Where Can I Park My RV? (15 Places You Should Know)

RVs conjure up visions of the open road and being able to go wherever you want whenever you want.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and you can get yourself into trouble by going places you shouldn’t.

This is especially true when it comes to parking your RV. Park in the wrong spot, and you could end up being fined or even towed at your expense.

So, where can you park your RV?  Here are 15 places to consider!

Can I Park my RV at the Beach?

Amazingly enough, you can park your RV at the beach.

The catch is that you can’t just park on any beach you want.

Most towns won’t let you park your RV on their beaches. 

However, some beachfront RV campsites that have water and electric hookups for you to enjoy.

Beach parking does cost money, and the location you choose to park will usually dictate how much you end up paying.

For example, parking your RV on a beach in North Carolina will probably cost you a lot less than parking your RV on a beach in Florida.

Can I Park my RV at a Hotel?

Are you planning on booking a hotel room while traveling with your RV?

If so, you probably won’t have any issues with parking your RV at that hotel.

On the other hand, if you aren’t a patron of the hotel, you may find that they don’t want you parking there.  This makes perfect sense as your RV could end up taking up a parking spot that could be used for a paying customer.

In general, you’ll find that busy city hotels are more likely to kick you out versus hotels with plenty of open parking spaces.

Can I Park my RV at Walmart?

Most Walmarts would love to have you as an overnight guest in their parking lot, and many do.

This isn’t always the case, though as some cities have banned Walmart from doing so.

The sad truth is that Walmarts that are located near resort areas are typically not allowed to let you park on their lot.

This is because the local resorts have lobbied the government to put bans in place so that Walmart doesn’t cut into their revenues.

For this reason, you’ll have to ask each Walmart individually whether or not you’re allowed to legally park your RV in their parking lot.

In most cases, if the city allows it, then Walmart will allow it.

Can I Park my RV at Disney World?

Disney World offers one main area for you to park your RV.

This would be Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.

From Fort Wilderness, you can drive your RV to all of the local attractions and park in their parking lots during the day, or you can take the Fort Wilderness shuttle into each area.

My personal preference would be to use the shuttle, but your mileage (literally), may vary.

Can I Park my RV at Costco?

Costco has the same general RV parking rules as Walmart in that they allow it when they can.

Again, because of local rules and regulations, you’ll need to call each Costco separately to find out whether or not they can allow you to legally park your RV there overnight.

Also, remember that if you actually want to shop at a Costco, you’ll need a membership.  If you don’t have a membership, you might be better off sleeping somewhere else.

This way, you’ll be able to go into the store to get what you need and to help support the business that is allowing you to stay in their parking lot.

Can I Park my RV at Universal Studios?

Universal Studios does allow you to park your RV there during the day.

It costs a little bit more than parking for a standard vehicle but not noticeably so.

Unfortunately, you can’t park your RV overnight at Universal Studios, but there are many nearby RV parks for you to choose from.

Can I Park my RV at Rest Stops?

Most rest stops do not allow overnight RV parking.

This being said, you are usually allowed to stop and sleep there for short periods of time.

For example, I’ve been to many rest stops that have signs posted that limit parking to 6 hours. 

This would be plenty of time for an RVer to catch up on some sleep before moving on.  Find a couple of RV rest stops within close proximity to each other, and you could easily get by without having to stay at a campsite for the night.

Also, enforcement of this rule probably varies from area to area, so you might not have any trouble staying overnight at rest stop either way.

Can I Park my RV at a Truckstop?

Most truck stops will allow you to park your RV there overnight.

However, there are a few big downsides to parking an RV at a truck stop.

For starters, it can anger truck drivers.  This is especially true in areas where parking is tight.

On top of this, you won’t be able to put your RV’s slides out.  This won’t be a problem for RVers that don’t have slides, but it could be an issue if you have an RV that does.

Another issue is that these areas can be loud and full of pollutants. If you park overnight at a truck stop, be prepared to possibly wake up to a parking lot filled with trucks and smog.

