Using Rest Stops

[scottyb]

I would stay about anywhere but DW wouldn't. I prefer to stay with her so I concede and we usually stopover in a full hookup RV park. Now scheduling a place to dry camp for a few days in a NF, BLM, or SP is a different story.

 

[Kosanko]

When I stop at a rest stop, I am always paranoid of pranksters playing with my hitch. I've heard of people who will pull the release handle on the 5th wheel. Needless to say, I always inspect the hitch before getting back on the road.

I have the same paranoia and use a hitch pin lock so no one pulls the hitch release

 

[Jim.Allison]

Going to install a lock on that mechanism, its too easy to forget to check it once its been hooked up and I have been towing. The vandel could do it esily when you back is turned, however there is quite a bit of friction on mine, but it could be done.

I have the same paranoia and use a hitch pin lock so no one pulls the hitch release

 

[jjriker]

I always keep a lock on mine!

X2

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

 

[caissiel]

Been parking everywhere and never felt more then a 2 at TS or WM.
But at some of the CG it felt like a 10 or more off season, with no one around during the week. So now CG are out for me a snow bird.

 

[JanAndBill]

Over the years, we've stayed in many Flying J parking lots overnight without problems. Like any truckstop, wandering around the lot after dark is not such a good idea, and you have the issue with trucks coming and going. Also stayed in several Walmart and Sams Club parking lots, again without incident or concern. Usually we did this if we had a long trip and short time to make it. Never stayed overnight at a rest area, and not sure that I would want to unless they had full time security.

 

[porthole]

Been parking everywhere and never felt more then a 2 at TS or WM.
But at some of the CG it felt like a 10 or more off season, with no one around during the week. So now CG are out for me a snow bird.

I guess it goes both ways.

First time at a walmart - was late and this "super" walmart was 20 miles from the highway! Only one other truck in the lot and a lot of kids, young "adults" parting by the store well into the night. Kept a blinding flashlight and persuader nearby. By the time we woke up there were 6-7 other campers around us that came in some time after midnight

This past May at a state park in NE PA, we were the only trailer in a very dark, no lights, no other camper (that we could see) campground. Kept a blinding LED flashlight and persuader nearby.

Stayed at a KOA coming home from Goshen a few years ago. You have to drive through some depressed neighborhoods to get to the fenced in compound of a camp. 2 "greeters" (guards) at the gate.

Hatteras rally in 2010. Most probably didn't see it, but 3-4 in the morning, there were 2 young adults riding bikes slowly through the campground that were obviously not from the campground.

 

[JohnD]

I've never stayed at a rest area with either of our trailers, but I used to grab a few ZZZ's in the back of my old van on my many trips between Michigan and Colorado.

My favorites on I-80 were the rest area on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa on the east-bound side, or one near Lincoln, Nebraska on the return trip heading west.

Another one heading wet was the very first exit just over the bridge crossing the Mississippi River from Illinois to Iowa where the rest area is on top of a tall hill over looking the whole valley . . . nice view!

I've never felt unsafe . . . and I love the highway sounds . . . puts me to sleep!

The house I grew up in had the main train tracks (two tracks side by side) between Detroit and Chicago running through the side yard, and we had Amtrak and freight trains loaded with cars coming out of Detroit every 10 to 15 minutes day and night.

 

[Mizmary]

I think it's just a matter of preference. There are areas of the country where I would feel safe staying at a rest area overnight, and other areas that I wouldn't. Like everything in life you have to weigh the risks.

The scariest night we've ever spent was at a Walmart in Salinas CA. That year their crime and murder rate was the highest it has ever been. Our home was only 30 miles away. The problem - it was 3AM, and our home was over a small mountain range and inside a thick fog bank. We weighed the risks, and it was safer to sleep in Salinas until light than risk crashing due to drowsy driving.

In Nebraska, just about anywhere I would feel safe staying at a truck stop or rest area - but I'm from that area. Here in California, not a chance. I will stay in a campground and pay. Though, we did also camp once in someone's yard. I was a teenager, we were traveling in our Class C, and no where else to camp- he saw a sign - RV's welcome. So as my dad pulled into the yard he said "Said the spider to the fly...." We were perfectly safe, but I didn't sleep a wink.

 

[Grey Ghost]

I used to ride with my brother-in-law, he was an over the road driver for a large trucking firm and hauled from the mid-west to the Boston area. I've stayed in a few rest stops and I must say have seen a lot of things going on at the rest stops across the area. Everything from mid night get togethers, shootings, stabbings, love affairs, poker games, professional ladies of the night, street walkers, bums, hitchhikers, drug deals, booze deals (teens) coyotes (human traffickers), real coyotes too, fights of all sorts and lots of other things. Staying in a rest not is NOT the safest thing you could do. Unless absolutely necessary I would never willing stay in a rest stop again! I've slept at the ready with one eye open in Nam and would prefer that to a rest stop. Of course then I had a few others around me that were very well trained to defend ourselves if necessary, unlike a rest stop. Just my opinion of staying over night in a rest stop anywhere USA.

 

[Hockster]

There are over 700 Walmart stores that do not allow overnight parking.
To locate a store go to www.walmartatlas.com/ and in the header to to right of Home it will say RV Parking at Walmart, and will provide a list by state of where you can and can not stay.

Hockster

 

[TXBobcat]

Allstays shows both Walmarts if you can stay over tnight or not. Out standing App.