Finding overnight parking in a van or RV is one of the trickiest parts of living on the road. Having a place to sleep that you feel safe and comfortable is essential to getting a good nights sleep. It’s so much easier to get burnt out in this lifestyle if you’re constantly moving spots all night or feeling like you’re on edge. This post dives into how to find overnight parking for your van or RV including apps we use and our top spots to stay!
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We’re no experts but we’ve learned a few places that we can (almost) always rely on! I say almost because every place has different regulations regarding overnight parking. Some counties have strict restrictions while other places are much more open to the van and RV community. So make sure to always do a little bit of research before spending the night in a spot!
3 Apps to Find Overnight Parking
iOverlander
This is the app we use the most to find places to stay overnight. It has all kinds of places- established campgrounds, informal campsites and wild camping. Each location has a description including amenities you can expect, reviews from past visitors and sometimes even pictures.
You can also filter for things like water, dump sites, WiFi, showers, and so much more. We use it to find the majority of places where we fill up on water as well as dump sites!
Google Maps
Good old Google Maps is always a good option! Pull up the map for where you are or where you’re going and see what’s around whether that be an establishment that allows overnight parking or public land where camping is permitted.
Satellite view is your best friend! It lets you see the layout of a place before you even get there! That way if it isn’t what you’re looking for you know before you even get there and can look for somewhere else!
Campendium
We don’t use this one quite as much because honestly iOverlander never lets us down! The thing I like about Campendium is that you can filter it by public land so if you’re trying to find a public land spot nearby it’s easy to filter for exactly what you want!
It also allows you to filter to find things like rv parks or campgrounds, dump sites, and free overnight parking spots.
Read More: Everything We Used in our DIY Van Build
Our Top Overnight Parking Spots
These are some of the places where we stay most frequently and have had good experiences. Again not every place is the same so make sure to check local rules in each area. If we’re spending the night at an establishment we usually will call before getting there to make sure overnight parking is permitted. That way they know we are staying there and we know it’s okay!
You can find all of the places we have stayed overnight on this map. Included for each place are coordinates to find the location and information about what to expect there! We update it regularly each time we stay at a new spot so make sure to check back often!
BLM Land
BLM (or Bureau of Land Management) land is public land where camping is allowed for up to 14 days. It is mostly in the western half of the United States. You can read more here about camping on BLM land. For dispersed camping the rule is you can stay for 14 days within a 28 day period.
There are some absolutely stunning BLM spots to disperse camp. Some are completely off grid out in nature and some are slightly less scenic. But all are free and allow camping so you don’t have to worry about being somewhere you aren’t supposed to be!
- Disperse camping usually means there are no facilities nearby so you definitely want to make sure you have food and water! Having camp chairs and an outdoor blanket allows us to extend the size of our van tremendously while taking advantage of the open space!
Read More: 6 Tips for Living in a Van on a Budget
Cracker Barrel
We have come to love parking overnight at Cracker Barrel! We’ve stayed at quite a few and never had any problems. Every time we’ve called to ask if it’s allowed they are so friendly about it! Most Cracker Barrel parking lots even have bus/RV parking spots which are larger spots usually to the back or side of the parking lot.
We’ve stayed at a bunch of locations where other vans and RV’s are parked there too. Because it’s a restaurant when we stay at locations such as Cracker Barrel we are so glad to have our Nature’s Head composting toilet. It means we don’t have to worry about finding public bathrooms!
- But on the flip side because it is a restaurant there are usually people coming and going in the parking lot. You definitely want some kind of partition to separate the front cab from the back of the van. These black out curtains are literally amazing! They don’t let any light up into the cab area (so people can’t tell when we have the lights on) and they help keep the back of the van noticeably warmer than up in the front!
Read More: How to Stay Warm in a Van Without a Heater
Truck Stops
Truck stops are a really good overnight parking option if you have a long driving day or are in between places. Flying J’s, Pilot Travel Centers, and Loves are all truck stops that have locations all over the country. They have large parking lots, gas, 24/7 bathrooms, and most even have shower and laundry facilities that you can use for a fee. Some locations even have a dump site although there is usually a fee to use it.
- Like rest stops these truck stops aren’t the quietest option especially because there are usually a lot of trucks nearby. But it’s a great option if you’re on the road late at night and want to just stop somewhere and go to sleep!
Cabelas
Cabelas stores, similar to Cracker Barrel, are another place that are usually very van and RV friendly. You can usually find larger RV spots towards the back of the store. Sometimes locations will even have water and a dump site which is so nice! Plus if you need any cool toys like kayaks you can stroll through the aisles!
- Whenever places like that have water we get so excited and it’s even better when it’s labeled as potable water so we know it’s good to drink! But just in case we have this water filter so we always know our water is good! Plus it makes it taste good no matter where we fill up from.
Rest Stops or Welcome Centers
While we were on the east coast we stayed at a lot of rest stops and welcome centers. These are nice because they have 24/7 bathrooms. Not all rest stops allow overnight parking so make sure when you drive in to check signs about parking. For example, in Texas you can stay at rest stops for up to 24 hours and in Florida we found a lot of rest stops have nighttime security but had no problem sleeping there.
- Rest stops can be a little loud at night. often times you will be parked close to a bunch of idling trucks. On nights where it’s especially bad we have this sound machine and we’ll turn on our Maxxair MaxxFan to drown out the noise and sleep better!
Read More: 5 Reasons We Did Not Choose a Fixed Bed for our Van Layout
Walmart
Walmart is another option although not every single Walmart allows overnight parking so we would recommend calling the specific location you are going to. If overnight parking is allowed it’s nice when parking at a Walmart because you are steps away from literally anything you could need! If you need a snack or to use the bathroom or even to use the wifi for a minute you are so close!
- When parking in a place like Walmart you definitely want window covers to make your van look a little more inconspicuous! We use Reflectix on the front windows and Thinsulate window covers on our back windows. They cover all the windows as well as help us control the inside temperature a little.
Read More: Guide to Insulating Your Van
Harvest Host
Harvest Host is a membership that allows overnight parking at farms, vineyards, and breweries across the country!
It cost $80 a year for an unlimited amount of stays at the participating locations. The coolest part for us is that it allows us to go to places we wouldn’t have otherwise visited! Especially in rural areas we would have otherwise driven through!
- The Harvest Host app allows you to see locations on a map including a description of the place, pictures, information about amenities they offer, and reviews from people who have previously stayed.
- The expectation is that in exchange for free parking on their property you will support their business in some way whether it be buying a bottle of wine or food grown on their farm.
Read More: Why We Bought a Ford Transit Instead of a Mercedes Sprinter Van
Boat Ramps
Boat ramps are another option because 24/7 parking is usually (again not always) permitted because of people using the area to fish and put boats into the water. The parking lots are usually on the smaller size and there are usually people going in and out during the day but it usually calms down at night.
- We use these string lights at night a lot because they make the inside of the van super cozy and also help us be stealthy when it’s dark. Plus they are battery powered and super lightweight so we don’t worry about them using too much power or breaking while we drive!
These are definitely not all the places to spend the night in your van or RV but just a few that we have had good experiences at so far! If you have a van or RV we would love to know if you have any other go-to spots!
