Whenever I see online articles referencing free overnight parking, Walmart inevitably appears. Perhaps I am misinformed, but this only serves to show how out of touch these articles are; every Walmart I have seen since becoming interested in camper vans has displayed an unmistakable "No overnight parking" sign near the entrance to their parking lots. After a brief Google search, it looks like they began implementing this measure in 2020, more than 2 years ago. Unless something changes, I think the days of Walmart parking lot camping are over.
Alternatives
When traveling cross-country with my wife, I have found the Sēkr app to be an excellent way to find where other travelers had stayed or found resources. The app provides pictures of locations, as well as how good you can expect your cell phone reception to be at the location. It includes both free and paid-for locations where travelers could spend a night. While we utilized a few other apps to help figure out where to stay, this one was my favorite; I loved that in addition to showing overnight parking locations, it also showed where to find showers, drinking water, and public restrooms. The community surrounding the app was lively as well; most locations had many user reviews explaining why the spot or landmark was useful or not. Someone even reached out to me via the app for suggestions on where to park overnight, as they had noticed we had been in San Francisco for a few days. Overall, very useful.
Cracker Barrel
Many travelers have sworn on Cracker Barrel restaurants as a haven for overnight parking. A longtime favorite of road-weary truck drivers looking for a home-cooked meal, the idea of getting a hearty meal before retiring to your truck/van/camper/RV for the night definitely sounds appealing. I myself have stayed a night in a Cracker Barrel parking lot; while the establishment was closed for the night, I remained fairly undisturbed. Other than witnessing a passerby urinating in some nearby bushes, the night passed by uneventfully. Without access to the restaurant, it was a pretty basic parking experience. Even still, every night without a knock on the window is a good night.
Park and Ride
On my first trip to Connecticut, I found an excellent Park and Ride to stay the night at. The downside I found to this location was busy through traffic at all hours of the night. Pair that with close proximity to a busy roadway, and it could be difficult to sleep. Despite this, the location was well-lit and safe, and I remained undisturbed for the duration of the night. Other van dwellers had also taken refuge for the night at the Park and Ride, tipping me off that it was a safe place to spend the night.
Follow the truckers
photo by Caleb Ruiter
Due to strict laws, truckers are only allowed to drive a certain number of hours a day before they are required to take a break. As a result, truckers know some of the best places to park overnight, many of them accomodating of big rigs. While these locations are often times rest stops, I was once tipped-off by a trucker to a delightful overnight lot next to a nature preserve in Nebraska, complete with full restroom facilities. As an added bonus, the other end of the parking lot had a history center that further explored the early history and settlement of Nebraska. Another time I was recommended a rest stop for the night, with the widest selection of vending machines I have ever seen in my life; an entire room filled with every snack I could want after a long day of traveling. Despite the fantastic suggestions I have received from truckers, keep in mind that these people aren't just staying at these locations for recreational; they are working. So long as you don't do anything to make their job more difficult, they typically have no problem sharing the lot.
While overnight parking at Walmart may be a thing of the past, that doesn't mean there aren't a plethora of other options for the traveler on a budget. Always keep an ear to the ground, and be willing to ask around a little bit, and you should have no problem finding a place to spend a night or two.
Until next time!
-Jason