After all, what interest does a company with yearly sales comparable to the GDP of Norway have in providing free overnight parking to cross-country travelers?Īfter speaking with Walmart managers over a period of a decade, RVTravel offers some reasoning as to why overnight RV parking is on the decline: ![]() It would be all-too easy to assign blame to Walmart for driving a wedge between a six decade long relationship. Walmart RV Parking In Decline: Who’s To Blame? You can check out the 3-minute clip here: Park in a remote area of the parking lot.Always ask permission from the store manager to stay.Cameras and patrolling security offer a measure of safety not found in other remote locationsĬhuck Woodbury, Editor at , has a great short video on how to camp at Walmart for free where he lists the “rules” of camping at Walmart:.Opportunity for one-stop-shop to stock up on goods and supplies.Don’t have to worry about illegally parking on the side of a road.Saves $20-$40/night it would cost to park at a campground.Why exactly is parking at Walmart so important to the RV community? Always call the store ahead of time to check on legal parking status) The RV community relies so heavily on Walmart that there is a website providing an interactive map displaying each Walmart’s RV Parking status* (Note this is an unofficial map – not sponsored by Walmart). Before boondocking became a “thing”, Walmart parking lots have long been a safe haven for travelers criss-crossing the country or simply a place for those people with nowhere else to go. ![]() If you don’t spend much time on the road, you probably don’t understand the significance that Walmart RV parking holds to the RV’ing community. Why Is Walmart So Important to the RV Community? Let’s find out what’s behind the deteriorating relationship between Walmart and RVers. In fact, in 2020 only about 58% of Walmart stores allow overnight RV parking – a steep decline from 78% just ten years earlier. That’s why it’s come as a surprise to many longtime RVers that Walmart RV parking is not as friendly as it once was. Please contact management in each store to ensure accommodations before parking your RV. Permission to park is extended by individual store managers, based on availability of parking space and local laws. Consequently, we do permit RV parking on our store parking lots as we are able. While we do not offer electrical service or accommodations typically necessary for RV customers, Walmart values RV travelers and considers them among our best customers. Walmart’s website acknowledges the Company’s unique relationship with RVers: In this day in age where big corporations are looking to mitigate risk, it’s not insignificant that Walmart very publicly welcomes overnight RV parking. In fact, RVers are so entwined with the world’s largest retailer that a Facebook group solely dedicated to Walmart boondocking boasts over 6,800 members. Since it’s birth in the early 1960’s RVers have found a welcoming overnight camping spot in Walmart parking lots. Shopping isn’t the only bond uniting RVers with the chain that boasts 4,750 stores across the United States. The megastore that sells everything from frozen shrimp to flat screen televisions is a favorite stop of RVers looking to stock up while on the road. ![]() ![]() It’s fair to say that RVers have a special relationship with Walmart. Sometimes, people end up in a Walmart’s parking lot because they cannot think of anywhere else to go “Overnight in Walmart Parking Lots: Silence, Solace and Refuge”, NYTIMES Walmart RV Parking: Is the 60-Year Relationship Really Nearing an End?
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