Walmart and Sams Club camping

[Old_Hickory]

I heard that Walmart and Sams Cub would let people with RV's park etc/camp on there parking lots overnight for free. Anyone ever done this before ? I personnaly do not have an RV. It would very convienant I would think rather than looking for an RV park if you were traveling and did not want to get off the beaten path to find an RV park and have to set up camp etc. I know Walmart and Sams would benefit from the sales of supplies to the campers but this looks like a Win Win for Walmart/Sams and the campers.

 

[JerryG]

Around here they do let RVs park at the end of the lot, but there is no written policy. It is up to the store directors discretion. Large trucks are not allowed unless they are associated with W/M.

 

[OkeeDon]

Walmart actually sells a road Atlas with all the Walmart stores marked on it for the convenience of campers. We've stayed overnight at many Walmart stores. It depends on the purpose of our trip -- if we are on the way to a specific destination rather than just relaxing in the RV, we will stay anywhere - we've spent the night in Walmart lots, truck stops, Interstate rest areas, university parking lots, and once the Chamber of Commerce parking lot in downtown Orlando. In fact, we've probably spent more nights outside of traditional RV campsites than we have inside them.

Obviously, these are just stops for convenience, not for enjoyment. One does not stop at Walmart and open the awnings, set out the lawn chairs and portable firepit, etc. It's simply pull into the lot, set the levelers, close the curtains and sleep. And, of course, you must have a self-contained rig with generator, holding tanks, etc.

Generally, all of the 24 hour Walmarts cooperate. We used to go see the mananger, but discovered that most of the 24 hour Walmarts have a roving security person who knows the ropes. If he doesn't chase you away (and that's never happened to us), we're good to go. It's nice knowing that someone is wandering around the parking lot all night and won't let anyone bother you.

I think the record that we have seen is 12 RV's in a Walmart lot near an interstate highway. Of course, we return the favor by stocking up on needed supplies while we're there, usually groceries, but occasionally a spare part from their relatively good supply of RV equipment. My wife is a quilter, and is certain that every Walmart has one of the pieces of fabric she is looking for marked down to $1/yard, so she has to check them all out.

It's much more comfortable than being sandwiched between two semis with diesel reefer units running all night at an interstate rest area, and your neighbors are not as nosy as they are at an RV campsite. I guess it would be accurate to say that we are not traditional RV'ers -- we use the motor home as a tool, not as an end to itself.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( we've spent the night in Walmart lots, truck stops, Interstate rest areas )</font>

And in church parking lots, supermarket lots, hotel parking lots, and restaurant parking lots; even an abandoned gravel pit once. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif When on private property, I always found the person in charge and got permission, and I was never refused permission anywhere. There's a Sam's Club and WalMart SuperCenter on I-635 just northwest of Dallas and I don't think I've ever been by there that weren't RVs on the parking lot; don't know whether for the night or just shopping usually, but have seen some that I know were there in the same spot for 2 or 3 days at a time.

 

[Junkman]

I know someone that got chased out of the parking lot when he parked his hearse in the lot near the front door and went in to do some shopping. The greeter didn't seem to like hearses.. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.. My friend told him one of my favorite lines.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif "Don't let your first ride in a hearse be your last." He wasn't amused /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. Some people just don't understand /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gifthat they are a necessary part of living and dying and that is how some people make their living...............
I got hassled /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifmany times when I went to McDonald's and would park the ambulance in front. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[rdam]

Some of the local campgrounds are getting a little peeved at Wal-Mart/Sam's for allowing RV's overnight as it is cutting into their business. Locally, last night, I saw no less than 20 RV's in the Wal-Mart lot at about 4:00AM. That's lost revenue for the campgrounds. Christmas time near Disney is a busy time !!!

The Sam's club down the road had 2. they are next door to a KOA campground.

The "Camping World" store always has 1 or 2 overnighters.

With a large "transient" population in Florida, many low budget/down on their luck types are "residing", for extended periods, at Wal-Mart's.

It doesn't matter to me, but if I owned a campground/RV park, I'd be burning up the phone lines.

 

[DUMBDOG]

If I remember correctly, the Kissimmee Walmart has signs up that says overnight camping there is prohibited. Are these signs just ignored or are they no longer up?

 

[rdam]

I don't recall seeing signs prohibiting overnight camping. The Wal-Mart is in the city limits of Kissimmee...not my jurisdiction. The Burger King across the street and everything west is County.

I'll check for the signs next time I work (Wednesday night)

 

[Old_Hickory]

It doesn't matter to me, but if I owned a campground/RV park, I'd be burning up the phone lines.


What good would that do ? If I was passing through a town and did not want to go through the hassle of driving in an RV park,I would gladly park on a Walmart/Sam's lot for the conveinance of it.

 

[pruntyc]

It seems to me, that is a good thing, to be able to stop at a Walmart or Sams club to park over night. If you are just going somewhere else, and not going to be staying in that town for any time, why have to pay a RV park to camp. If you don't need the hook-ups and just to stop and sleep. One reason people have RV's is to cost less, but if you pay the price of a lot of the RV camps you aren't saving anything, they are pretty high priced. I didn't say now that was the only reason they have RV's but it is generally one of the reasons, over the cost of motels and restaurants.