Top 15 Free and Low-Cost Overnight RV Parking
If you're wondering where to park over night in your camper without breaking the bank (and somewhere you'll feel safe!), this article is for you! I traveled from Texas to New Hampshire, down South to Florida, West to Arizona, and heading East again. Some nights I stay in a campground to have access to 30-amp electricity, water, and a hot shower. Literal MAGIC. However, camp sites add up quick and can get expensive. This girl wants to spend her money on gas to get new places, not an extra night at a campground.
(This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!!).
Here's what is included below!
Top “4” low-cost places to stay overnight.
Lots of details about Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome
So many ideas for where to stay for free!
Apps, boondocking, etc.
BONUS- Tips and Tricks!
Low Cost!
Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome
These are some of my absolute favorite options. If you haven't signed up for these yet, you're missing out! They are annual memberships for a free or low-cost place to stay overnight at a business (Harvest Hosts) or a home (Boondockers Welcome). Read on for the details!
Harvest Hosts
Want to try a new beer or wine? Experience a cavern or museum? How about go golfing? What about parking overnight near some rescue animals (and maybe even get to volunteer helping the animals!). Harvest Hosts are business such as: Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries, Museums, Golf Courses, Retreats + Cottages, Horse Rescues, Farms, and the list goes on and on! I have stayed at many breweries, a few wineries, several farms and an animal sanctuary. The best category is farms! There are alpaca farms, animal rescues, lavender farms, orchards, and truly endless places.
They are low cost as they do not require any payment for you to stay at each individual business. However, Harvest Hosts recommends spending/ donating/ buying at least $20 for each stay. You are helping their business by essentially "boondocking" while also spending your money on something you'd love doing anyway! I always leave stellar reviews on their Harvest Hosts profile and try to remember to leave a google review too. They deserve it!
2. Boondockers Welcome
This is an amazing community of people that are RVers, just like us! They love traveling and have their own land (or driveway) to share with us. Best part? It's really, actually free! Essentially they have anything from grassy land, a pull out, a dirt lot, drive way, etc to let you park on. Want cheap hookups? Since they are RVers, many have their own electrical pedestal, water hookup, and perhaps even a dump! I've had many sites that were only $10 for electricity and water per day. You really can’t beat that. I've found some that allow stays up to 5 nights. Pretty cool and cheap if you ask me!
Boondockers Welcome is truly free. Only unless additional nights, hookups, trash service, or anything else is offered for an agreed upon price.
Some additional tips and thoughts:
The app does a great job of finding new places and allowing you to easily book your stays. Also, there's an option to check for dump stations near by. Love it. The app joins both memberships together if you buy both.
There are so many locations across the US, Harvest Hosts claims there are 5000 places for you to stay! I exclusively used my combined membership to travel from Texas to New Hampshire, and back down to Tennessee.
Most locations are pet friendly! Almost all have strict leash policies. However I've even experienced a few that have their own fenced in dog yard for guests. Or a couple places had tons of land and (with permission) allowed Penny to run off leash!
Harvest Hosts require a fully self contained RV, and Boondockers Welcome requires self contained toilet/ plumbing.
Most importantly, I feel safe. I have never once felt unsafe at a Boondockers Welcome house. I am on someone's private land that I meet (usually as I pull in). Nearly every business through Harvest Host has made me feel welcome and at home. Mind you, there are anywhere from tens to hundreds of reviews of every single BW or HH on their profile. There have been two places I pulled into (or next to the property) and decided not to stay because of how the area felt. Go with your intuition!
At the time I'm writing this, buying the package of both costs $140 for a 365 day membership, or $70 for each membership. If you are truly a nomad, it is worth every penny.
Honestly, these places are the reasons why I LOVE traveling in the first place. Tasting a new food, a glass of wine, sitting on a beautiful patio, and meeting new people. These are the exact reasons I love being on the road. I can't imagine what it would be like not having Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome.
3. State Parks
Random state parks, (especially in the middle of nowhere) can be CHEAP! For example, I’ve seen $13 for full hookup/ $10 for primitive, and $14 for full hookup in another place. But it’s not just the price. There’s so many bonuses to staying at (most) state parks. Some have more facilities, while some are much more primitive. Here’s some benefits!
