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07-07-2017, 03:31 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Rest Stops
I've seen so much great info in these forums on just about every aspect of RV'ing. Campgrounds, Walmarts, dry camping, boondocking, full timing... but I have not come across anything about spending the night at state rest areas when traveling cross country.
We are planning to drive from AZ to Ohio and figured on 2 to 3 full days of driving. Are there any things I should know about parking at a rest area for the night along the way?
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 03:36 PM
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#2
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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Depending on where you are going in Ohio: The Ohio Turnpike "camping" spots in the service plaza's are pretty nice:
Service Plaza RV lots (pdf)
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07-07-2017, 03:39 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek
Depending on where you are going in Ohio: The Ohio Turnpike "camping" spots in the service plaza's are pretty nice:
Service Plaza RV lots (pdf)
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Thanks Jamie. By the time I get to Ohio we will be with relatives. I'm thinking an overnight in New Mexico, then another in Missouri.
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 04:03 PM
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#4
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike in AZ
Thanks Jamie. By the time I get to Ohio we will be with relatives. I'm thinking an overnight in New Mexico, then another in Missouri.
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Yeah I figured as much given the destination being in Ohio I wasn't sure if you were all the way on the east side--probably wouldn't be overnighting in OH.
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07-07-2017, 04:19 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.4
State: California
Posts: 28
THOR #6892
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Rest Stops
We stayed at rest stops along the way this past month in about 20 or so states with no issues. Most of them are really nice. I found Ohio to have the best stops, a lot of them with full dump stations and clean water fill up(free of charge). Rest stops are the best when going from point A to B. New Mexico had some decent ones as well.
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07-07-2017, 04:27 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charlie_kay
We stayed at rest stops along the way this past month in about 20 or so states with no issues. Most of them are really nice. I found Ohio to have the best stops, a lot of them with full dump stations and clean water fill up(free of charge). Rest stops are the best when going from point A to B. New Mexico had some decent ones as well.
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Thanks, that's very helpful! I'm looking at our route. Probable stop in New Mexico, just east of Albuquerque on the I-40; and one just southwest of St. Louis. I won't be hooking up, just sleeping overnight.
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 04:58 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 32A
State: Florida
Posts: 1,873
THOR #2829
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike in AZ
Thanks, that's very helpful! I'm looking at our route. Probable stop in New Mexico, just east of Albuquerque on the I-40; and one just southwest of St. Louis. I won't be hooking up, just sleeping overnight.
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I've stayed in rest areas in a few states - never had an issue... Typical of a Walmart stop - I don't extend slides, etc - get some sleep and on my way. Just can't do the shopping thing beyond vending machines...
Ohio is the only ones I've seen so far with hookups (and a machine to take your credit card for the fee - reasonable as I recall compared to CG).
Many are posted with no overnight parking - never been even questioned as I sit between 18 wheelers doing the same thing...
__________________
Greg
Not yet retired...
Florida (Michigan transplant)
2014 Hurricane 32A
2000 Infinity (previous)
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07-07-2017, 05:11 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Brand: Entegra
Model: Accolade 37TS
State: South Dakota
Posts: 8,781
THOR #1469
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__________________
Dave
US Army (Ret)
2020 Entegra Accolade 37TS
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk (Toad)
FMCA - F432054
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07-07-2017, 05:33 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 26B
State: Indiana
Posts: 389
THOR #6414
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The key is to not appear to be camping and if you by chance do talk to an attendant you're only there to catch some needed rest before you get back on the road. We've only been asked to move along twice in the past 30 or 40 years. One was a weather evacuation and the other actually closed between the hours of 2 and 6 am (to keep out overnighters).
All in all they aren't bad but can be noisy at times depending on who pulls in near you. Cattle trailers are the worst! Stomping and mooing all night long!
__________________
Roger, Dawn, and Roxie
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07-07-2017, 05:43 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 31L
State: Florida
Posts: 2,184
THOR #908
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I think there are something like half a dozen states that technically allow it.
google "states that allow overnight parking in rest areas"
and you'll find several references.
I personally have never done it..... probably would but I would be very selective.
