We're about to make a trip, and I'm starting to plan the adventure. We've done tons of car/tent camping, and that is logistically easy. Mapping out the actual route is not a big deal, but because it's a multi-day trip, I'm wondering what you all do to plan your over-nights while you're en-route? We have our own method of doing this; just curious what some of you others might be doing.

Do you just pull up options on All-stays, or RV-parky, or what?

Unfortunately, most states I have been in have specified either no overnight camping, no overnight parking, or limited to 3 hours. That does not mean that the rules are evenly enforced. We avoid the rest areas and have stayed instead at truck stops (Pilot, Flying J, Loves, TA, etc.) or Walmart parking lots. When we do stop, I make it a practice to go in and check if it is permitted and if so, where to park. The apps are not always accurate and checking first is a courtesy and is appreciated. If we do stay, we buy something there to show our appreciation for the privilege.

This trip, my wife bought fat quarters (a cut of fabric for quilting) at the various Walmart stores at which we stayed. Eventually, they will get turned into a memory quilt of this recent trip.

Originally posted by mcarter You know if you're smart enough to outfit an RV and an adequate tow vehicle, then smart enough to ensure you're safe and responsible. With all the sources available, why would you put stops and overnights open? Do you go to the airport and see what's on standby? Do you hang around the bus station waiting for an open seat? Too easy to plan a trip and not be in a parking lot, when I was a child we didn't have these resources. Planning a trip is not difficult.

For interim stops, I plan on pulling over at a convenient truck stop or Walmart.  I like to drive until I feel like pulling over.  It can give me a two to six hour head start on the next day.  And that doesn't even take into consideration that most campgrounds are miles off-route and truck stops are usually right at the interstate exit.  It's not much of a consideration, but it's a nice bonus that they're free too.

I start looking on Google Maps or AllStays Camp & RV about a half an hour before I want to stop and i always call and speak to the Walmart manager if that's where I want to stop.

That's what I do.  No judgement about what anyone else does.  Maybe when I retire I'll be more comfortable with taking 3 or 4 days to go a thousand miles.  As it is an extra day on the road is one less day to relax at my destination.

TT

We have not taken a trip yet. But I already have allstays and a free/low cost camping site to use.

The one I have not seen mentioned thus far was Casino's.

Free or near free stays (seemed 5$ was average) per night with dump station.

Now I don't know about water or power. But if all I needed was a level secure spot to grab some sleep a casino seems to fit that pretty well.

They may not have showers but you know they have bathrooms and decent food.

It seems like where you stop may depend very much on whether you're retired.  I'm not retired yet, so when I go somewhere I rarely get more than a week and two weekends.  9 days.  And I often go somewhere at least a good day and a half away, sometimes more.  And I'm not wandering.  I'm on a mission to get to my destination.  I'm not very interested in spending 6 or 10, or more, waking hours enjoying some campground along the way. 

We did take a trip a couple of years ago that had some slop in the schedule, and several interim destinations as well.  I had more than 9 days that time.  It was pretty durn enjoyable and we even stumbled on to an unexpected National Park that we took the time to visit.  I plan on retiring this year, so maybe I'll slow down and do more of that kind of traveling.  That said though, I don't know that I'll give up Walmarts and truck stops for those nights I'm in between places I want to be.  I mean, you can pull of the interstate and be asleep in your Pod in 30 minutes.  In the morning, you just wake up, maybe fix a cup of coffee, and go.  It's a very rare campground where you can do that.  The only thing bertter, in my opinion, would be an interstate truck stop, but on my travels I rarely run across a state that allows overnights.  I think Alabama does, and I transit Alabama the long way, from north to south, and back, every year but never have spent the night there.

Pods give you the freedom to travel just about anyway you want, which is great.  I'm glad to hear about people who do things differently than I do -- it gives me ideas. 

TT

I did plan an interim stop at a campground a few years ago.  Got there at about 9:30 pm in a pouring rain.  The gate was locked and unmanned.  Not a thing to do but back out and go find some place else.  Ended up at a Walmart. 

The campground never told me they locked the gate at a certain point.  I'm sure they would have given me the lock combination if I told them I'd be there late.  I deal with other campgrounds like that,  No big deal.  You just have to know what you're dealing with.  I made the reservation with Reserve America, which I generally hate.  I called them the next morning wanting my money back.  (I showed up and they wouldn't let me in; I figured I deserved my money back.)  Never got it and they weren't particularly nice about it.

I got soaked to the bone dealing with backing out a narrow road in the rain, and I wasted a good two hours.  Anecdotal, I know, but that doesn't happen at a truck stop.  There was no way I could have been to this campground by 4, 5, or 6 pm.  I guess I could have stopped at a campground 250 miles earlier, but then my trip to my destination would have taken 3 days instead of two.

I also did not wait till late in the day to start looking.

Allstays became the 'go-to' app on the run. With 'freecampsites.net' being in the mix. After talking to another on the road, I started using Google and found it works pretty well.

Being the Maritimes run was in Canada, I had 3 other apps with me dedicated (or mostly) to Canada. Never went to them..