Dump station
Laundry
Trails to get in some exercise!
Water tank fill
Trash dump
Recycle
SHOWER! Shower! Shower! Shower!
* Important Note! *
Random or remote state parks can be cheap to stay overnight. Just as importantly, you can do all this with a day pass and only spend $5-10 to get everything that I listed above! Some states even charge only a couple hundred for a full year of boondocking at any of their state parks!
This is my second favorite place to stay overnight for camper or RV parking! I just use Google to see what state parks are around and go directly to their site to see what amenities the park has as well as the cost.
4. Hipcamp
If you haven’t used Hipcamp, it’s like the camping edition of AirBNB! Depending on where you are, there are sites (with hookups sometimes!) for less than $18/night. There are a lot of primitive sites that are built on an individual’s property. Again, I haven’t stayed anywhere where I felt uncomfortable! This is usually the last place I look, only because I’ve had such a positive experience with Boondockers Welcome and just Boondocking on free land (see below).
Free!
There are so many places to stay for free! Some are a little quieter, a safer bet, or somewhere you just need to pull over for the night. Always make sure to check in or call a business if you feel any hesitations about parking there overnight. Boondocking is essentially camping on land free of cost without hookups. My favorite is boondocking on BLM land. Large areas of land where you can just be (with usually only a few people near you!). Stars every night ;)
5. BLM Land
If you’re on the East coast this may be a bit harder (although I haven’t personally done it), but out West there’s so much! I stayed outside Joshua Tree CA, Sedona AZ, White Sands NM, and in Quartzsite AZ for free. There’s so much more, and so many places- all for free! Type “BLM camping” in google or google maps wherever you are. You’ll have the benefit of reviews, pictures, and the map to get there. BLM land is available to use for 14 consecutive days, in a 28-day period. However, if you drive 25 miles away, you can stay on another BLM land instead of waiting the full 28-day window.
6. iOverlander App
Another way to find boondocking sites across the United States, Apps! My personal favorite is IOverlander. There are a ton of listings (including pictures if you have internet) inside cities, to way out in the woods. The app shows anything from street parking, BLM land, to designated campgrounds. You’ll have to read and sift through them since some sites are reported as closed. For instance, a member writes that an overnight boat ramp spot on 02/13/2023 has a sign that reads, “No overnight parking”. Luckily people are good about updating the listings with reviews!
7. Campendium App
Similar to iOverlander, there are several types of listings. Campgrounds and overnight parking. Although I don’t use this app often, I use it to find places before using google to verify.
8. Google Maps
Google maps has so much to offer! Use maps to type in “camping”, “BLM land”, or “RV parks”!
9. Moochdocking
Have friends or family across the country? Go stay with them! As long as their HOA allows it, (and your Auntie says yes), go ahead and park in the driveway! If it’s the right time of the year and the weather is nice, you don’t have to worry about hookups if you have enough solar or a generator. I bet you could fill up on water too. A really nice family member or friend will also let you string your 30amp-15amp cord to their outdoor outlet. Although you won’t be able to run your heat or AC, you can run your fridge, water pump, lights etc. Maybe it’ll all be free, maybe she’ll want a few bucks. It’s worth a shot!
10. Cracker Barrel
100 percent. Honestly, it's a great breakfast or dinner. I have stayed at maybe 15 locations? Once in Panama City for two days because a bad rainstorm that wouldn't leave us. I haven't once been asked to leave or harassed by a single person. Cracker Barrel even has dedicated RV spots quite often. About half of the lots have been level, the other half being at an angle. If you're traveling anywhere in the East or South, you're in crazy luck!
11. Cabelas/ Bass Pro Shop
They are very ok with people staying overnight!
12 + 13. Lowes or Home Depot
I personally haven’t stayed at either location, but have heard great things.
14. Walmart
(be aware, a lot of them do NOT allow overnight parking anymore).
15. Casinos!
They just want you to come in, spend money, and play for a bit!
Tips!
Use Google Maps with satellite-
Read Ultimate Google Maps Tips -I wrote this so you can save destinations and make easy-to-use lists in Google maps!
2. If you're new to traveling solo-
Read 18 Unique Tips and Tricks- for all my tips and tricks on solo travel!
