Do you always need an RV Park ? .....

[LandYacht35dies]

..... or can you BLACK TOP BOONDOCK from time to time ?

My main experience has been with a diesel dually and large truck camper but there are MAJOR LIMITATIONS with that ! Hence my move to a class A

[Bruce_Brown]

Excellent point.

[SDcampowneroper]

Outdoor Hospitality has a changing definition. As enthusiasts of the outdoor mobile lifestyle it is imperitive that we all endorse each persons choice to experience it it their own way.
,We do not condone overuse or abuse that diminish, thereby embolding officials or businesses to curtail use of properties in their charge.
OPs question cannot be answered to anyones satisfaction .

[olfarmer]

WOW, we have been camping since the 1960's, tent, fold down, pickup camper, 3 class C's and 2 class A's, have stayed at Flying J twice because we had no choice. Not rich but would much prefer to stay in an RV park or a camp ground! Walmart would be an emergency for us!

[toedtoes]

JRscooby wrote:

toedtoes wrote:


Then you get into the "if you let that guy stay overnight in a class B, why can't stay overnight in my minivan" argument. And then, " if you let that guy in the minivan, why not my SUV".

To me this statement says people that can afford a MH should be allowed to stay for free, but the people that can't should pay for a campground.

No, my comment was actually the opposite.

Many RV owners argue that because they are self-contained, they should be allowed to overnight. But that suggests that others who are not totally self-contained should not be allowed to overnight.

And that means that cities and counties and parking lot owners would need to spend money and effort into enforcing that choice.

Allowing people in cars to overnight can create a problem in logistics regarding bathrrom needs, etc. If there is no restroom available all night, then folks will pee in the lot. Which requires clean up.

So, for cities and counties, the easiest option is to not allow any overnight parking. That way they don't have to deal with all those other issues. It prevents the slippery slope scenarios (if, then arguments).

[JRscooby]

toedtoes wrote:


Then you get into the "if you let that guy stay overnight in a class B, why can't stay overnight in my minivan" argument. And then, " if you let that guy in the minivan, why not my SUV".

To me this statement says people that can afford a MH should be allowed to stay for free, but the people that can't should pay for a campground.

[Ivylog]

In the summer out West we dry camp 5-6 days/week and travel and resupply on the weekends without reservations. Yes, the past 2 summers have been busier than normal… fortunately the newbies need reservations and FHU while we like Public CGs that don’t take reservations. In 20 years of doing it this way I can only think of 2 times this has not worked out…2 summers ago in Moab. Dispersed camping in 100 degrees running the generator 24 hours didn’t add up so 4 hours later we were in Grand Mesa, CO with frost the next morning.

[hohenwald48]

LandYacht35diesel wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:
Short answer to your question is simply "yes". The reason is "for more gracious living." If I'm boondocking it's either because I'm broke down or everything is full and I didn't make a reservation.

MUST BE NICE Nashville guy ... not to care about mpg or the price of fuel AND NOW it appears you need an RV Park every night !

I have RVed since the early 80s and I maybe have gone to parks MAYBE 20 times !

I’ve even black topped it in ... Key West !

I’ll bet you went to Bluewater Park.... for 300$ a nite !

More power to ya !

Yep, it's very nice and I have been to Bluewater Key and Mountain Falls and Everglades Isle and Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort and many others. Momma always told me hard work would pay off.

Sorry you don't like my style but I don't really understand the anger. The OP asked a question and I gave my answer. Just not the same as your answer. What's the problem?

[pianotuna]

I use the trip planner at freecampsites.net. It serves me well.

[rgatijnet1]

I've seen photos of some major cities in California, and a few other States, where you don't even need an RV to camp out wherever you want. 😉

[toedtoes]

I understand why cities and counties ban overnighting in parking lots. Like most informal allowances, it starts out with a fairly rare usage. Then it starts becoming the standard. And then it is not only overnighting but staying for days to weeks. And then you get the youtubers showing folks how to shower in a parking lot. And you get the slime who start dumping their tanks in the parking lot because they don't want to pay $5-$20 to dump at a station.

Then you get into the "if you let that guy stay overnight in a class B, why can't stay overnight in my minivan" argument. And then, " if you let that guy in the minivan, why not my SUV".

And when things get out of hand, the cities and towns and counties have to use their resources on patrolling parking lots.

Sure, no one HERE would ever be a problem, but there are enough RVers out there who have no issue abusing it, that it's often easier to just say NO.

[sehunter]

I rarely get involved in these conversations but this one hit home for me. Because when I started in 1978 with my first of 5 class A's the reason I did was because it was self contained and I could be out in the wilderness for a week or more and not worry about negatively affecting in the enviroment. And what I was doing out there was fishing, hunting, dirt biking, sandrailing, fourwheeling and just relaxing. And guess what I didn't pay a dime to be there. Now move forward 20 yrs. my first trip around the United States I stayed in a RV park every night for several months. Which was more enjoyable for me was the first twenty.

What iritates me now is a Class A is designed and sold with a minimum of 7 days of self containment and now cities and counties are trying to force me to stay in their RV parks. I do not mind paying for dry parking at all but why should I have to pay somebody for what I already have a toilet and shower with tanks a generator, refrigerator, stove, microwave, solar power so what's the point of having all this? I guess I understand this new generation of RV'ers that never lived in that era before RV parks but why force all us in that direction?

I'm done!

[SDcampowneroper]

For overnighing, we do not 'blacktop ' in a public parking lot. We do research gov't lands along our route with unrestricted use, such as wildlife preserves, historical monument turnouts, local gov. sports fields.
Church and school lots are always open to visitors. A donation to the property resolves issues

[AllegroD]

OP,
Do what you feel is right for you. As someone above said, that is why we have choices. When our destination is more important than the journey, we use Walmart, Cracker Barrel, Truck stop, rest areas, etc. You do you.

[corvettekent]

I don't like looking out my window and seeing a RV 5' away from me. I enjoy looking out my window and seeing the mountains or desert and maybe another RV 500' away.