Traveling and camping in an RV or motorhome can be very adventurous. Camping, however, may not be the word to use here as most people associate “camping” with sleeping outdoors in tents in campgrounds or the wilderness.
RV’ing can be an inexpensive and safe way to take a vacation at home or abroad. You’ll be able to experience things one is unable to experience by driving a car or flying to “a destination” for the purpose of vacationing. With an RV, one can experience practically everything your route has to offer and, you don’t have to necessarily use camp grounds when you’re ready to sleep. You will be surprised at how easy it is to find free places to park for the night. Here are some suggestions for places to park your motor home.
The Interstate highway system offers roadside rest areas where you can park an RV overnight along with the truckers stopping for the night. Most of these roadside rest areas provide overnight security, so there is little to no concern for one’s safety. In addition, you can usually find vending machines for hot and cold drinks and snacks as well as clean rest rooms. You will also find dog walk areas for your 4-legged friends traveling with you. More and more of these rest areas are providing dump stations for your RV as well.
** There are brochures available showing all the Interstate highway systems rest areas. If you have an interest in this, please contact me and I’ll provide you with information on how and where to obtain them.
** Many Walmart’s allow overnight parking for RV’s in their parking lots. As a courtesy, it’s always best to check with the local manager first to insure that this is alright. There is a brochure available listing all the Walmart’s in the country that allow this practice. Let me know if you would like a copy.
If you are not on the Interstate, not to worry because you can also find other free places to park your RV for the night. In urban areas, a quiet residential street can be a good place to spend the night. However, choosing a place with not much foot traffic would be best.
In the country you’ll find even more choices. A nice, quiet spot beside a lake or river or close to a forest can be very relaxing; or how about near a wharf or marina? Even a back country road can be a safe place to park. It’s usually better to be right in the middle of a town or way out in the country, as parking areas close to a town can have locals coming and going during the night.
An RV/motor home can attract unwanted attention in even the safest parking spot so it’s useful to have a good security system while you’re sleeping. This will give you the peace of mind for a good night’s sleep, knowing that it’s going to be difficult for someone to break in.
In addition to the key lock on the RV entrance door, an added dead bolt can give you the extra benefit of feeling secure.
A loud alarm is a very effective method. Another effective security measure is to have a chain and padlock running between the inside front door handles. You just need a solid chain which is looped through the door handles with the two ends joined in the middle of the front seat by a padlock.
Lock the padlock to secure the chain when you go to bed or any time you leave your motor home unattended. This can give you peace of mind. A quick glance in the cab will show any would-be thief that this is going to be a difficult vehicle to break into.
When you go to bed at night it’s also a good idea to place a sunshade in your windshield, making it difficult to see inside the cab area. Also, remove all your valuables from the cab area and place them in the living area with you. This includes keys, money, credit cards, passports, mobile phones, etc. In fact, it’s a good idea to never leave personal items on display in your mobile home.
So find a safe spot where there’s not much foot traffic, move your valuables to the sleeping area, secure the front door handles with a chain, and have a peaceful night’s sleep.
With some advance planning and common sense, free camping in an RV can be a relaxing and cheap way to see the country. The more you do it, the more your confidence will grow.
Enjoy your RV…
