Josh Schukman
by Josh Schukman
Posted January 1, 2022

Overnight RV parking is a necessity for RVers because long road trips need breaking up — especially when you are towing a camper behind you. However, the rates for overnight stays at RV parks can sometimes be outlandish. The average cost for a private campground in the U.S. is $38.50 per night, all for a slab of concrete and a few hookups.

That’s why stocking up with RV supplies that’ll help you Boondock is essential for free overnight RV parking.

Private campground rates sting even more when all you need is a place to park your rig and sleep for a few hours. For this reason, many RVers opt to find free overnight RV parking when they need rest during a long road trip. There are safe places to park your RV for free all over the country. Knowing where you can park your RV for free is a vital skill that no road warrior should be without.

And here’s a handy guided search we put on our site that’ll help you find the right RV for you.


RVs For Rent Near You

{“odcTracking”:”How to Find Free RV Overnight Parking Near You”,”rentalPageType”:”pin”,”odcLocale”:”en-us”,”partnerId”:”700″,”apiObject”:{“auto_radius”:true,”instant_book”:true,”pagination”:{“pageSize”:4}}}

Find RV Overnight Parking Near Me

Here are three tools for finding places to park your RV for free:

  • Allstays app — No RVer should be without this app that will show you all the places — free and otherwise — where you can park your RV overnight. Simply set the app filter to free parking, and you’ll find free overnight RV parking near your location
  • Freecampsites.net — A great resource to find free overnight RV parking near you
  • CampendiumAn exhaustive list of all types of campgrounds and free RV parking
Where can I park my RV for free, free overnight parking, free RV parking, places where I can park my RV for free, find free RV parking

Free Overnight Parking

Looking for a place to park your rig for the night? You have some options:

  • Parking Lots
  • Driveways of Friends and Family
  • RV Camping Network RV Spaces
  • Bureau of Land Management Sites

Walmart Parking Lot

The old standby for free RV overnight parking is the Wal-Mart parking lot. While this can work in a pinch, it’s usually noisy and brightly lit through the night. If you go this route, be sure to double-check with a manager in-store to confirm that it’s okay to park your RV overnight. the same goes for the parking lots of recreational retailers, like Cabelas and Bass Pro Shop.

Most Wal-Marts, Cabelas, and Bass Pro Shops allow overnight RV parking, but not all of them! Make sure you know if your desired location is RV friendly or not.

Moochdock Parking

Moochdocking is the fine art of parking with friends or family and mooching off their power and water hookups. While it might sound a bit odd, this can be a wonderful way to visit family and friends you haven’t seen in some time. 

If you’re taking a long road trip in your RV, consider planning some moochdocking along the way. Even if you have to adjust your route to make it happen, moochdocking is a great option for free RV overnight parking. Even better than free parking, you’ll be able to catch up with loved ones who you may not have seen in some time!

Where can I park my RV for free, free overnight parking, free RV parking, places where I can park my RV for free, find free RV parking

Harvest Hosts

Harvest Hosts is quickly taking overnight RV parking by storm. Why park overnight in a parking lot when you can bring your self-contained rig and spend the night at the wineries, breweries, and beautiful farms making up the Harvest Hosts network? For a small annual fee, you’ll get access to over a thousand beautiful spots to park your RV overnight for free. As an added bonus, you can often take advantage of amenities such as wine tastings and farmer’s markets at the host site.

Boondockers Welcome

Boondockers Welcome is another network like Harvest Hosts that allows free overnight parking at cool spots all over the country. They tend to focus more on residential spots for RV overnight parking, rather than vineyards and breweries like Harvest Hosts. 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands

BLM lands are federally owned spaces that often allow free RV parking. These dispersed camping areas are especially prevalent in the Southwest. You could use the Allstays app or jump on the BLM website to find free RV parking near you. Many BLM lands are in some wonderfully scenic areas, so you may want to plan for longer than an overnight stay!

Where can I park my RV for free, free overnight parking, free RV parking, places where I can park my RV for free
Free Overnight Parking for Your Camper Model

A little-known secret in the world of free overnight RV parking is that some networks offer free parking if you own a particular model of RV.

For example, Airstream owners have long benefitted from courtesy parking. Airstream owners with space publish their names in the courtesy parking directory that is given to all members of the national Airstream club. If you have an Airstream, you can find overnight RV parking near you — and have a fun time with fellow Airstreamers — by taking advantage of this benefit. 

Other makes of RV have similar offerings through their national clubs. The best way to investigate is by reaching out to your RV manufacturer to see if free RV overnight parking is possible in their network.

Save Money With Free Overnight Parking

Knowing where to find free overnight parking near you is a skill that no RV owner or renter should be without. Though a Walmart parking lot can be good for RV overnight parking in a pinch, there are so many other money-saving options. 

By planning your overnight stops with networks like Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome, you can create wonderful memories for you and your family while parking for free overnight.

And check out all our RVs fir rent right here.


RVs For Rent Near You

{“odcTracking”:”How to Find Free RV Overnight Parking Near You”,”rentalPageType”:”pin”,”odcLocale”:”en-us”,”partnerId”:”700″,”apiObject”:{“auto_radius”:true,”instant_book”:true,”pagination”:{“pageSize”:4}}}

Josh Schukman

Josh is half of the husband+wife duo behind OutofNorm.al - where their mantra is "life, unwasted". Josh and his wife gallivanted all over the country in an '88 Airstream for 4+ years. They now run a glamping property in Montana by Glacier National Park. They keep up their RVing love by renting out vintage Airstreams and other RVs to travelers hitting Montana.

 

Ready to get started.

Be the first to get doses of destination inspiration, and discount codes.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our privacy policy