One of my twin-granddaughters is graduating from
Ohio University in Athens, OH, on June 10th, and
I'm looking for the list of Wal-Mart stores in that area that allow overnight parking. I just
found out about it and the motels in Athens are
sold out. Can anyone help me on this one?

Jakae Jacobson

WWW.rvbookstore.com sells a walmart listing, but you can get that off the walmart site. The also sell a booklet that lists walmarts that do not allow camping. However, there are walmarts that proscribe camping that are not listed. I have found calling the store from the number on the walmart site works, although the security guard has the final word.

Go to the nearest Wal Mart & buy a Wal Mart Rand McNally road atlas. It lists every Wal Mart in the U.S. that permits overnighters.

Also do not pass up other opportunities. Deb and I have stayed in many large parking lots, not particularly Walmart. If you are a church goer consider churches of your denomination in the area. If you are an Elk, Eagle, consider them.

We have stayed a couple times a various Cabelas stores. Do they have those other than Minnesota? We have a huge Rainbow Grocery store here which I have seen a couple rv's parked at. But "always ask" especially if you are in a Barth, no awnings, campfires on the black top, he he etc. etc.

This may help:

http://www.walmart.com/cservice/ca_storefinder_results....sp&%23.x=17&%23.y=11

Jake, I got a look at the "Wal Mart stores that do not allow overnight RV parking" book, and found the following 5 stores listed for OH:

Cincinnati north of town at Tylersville Road exit off 175

Huber Heights

Mason ............ Store on Tylersville Road

Medina

Mentor

I have stayed in the "regional chain" grocery stores lots before - but be sure to get clearance with the management. The store brand will vary by area.

Wal-Mart

EDITOR'S NOTE: In a survey on our web site, we asked our readers "How many times in 1999 did you stay overnight at Wal-Mart?" Of the 227 respondents, one-third had stayed at least one night, with 23% staying three or more times.

Each paragraph below is from a different person. Most comments have been edited for space.

Many Wal-Mart stores now have "No Overnight RV Parking" signs. Be sure to circle the lot and check ALL parking lot entrances. Some with signs: Arizona -- east Tucson and Casa Grande, and in Oregon in Newport.We were also told of other Wal-Marts with signs.

I called the corporate offices of Wal-Mart in Arkansas and asked what its overnight RV parking policy was. They were very friendly and said it was company policy to allow Rv'ers overnight parking. They also said it would be advisable to check in with the store manager when you arrive as a courtesy. However, they said if we ran into a store that refused us we were to report this to them. We have stayed in a number of Wal-Marts and have been welcomed with open arms. Management even alerts security to keep and eye on the rigs during a stay. If you have a wife like mine (Wal-Mart road atlas in hand) she always needs something from the store. If we stay in a Super Wal-Mart we always hit the deli for a good chicken dinner with potato salad and cole slaw.

We drove the motorhome to the local Wal-Mart last night and got lucky and found a parking spot right by the door. After parking, but before getting out, the greeter rushed out and knocked on our door. He told me that I was very welcome to camp in their lot for the night, and he was ready to show me the designated area, where there were already several RVs. Just in case anyone wonders about Wal-Mart's attitude toward RVers, this encounter should clear the air. Wal-Mart has figured out how to get an otherwise under-used asset (the far end of the parking lot) to produce revenue by encouraging RVers to park. They know that we'll almost always run into the store for some goodies. Smart, very smart.

I have spent several nights in Wal Mart parking lots. We usually park then go inside and pick up then odds and ends you always seem to need. We usually stick to the "Super" Wal Marts as they are 24 hour stores. Others I know do the same and none of us have had any problems. I spoke to a trucker who drives for Wal Mart who told me that he likes seeing RVs when he arrives as he feels he is not all alone on the lot while he waits for his delivery time.

Last year we traveled from the west coast to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. We found that Wal-Marts were happy to have us stop there overnight. There were very few times we didn't buy something. An inventive traveler can find places to stop without a fee -- school yards, gasoline stations, rest stops, club members yards, etc. -

We have stayed at numerous Wal-Marts and have only had one tell us we couldn't, in Vancouver, BC. But they called around to the other area Wal-Marts to find one nearby where we could stay. It was in Surrey. We have never had a probem with any of the Wal-Marts. We always check first and make sure we do our shopping there too. We always take out the garbage bags and walk around our area picking up trash and then taking it to a dumpster.

On a 30-day trip though 12 states, we spent 10 nights on Wal-Mart 's and Big Kmart's parking lots and felt welcome everywhere except in Florida, we were told that campers used the parking lots like a real campgroud. We ate and shopped in every store, with pleasure.

A Wal-Mart or similar retail parking lot does not provide a "campsite." It is still a parking lot where, with the retailers approval, an RVer can get a few hours sleep. It also provides an opportunity to do some restocking and other shopping. For example, we came through a Texas town recently that had a free campground. But we bypassed it to go on to a Wal-Mart a mile away. We didn't want to "camp." We wanted to do a little shopping and get some sleep. It was just easier to do our shopping and then get some sleep where we were rather than doubling back to the free CG, or, for that matter, going on to a commercial CG. We didn't need swimming pool, showers or any other amenities that come with the fee or the extra time it takes to get checked in. So, it's not always a matter of $$. As in this case, sometimes it is just more convenient. Hundreds of Walmarts do not permit overnight stays. Learn which ones.

From: http://www.freecampgrounds.com/othercamps.html

Edited to include link to source.