Can I Park my RV in my Backyard?

Many towns will allow you to park your RV in your backyard.

They may even allow you to sleep in it while it’s back there.

Other towns won’t allow you to park an RV in your backyard while others will allow you to. However, you’ll get in trouble if you allow someone to sleep in it. 

You’ll have to check with your local township to know for sure.

Can I Park my RV at Cracker Barrel?

Cracker Barrel does allow RV parking in their parking lots.

Like all businesses, parking will be limited to the laws in place in the area that you’re parking in, but paying customers are usually allowed to park there.

Can I Park my RV at Cabela’s?

Cabela’s is one of the best places to park your RV for the night.

Many of Cabela’s locations have an RV dump station that you can use.  Make a purchase in their store, and you may even get to use the dump station for free.

Be aware that there are still some places where Cabela’s isn’t allowed to offer you overnight parking.

As usual, you’ll have to call each individual store to find out what their policies are.

Can I Park my RV at Flying J?

Flying J does allow you to park your RV there.

Some spots are free to park in, and others will cost money to park in.

The nice thing about parking at a Flying J is the fact that you’ll have access to a wide array of other amenities.  Most Flying J truck stops will offer paid showers, paid access to Wi-Fi, and propane tank refills.

While you’re at the Flying J, you can also buy food and coffee.

Can I Park my RV at Key West?

There are plenty of RV parks where you can park your RV in Key West.

However, don’t expect to be able to park your RV just anywhere.

According to the city of Key West’s website, “city ordinances forbid overnight parking on city streets, parks, and beaches.”

Ordinances also do not allow you to park recreational vehicles with lengths of over 20 feet or widths of over 7 feet to be parked on the streets during the day, either.

These rules might seem unreasonable at first, but remember that the streets aren’t very wide there, and a big RV will stick out into the lanes people need to drive on.

Can I Park my RV on BLM land?

BLM land offers campers a chance to stay in campgrounds and in dispersed camping spots while in their RV.

Some places will be free, some will want you to have a permit, and others will cost you.

Every state and every area of BLM land will have different rules, so you’ll have to research the exact place you’d like to stay to find out exactly what these rules are.

Also, another factor to consider is that BLM land isn’t as abundantly available in some areas of the country.

While you may have plenty of BLM options for camping out West, you won’t find many at all in the northeastern part of the country.

This is especially true in urban areas.

Try to find a piece of BLM land to park when you visit Philadelphia, and you might be in for a 6-hour drive before you find one.

Can I Park my RV at a Regular Parking Lot?

Most parking lots will allow you to pull through a couple of spots so that you can stop with your RV.

The trouble comes when you decide to park there overnight.

Some parking lots will allow you to park in them overnight while others will not.

Also, keep in mind that some parking garages will not be tall enough for your RV. You’ll want to make sure you know exactly how tall your RV is before going into any parking garages.

Can I Park my RV Anywhere?

A big RV can’t just be parked anywhere.

Small class B RVs, on the other hand, can often fit into regular parking spaces.

With a small RV like this, you can park anywhere that you’d park a car during the day, but you still may not be able to park the RV there overnight.

Also, some towns actually ban sleeping in a vehicle in public areas.  In this case, you can’t even legally pull over to sleep in your RV during the day. 

For this reason, if you decide to park someplace unfamiliar for some daytime sleeping, you may want to make sure you do so with stealth.

What is the Fine if I Park my RV Illegally?

The fine for illegally parking an RV somewhere will vary greatly.

In some neighborhoods, you may just get a small ticket for overnight parking.  In other areas, you could be towed at your expense.

My best advice to RV owners is to simply find a place where you can legally park your RV.

Not only will this save you time and money, but it will also eliminate the stress that comes with illegally parking an RV.

Final Thoughts:

Learning where to park an RV can sometimes require a bit of research, but it is almost always worth the effort.

Also, always remember that when all else fails, you can usually pay money to legally park somewhere nice.

Resources:

Tour Bus/Motor Coach/RV Parking Information – City of Key West