How to RV Overnight at Rest Areas: The Rules and The Real Scoop

Rest Areas have come a long way since the first interstate “safety areas” opened in 1956 when travelers were offered a quick place to stretch, run into a usually unkempt two-stall bathroom with a dim overhead light. These rest-stops inspired a string of horror movies for thirty years and along with them, a legitimate fear of stopping at one–let alone sleeping. But, as transportation budgets tightened, the old rest-areas have slowly disappeared and in their place are new, safer, bigger rest areas with a variety of services designed to attract travelers. These are ideal places to stretch, nap or stay overnight in your RV. Rules vary from state-to-state, but read on and I’ll share How to Overnight at Rest Areas: The Rules and The Real Scoop! 

Rest areas vary, let’s start there. There are still some relics out there, but many of those are being closed down to save money as truck stops, restaurants and motels have been built along major interstates. Many states have drastically reduced the number of rest areas, and some (like Connecticut) have proposed doing away with them all together.

This may all seem like bad news for the RV traveler, hoping for a place to rest, but don’t despair! Shiny, new rest areas and Visitor Centers have sprung up in their place. These new rest areas offer bigger bathrooms, pretty outdoor areas, a place to walk your dog, and sometimes get a snack (vending revenue has contributed to their construction). Now, parking spaces are long, lighting is bright, and fellow-travelers are abundant.

 

Personally, I love a good rest area. My absolute, all-time favorite is The No Name Rest Area in Colorado, just between Vail and Glenwood Springs.  It’s nestled in a stunning mountain community next to a roaring river and right in the heart of the Colorado high-country. It’s right off the highway and you can’t beat the price. Below are pictures of a rest area in Sedona (with FREE water!) that I stayed at just last week.

As for the Rules and The Real Scoop, let’s start here:

What States Allow Overnight Parking at Rest Areas?

Like many Travel Bloggers out there, I thought there were specific states that allowed Overnight Parking at Rest Areas — I was wrong.

Yes, there are some States that have straightforward rules, like Texas and California, but if you travel through these States or research individual Rest Areas in those States, you quickly find that each location’s rules can vary. So, it’s kind of misleading to suggest there are entire geographies under one specific set of rules. Some of those states that “allow” overnight parking have sites that restrict hours and other states that “don’t allow” overnight parking have sites that allow 12 hours, for example. Remember: Rest Areas are meant to keep the interstate highways safe, so rules will vary based on the need of that corridor and the budget of the local administration.

So how can you find out? Check with each State’s Department of Transportation. Here’s a comprehensive list:

• • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington State
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Remember: most states have rest areas that don’t allow overnight parking or have restrictions. Conversely, there are other states, not on this list, that have rest areas that do allow overnight parking! Confusing, right? No worries. Here are tips to help you navigate to a rest area that’s right for you.

3 Tips to Finding RV Friendly Overnight Rest Areas

1. Do your research.  As always, check out your favorite app like Allstays, RVParky, or FreeCampsites.net to find reviews on rest areas along your route. If another traveler leaves a bad review, I move on. In addition, I recommend checking this interactive link: The Google Map of Rest Areas. This site shows you all U.S. rest areas and tells you what services they offer (like free water and dumpsites!).
2. Read the Signs! Even if a state normally allows overnight travelers, some individual rest areas still don’t. If you see a sign that strictly prohibits Overnight Parking, my advice is don’t sleep there. These rest areas are usually busy or have had problems with safety in the past. Normally, rest areas have a generic sign that reads “no camping”, which is fine. Use Google Earth to see a virtual view of the lot and the signs before you go!
3. Be Safe. If you feel creeped out: leave. If you see nefarious activity: leave. If you don’t see a well-lit, busy space with other overnighters: leave. A truck stop or friendly retailer might be just down the road.
4. Call the Department of Transportation for the State your visiting (numbers can be found through the State links above).
5. Look for Truckers. Truck drivers are required to sleep so many hours a day, so there must be places for them to pull over and sleep. If they can, you can. Just don’t take a truckers spot.
6. Search for a specific States “Rest Area Brochure PDF” see below…

Now, the Real Scoop on Staying Overnight 

Rest areas are usually not monitored; I’ve never seen a dude with a clipboard tracking what time vehicles go in and out. This is great for staying overnight, but not so great for safety. So, like Tip #3 above, pick a rest area in which you feel safe. If you do, it is unlikely you will get the dreaded 3a.m.-knock-on-the-door telling you to move on. If other travelers and truckers are staying overnight, you will likely be just fine.

Even if a state doesn’t expressly condone staying overnight, if you search exhaustively (like I do), you can find rarely-seen State Rest Area Information like this one from Wyoming:

This excerpt pretty-much sums up what I’ve found in my research. States don’t want people “camping” at rest areas, or living there. They do, however, want to keep their highways safe. If that means allowing people to rest (aka sleep) until they can safely travel, it’s allowed.

Of course, fellow travelers, don’t be loud, drop trash, put out your slides or anything else that draws attention to you. My advice is to pull your blinds and actually sleep so you can move on to a more beautiful and permanent spot to camp!

Want to see my YouTube video on this topic? Click HERE.

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Be Happy. Create More. Set Yourself Free .

Robin

CreativityRV

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