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07-07-2017, 06:03 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Travato
State: Florida
Posts: 2,475
THOR #1765
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Www.beamalarm.com
Beamalarm.com has a list of all the rest stops by state and whether they allow parking overnight. I did it for several nights on a trip in my RV from Denver, Co to South Florida several years ago and it was fine. In the states that allow it, you will almost always find a few RVs together around dark. It was nice on the interstate not to have to stop early and look for a site. I drove until just before dark and stopped at rest stops until I found a few RVs parked for the night.
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07-07-2017, 06:14 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dstankov
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Thanks, I will check them out ASAP!
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 06:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by airforceret
The key is to not appear to be camping and if you by chance do talk to an attendant you're only there to catch some needed rest before you get back on the road. We've only been asked to move along twice in the past 30 or 40 years. One was a weather evacuation and the other actually closed between the hours of 2 and 6 am (to keep out overnighters).
All in all they aren't bad but can be noisy at times depending on who pulls in near you. Cattle trailers are the worst! Stomping and mooing all night long!
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Good advice, thanks. I'm going to look for that info (overnight allowed or not) for the rest areas I'm looking at.
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 06:18 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blw2
I think there are something like half a dozen states that technically allow it.
google "states that allow overnight parking in rest areas"
and you'll find several references.
I personally have never done it..... probably would but I would be very selective.
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Awesome tip, thanks! Both NM and MO are listed as allowing overnight parking. NM says "24 hours," and MO says "unless otherwise posted." That will be perfect for us.
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 06:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oneilkeys
Beamalarm.com has a list of all the rest stops by state and whether they allow parking overnight. I did it for several nights on a trip in my RV from Denver, Co to South Florida several years ago and it was fine. In the states that allow it, you will almost always find a few RVs together around dark. It was nice on the interstate not to have to stop early and look for a site. I drove until just before dark and stopped at rest stops until I found a few RVs parked for the night.
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Thanks! That is the first site that popped up on the google search someone else suggested. Looks like it's going to work out well for us.
I would love to see a couple other RV's in the area too, safety in numbers and all that.
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 06:36 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 26B
State: Indiana
Posts: 389
THOR #6414
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Keep in mind that if weather is bad they tend to fill up quickly, and if you wait too late it can be a gamble whether or not a spot will be available. If it's getting late and you are contemplating stopping it may be worth getting to bed early and getting out early... I've found myself out of luck on more than one occasion and had to go to a backup plan (walmart, loves, pilot, american legion, and so forth).
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Roger, Dawn, and Roxie
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07-07-2017, 06:51 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 6,187
THOR #2121
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Overnighting in rest areas has come up various times in different threads as I recall.
We've used rest areas to sleep from 4 to 8 hours many times when traveling between home and family. Don't recall it ever being part of a vacation because we take it easier and drive shorter days. Rest areas meet our needs much better than campgrounds when driving late regardless of cost.
Most of our stops have been on I-10 in Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi; or I-75 in Florida. We've also stopped one or two nights each in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Georgia while driving to visit family.
As I've mentioned before, our van is only 20-feet long so we park next to cars where there are a lot more people sleeping, and it's not as loud because trucks are farther away. We have never been bothered, and haven't seen anyone that's been asked to leave.
As long as there are many open spaces, I doubt there is going to be an issue. However, there have been a few recent reports of upcoming campground shortages that may change our ability to overnight in rest areas. I hope it doesn't come to that.
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07-07-2017, 07:06 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2023 Jayco Precept 31UL
State: Florida
Posts: 2,916
THOR #1589
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I use a website and app, OvernightRVParking. Besides a list., it gives you crowd sourced reviews of rest areas, WMrts, Cracker Barrels.
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Life is better when you cry a little, laugh a lot, and are thankful for everything you've got!
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07-07-2017, 07:21 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Thanks for the additional info, this is all very helpful to a first timer like me!
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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07-07-2017, 07:23 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37LX
State: Arizona
Posts: 506
THOR #7863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chance
Overnighting in rest areas has come up various times in different threads as I recall.
We've used rest areas to sleep from 4 to 8 hours many times when traveling between home and family. Don't recall it ever being part of a vacation because we take it easier and drive shorter days. Rest areas meet our needs much better than campgrounds when driving late regardless of cost.
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That's the case with us now, Chance. We are going to visit relatives in OH, so the traveling part is really just to get there.
__________________
__________
Mike
USAF Veteran, Retired Security Professional
The only thing necessary for evil to prosper,
Is that good men do nothing.
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