There are a few other companies, like Cracker Barrel and Home Depot, who are known to cater to RVers too. Most of the advice given here regarding Walmart will apply to any commercial location that might allow RVs.
A shooting incident involving a alleged RVer at a Walmart in Arizona may alter Walmart's corporate policy. The perpetrator was killed and a police officer injured. Many people fear it will cause Walmart officials to retract their RV friendly status. As is often the case, just one bad apple can spoil things for everyone. Initial reports claimed the shooter was an RVer. Turns out no RVers were actually involved, but he negative publicity was widespread.
There are, however, some Walmarts where overnight RV parking is prohibited. Don't try to use one of these or make a fuss. You can check the list here (No Overnight Parking At Walmart) to see if a Walmart you want to use is one of them to avoid problems. While it may be a manager's decision more often they are complying with local laws or zoning or insurance regulations.
Walmart's generosity is a privilege, not a right. All users must respect that fact and be courteous. Most RVers behave appropriately, but I've seen some who, if Walmart judged all RVers by them, would result in loss of access. On a recent trip to my local Walmart I saw a large, Class A motorhome with an SUV dingy behind it and a motorcycle on a rack on the back of the dingy. The driver had pulled into a double row so he was only occupying two parking places... BUT ... the front of the RV was about 4' out into one driveway and the entire SUV and motorcycle blocked more than half the other one. I drive a 40' Class A and usually pull a 18' enclosed motorcycle trailer so I usually need lots of room. When there isn't room to park in the lot without blocking the roadways, we should go back out and park on the street. In the case described above there was plenty of easy curb parking that would not have been much further from the front door than where the offender had ensconced his rig. It may seem more thoughtful to try to only use up 2 parking spaces instead of parking crosswise over several spots -- but not if your rig then blocks the driveways! There is usually plenty of open areas at the edges of the parking lots. And street parking, when available, especially for short shopping visits, is even more preferable. Very often it is a lot easier to get going again from curb parking than negotiating a tight parking lot with a big rig. Yes, you may have to walk a little further, but its a small price to pay (and perhaps even an investment in better health) to be courteous and to preserve the privilege.
Be careful and considerate where you park. Don't pull right up close to the doors and block multiple parking places with your RV. Stay out in the less popular parts of the parking lot. Most of us can use the exercise anyway! I saw an RV who tried to take up only two spaces by pulling through two columns of parking, only to leave his dingy vehicle with a large motorcycle on a rack on the back sticking out blocking the aisle! It would have been a lot more considerate and far less impact on other customers if he had parked crossways over several remote parking spots!
Pack it in, pack it out. This is usually the mantra of back packers and environmental activists, but it applies equally well to RVers stopping in a rest area or a Walmart parking lot or anywhere we camp for that matter. Make sure your dump valves are closed and the cap tightly in place so you don't leave foul deposits on the pavement. If you should happen to have a leak, put a pan under it so you don't contaminate the parking lot. Keep track of your garbage and don't let it blow around the neighborhood. If you see trash anywhere near your rig, pick it up, even if it isn't yours. We should make this a habit where ever we go, but it is particularly offensive to leave a mess behind when accepting the free parking at Walmart or other friendly companies or in rest areas.
Patronize the store. Very often we need supplies by the time we stop for the night, so give your business to Walmart while you're there. Chances are you'll find all but the most esoteric items on your shopping list at Walmart. I always like to stroll through the RV supplies and camping accessories every time I'm in Walmart, even if I've only come for groceries or auto parts. You may well find something useful. And don't forget to check out the CLEARANCE sections! Even though our travel budget usually doesn't include a category for this kind of shopping, I've found it very helpful and satisfying to take advantage of purchasing interesting items when I see them. All too often I've not been able to find them again if I decide to wait until I get home. And you'll never have a better frame of reference for whether something will be useful than during an actual trip.
Put your shopping cart in the corral when you're finished with it. Walmart typically has cart return stations within a few steps of every parking place in the lot. There is NO excuse for leaving a cart loose to block a parking space or get blown into someone's vehicle! I once had the plastic grill on my pickup destroyed by an errant shopping cart and I've seen them cave in car doors on more than one occasion.
Don't over stay your welcome. I'm sure Walmart and their neighboring businesses would not appreciate some one camping in the parking lot for an extended period of time. Their generosity is aimed toward travel-weary drivers who need to get off the road and get a few hours rest before they have an accident and people just passing through. Normally you should only stay overnight and be gone by mid-morning. If you need someplace to stay longer than just overnight, seek out a public or private campground or a primitive camping area on BLM or forest service land. If you stay too long you can likely expect a visit from local law enforcement. If that happens, you can't automatically assume someone at Walmart called them. They may have just noticed the vehicle on a routine patrol or, perhaps, some neighbor (business or resident) may have called in the report. No matter who may have called it in, the only one to blame is the unwelcome visitor for over-staying their welcome and abusing camping privileges.
Welcome to Walmart!
This kind of advice is good for multiple applications. Was it you we met out at 5 Mile yesterday? We were the three guys on Honda Trail 110s. We've got a link up on TRAILONE10.com to UTMA.
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