When one thinks of urban campgrounds, I’m sure Walmart is not the first place that comes to mind.  However in the economic times of today, anywhere to park for free and spend a peaceful night, is always welcomed.  A twist of sorts on boondocking. Which by definition means: To camp in a remote location; To stay in a recreational vehicle in a remote location, without connections to water, power, or sewer services. The not so new fad of Wallydocking has given rise to free spots for wayward RV travelers to park for the night.  And on some occasions multiple nights.   But how do you know which Walmart is RV friendly.  I have recently come across a website which list, by state, the Walmarts which are ‘Wallydocking’ friendly.  If you are a true Wallydocker, you probably already have your list of overnight stay Walmarts, however if you are novice Wallydocker, visit Allstays.com.

Each blue pin is a RV Friendly Walmart in PA.

This site breaks down, by state, every RV friendly Walmart.  So before taking your next trip, consult the maps.  It might just save you money.  Although take a moment to think about the genius of allowing RVers to spend the night in a Walmart parking lot. The majority of people who ‘Wallydock’ also can not avoid going into the store to pick up some supplies.  I for one can never just go to Wally World to pick up that one item I need, I always leave with a few more things.  So by allowing campers to enjoy a peaceful nights rest in the parking lot,  that courtesy is usually rewarded by the camper making a purchase of some kind. This is a win-win situation for Walmart.

I also came across a blog posting from Has Been There mentioning Wallydocking.

We have been using Walmart parking lots a lot as we travel across the country. We usually look for super centers and we usually ask the manager if it’s ok, unless there’s like 4 other RV’s already parked there. Some towns will have a sign stating no overnight parking, but usually if you ask the manager will tell you that there is no problems parking.

The other places we use a lot in our travels are rest areas along interstates. Some of these will have dump stations as well. We try to look for ones where the trucks and RV park behind the bathrooms as it’s usually quieter.

Before you hit the road, think about the urban asphalt campgrounds that are available for that overnight stay, or just to grab a few winks. Just make sure you are courteous and respectful of your surroundings. Much like you would if you were in a paid campground. Using common sense will allow many other fellow RVers to continue to experience Wallydocking at its finest.