Walmart now leases some stores and properties. In some cases, Walmart landlords are the now prohibiting RVers from parking overnight, not Walmart.
I live in my SUV and small 16ft trailer. I park at Lowe’s where ever I go, they have great free wifi if you park on the side of the garden center. Stay out of the way of where the big trucks come in and out. No problems.
The percentage of Walmarts that allow Overnight RV Parking has decreased substantially over the past 10-12 years. in 2008, when the http://www.OvernightRVParking.com Website first went online, about 80% of the Walmarts in our database allowed Overnight RV Parking. Today, that percentage is approximately 65%. There will always be self-centered, inconsiderate RVers who park at Walmarts without store permission, who set up campsites rather then just parking for the night, and who stay more than one night without store permission.
My observation is that these are largely the same RVers who, when the “dos and don’ts” of Overnight RV Parking at Walmart comes up in online discussions, fire back with comments like “parking lots are public property” and “nobody is going to tell ME what I can and can’t do in my RV.” Yet while they whine and moan about Walmart managers changing their store’s policy to “No Overnight RV Parking,” they don’t understand that they are one of the reasons this is happening.
I realize that for the most part, I’m “preaching to the choir” here. The “problem RVers” whose selfish actions cause Walmarts and other places to ban us aren’t reading RVTravel, responding to this survey, nor reading these comments. Until those of us who DO understand the etiquette of “blacktop boondocking” can bring the problem RVers around to our way of thinking, this trend will continue.
Exactly! Just a few rotten apples in the bunch and we get scrutinized and sent away when most of us are really respectful of the rules. It’s just kind of a RV/van life thing and when someone is allowing us to park somewhere, I am certainly going to make sure we respect the rules 100%. I really like the idea of Walmart selling inexpensive overnight passes.
James,
We have a youtube live stream on Saturday evenings. In our 1 hour discussion, we cover many topics. Would you have any interest in coming on the stream or peremitting use of this post during our discussion? We’d love to cover it….and will give you, and/or your site proper credit, if appropriate. Thanks, look forward to hearing from you.
I think Walmart should sell an annual overnight park pass for a small fee to ward off undesirables patrons from ruining a good thing for most.
I think we should pay every night we stay. It’s to easy to have an annual pass and each night a person needs to go in pay, and that way maybe they will buy items, and keep the folks who think try and sneak in or hide the pass. We all know those RVS who don’t pay or sneak out, even in the camping areas that say pay in The little boxes. Any way Walmart will lose.
Walmart RV overnight parking will probably be available, but limited.
Some lots are too small, many on the west coast are out due to local ordinances. Hours of operation appear to be pushing out the RVers too.
In my travels, it appears only a small percentage of Walmart stores are 24 hour stores. These are the stores RVers are most welcome.
Many stores in higher crime zones seem to be closing at midnight or sooner.
I have had Walmart security suggest the local Home Depot for overnight parking. Many security staff are very apologetic for asking me to move on.
I count on about 20% of Walmarts, especially in large city areas, to be available.
Walmart needs to say “No” RV parking for legal reasons, but they may not always enforce the “No” rule.
“Run-A-Way Bill” was here!
01.19.20
I think a parking permit would end the problem. People take advantage of places all the time, with a paid parking permit on the windshield, that should help eliminate the few that ruin it for the rest. Minimum fee, makes them certified and approved, problem solved.
Then the RV parks and such businesses will piss and moan to get laws made restricting the practice.
Sounds nice, but who is going to enforce it?
This is just my opinion, so for what it’s worth … I believe the Walmart overnight stays will eventually turn into a matter of economics for the individual stores. If providing the unused parking lot for overnight stays doesn’t cost Walmart more than the profits from what the RVer’s spend in the store, then it will likely still be allowed. If the RVer’s become too costly to clean up after, then the free night’s stay will likely go away or become a paid parking place for the night. Factoring in the political motives, many locales do not want the RVer’s getting anything that doesn’t contribute to the tax coffers, so I predict there will be an overall bigger push to ban the free overnight stays at Walmart. I believe the political mentality is that the RVer’s are all transients and only take from the community while giving nothing in return.
Million Dollar coaches don’t resemble poverty to me
I don’t think the “million dollar coaches” are the problem. Just sayin’.
Jim,
Great perspective. You’ve given this much thought. We have a youtube live stream on Saturday evenings. In our 1 hour discussion, we cover many topics….and this is a great one. Would you mind if we used this post on our live stream? We will give you proper credit, if appropriate. Thanks, look forward to hearing from you.
Welcome centers with 24hr security is free. Rest stops with security is a good option. I have used them.
A Purchased (relatively low cost) Walmart “Club Card” placed in the windshield would solve most of the issues. Overnight RV parking would still need to be enforced by security. Personally, given the current financial climate, I think that Walmart is missing out on a substantial money maker.
A safe, legally permitted RV parking area in these large parking lots with power options would be a huge benefit to the stores and rvers alike.
Maybe a dump station?
My wife and I travel 10,000 plus miles a year in our Motorhome. We have spent many nights in Walmart. We spend approximately $100 each time we stay. We always check with management if we can spend the night. We would be glad to purchase a permit to do so.
Too many requirements and issues for walMart to become an RV park. They are currently changing the entire WalMart location footprint to be more online based anyway. Biggest problem would be that the lot would fill with the same idiots that wnt to squat there now.
