One of the many trials and tribulations of the RV lifestyle is finding a place to park for the night. Maybe you’re longhauling it across the country on the road trip of a lifetime, or maybe your ride is also your full-time home. Either way, you can’t just park anywhere.
Many stores and parking lots do not allow you to park your RV there overnight. At least, that is, without risking a ticket and the hefty fine that comes with it. If you’re a regular DIYer when it comes to fixing the RV, you might know that hardware stores like Lowe’s have much of what you’ll need for most repairs.
At the end of a day’s journey when you’re ready for some shuteye, though, can you stay parked there at Lowe’s?
As a matter of fact, yes: some Lowe’s stores do allow overnight parking. Whether they do or not will heavily depend on state and county ordinances, who owns the property, and if other stores share the parking lot.
Does Lowe’s Allow Overnight RV Parking?
For the most part: yes. Many Lowe’s locations are a great, free place to dry camp it for the night. They won’t have the hookups or dumping stations of a campground, but their parking lots can be great for boondocking.
Lowes Home Improvement Warehouses are easy to find, both in large cities and smaller boroughs. They’re also often open fairly late, meaning that you can arrive in time to get anything you might need while you’re there. That makes Lowe’s, as well as other hardware chains like Home Depot and Menards, popular overnighting destinations.
Unfortunately, though, Lowe’s allowing for an overnight stay is not universal. There could be issues getting in the way of your stay. It’s best to discover if your particular location allows it or not before you settle in for the evening.
How Can You Find Out If A Lowe’s Allows Overnight RV Parking?
You could look online to local reviews, online forums, or the store’s locator tool to find out if the location allows for overnight parking. However, this might not always have the most up to date information available.
For example, you see a review on Yelp from two years ago says they parked their RV there for the night. For one thing, you don’t know if this person just got lucky and skated past getting a ticket or citation. Secondly, there could have been city ordinances that have changed in that time that you aren’t aware of.
The best way to find out if Lowe’s allows for overnight RV parking is to go inside and ask. A manager will usually have the most solid information for you, but store associates might have the full story too.
Does Wal-Mart Allow RV Overnight Parking?
Wal-Mart is usually considered a great destination for overnight parking. It has everything you need, from food to entertainment, and some are open 24 hours.
Just as with Lowe’s, some Wal-Mart locations allow for overnight RV parking. However, it is best to ask before you do so, as you can’t always be sure.
Conclusion
When you’re ready for some shuteye, especially if you’re deep into a city and far from a campground, you’ll need to park the RV somewhere. You know that you can’t just park anywhere you please, and that you’ll need to find somewhere that will allow you to stay without issue.
Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouses can make for a great overnight parking spot. Most of them allow you to keep your RV there, but not all of them. If you want to be sure, call or visit the store to find out for sure if they allow for overnight parking.