There are MILLIONS of acres of public land all over the country to park an RV legally for up to 14 days. Then just move a few miles, I think it is 25 miles, and camp there.
Walmart camping is for those who need a store nearby and want to camp in a city.
People want access to amenities. This is not possible when you go to remote places out east. There isn’t much public land with free camping once you get progressively closer to the Mississippi and it’s worse east of that.
Unfortunately there are those that take complete advantage of any goodwill given to them by Walmart and other locales that allow overnight parking. As a member of a national RV group I/we have a code of conduct to follow which includes one that states “to leave a spot better than when you arrived”, to get permission, to purchase needed items if needed, etc. If most (ALL WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE) RVers followed even half of our code of conduct Walmart and others would/will be happy to continue hosting OVERNIGHTERS…NOT squatters.
Gary,
We have a youtube live stream on Saturday evenings. In our 1 hour discussion, we cover many topics….and this is a great one. Would you mind enlightening us more to the ‘Code of Conduct’ your group uses. I’d love to cover it….and will give you, or your group credit, if appropriate. Thanks, look forward to hearing from you.
Yes they will. Most RVers are responsible adults
I don’t think it’s fair that walmart will let a rv park over nite but not 18 wheelers.
Especially since the 18-wheeler probably drove all day or all night to make a delivery AT Walmart.
I knew Sam Walton. When he initially started building his stores, & as long as he was alive, he built them with a large & easily accessible parking lot so that any weary trucker who needed a place to rest could do so at his stores. He would be rolling over in his grave if he could see what his children have done at his stores to keep trucks off the property.
It’s not walmart that doesn’t allow parking for trucks and rvs… they are not permitted thru the city to have these vehicles park there… that’s why they ask you to park in the farthest corner of the lot and you must be gone by 6am…
I have never stayed at Walmart. I don’t shop there either. I have stayed at Pilot and Loves once each and a rest stop once. I prefer a campground if at all possible. I hope Wally continues so my preferred stops are not impacted.
As long as there are people who think they can turn Wal-Mart into a RV Park and stay for days or weeks, Wal-Mart will eventually stop it. I’ve been coming to Yuma, AZ for years and see the local Wal-Mart has the same RVs for long periods of time.
It is to Wal-Mart’s advantage that we, RVers park overnight. Lots of time when we spent the night in the parking lot, we get up and head for the store for rolls or what we have forgotten. We call it our adventure.
Walmart can’t afford for you to buy a roll, and than spend hours cleaning up after RVs. Not you, but the others who use Walmart as a campground, leave trash and carts all over the place. And now the those that dump in the parking lot. We have witnessed two.
It is so great when they allow it. Perhaps everyone should check with mgmg first, sign in and get some kind of sticker before staying overnight.
Sounds reasonable.
Some RV rigs also take up an exorbitant amount of space. I have seen some A class RV’s with a toad taking up a complete double row – 24 spaces!
We have RV’d for years. Occasionally we have snoozed a night away in a Wal-Mart parking lot. We have rules we have made up for kindness of Wal-Mart to allow us to stay there. One night only. Ask manager first. Buy groceries top off gas tank . Be as inconspicuous as possible. Leave your area cleaner than you found it. No slide outs no generators, even if the semis run them all night. Pick up after your animals. Leave by 9 am. We have seen the remnants of previous campers, Wal-Mart is not a campground. Respect.
Sometimes when traveling in RV, just need somewhere you can sleep/rest for a few hours: especially if you are too early to check into RV site. Sad there are people who want to ruin everything for the majority.
We were told rv’s over night not allowed at one in Oregon. The manager told us it was because of “mobile” meth labs in RV’s!
I also believe that the opportunity of parking at Walmart’s and Casino’s will decline because of irresponsible dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs.
At a Casino in Tucson the parking lot islands that had white landscaping rock I saw was covered with dog dodo.
Shameful.
If TRASHY RVers would realize what they are messing up for everyone, including themselves , they might continue. If not…I would not blame them for stopping. I would hate it if they did quit. I spend a good amount of money each and every time I do stop. I am sure Walmart won’t miss that. As far as the unsightly Rigs that just seem to move in….I would selectively just run them off. I also know that is just more for the store management to fool with.
I believe some Walmart’s will always let RV’s and Trucks park even there is a small amount of jerks that leave trash and dump tanks in parking lots! They really aren’t free if your a decent RV’er you will buy and stock up when parked. Topped out your fuel if they have fuel!! So that free spot with no hook ups can cost at lease $150! When we used bring the Grand kids on trips out west we taught them service! All of us went out around the parking lot when there wasn’t many moving cars collecting carts and some trash! We made it fun I’m sure they had security cameras and saw us. One night we collected 18 carts and some trash and put them away. Only once I found somebody dumped their black tank I found dried sewer stuff on the ground. Traveling and stopping at Walmarts and Samsclubs have been a great experiences the wonderful managers and workers giving us helpful hints. One gave us directions to go to a relatives restaurant to eat a couple hundred miles south. One worker text us the next morning to tell it is safe to go thru the mountains because it is clear and safe to drive. They all told us where to park so were close to the cameras. Plus more! WE ALWAYS ASKED PERMISSION!