Harvest Hosts is a fun and unique option for short-term RV stays. Since this is such a helpful and free resource for us, we try to pay it forward and leave reviews in the spots we stay in. We usually find a spot on Ultimate Campgrounds or All Stays first then check Campendium to see if there are any reviews of the spot. However, Campendium is a little limited in the amount of free spots that are in their database. The app also has the ability for RVers to leave reviews and tips for staying in the various RV spots.Ĭampendium is our favorite resource for finding any kind of RV spot, because other RVers leave helpful reviews, photos, and information about the sites. They have those business on the map along with a color code that shows whether or not they allow free parking. All Stays is especially helpful when you’re looking for a business parking lot to stay overnight at.

With over 60,000 points on an interactive map, it shows you everything you’ll need on the road – gas stations, rest areas, stores, low clearance areas along the road, RV dealers, etc. Once you find a spot, it will also tell you how many miles away it is from you, what services and regulations the spot has, the nearest town and it’s current weather, the coordinates of the spot, a link to google images of the spot, and even the option to use Google Maps to direct you to the spot.Īll Stays is an app that is similar to Ultimate Campgrounds, but it offers even more than just helping you choose where to park/stay. Ultimate Campgrounds has a great app as well as a webmap with over 33,000 public camping locations – both formal sites and free dispersed spots! This is always the first place we look, because UC has the most comprehensive list of free spots. But we use and recommend the following tools: You’ll want to use a combination of resources together to pick a spot that works best for you and your needs. There’s really no one way to find awesome boondocking spots. Here’s how to find these boondocking spots: Who says you can’t have great views from a Walmart parking lot? Moochdocking. If you have friends and family with large driveways and lax (or no) HOA restrictions, you can “mooch” off them! Just be courteous of neighbors!.These businesses, along with rest stops, picnic areas and truck stops are great options if you just need a place to park for the night in between destinations, but you obviously can’t stay much longer. Each store is different and you’ll want to call and check ahead of time. Businesses, such as Walmart, Bass Pro Shop, Cracker Barrel, Cabela’s and some casinos, with large parking lots will often allow for free overnight parking. You basically show up and pick a suitable, open spot for your RV within the boundaries and can typically stay up to 14 days (you’ll want to verify the limit). You’ll need to know the regulations and check for road closures ahead of time. With dispersed camping, there aren’t marked campsites or services/facilities and it’s first come first served. You just need to check ahead of time using the resources we will share below. Each state has other options for dispersed camping, such as State Trust Land, State Forests, Wildlife Management Areas, State Parks, etc. This is the term used for free camping that is allowed on public land, including National Forest Land and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land. This obviously isn’t a long term parking solution and is best suited for quick overnights. It’s basically parking anywhere that doesn’t have a no parking sign and hoping you don’t have security knocking on your door in the middle of the night. Stealth camping. Stealth camping is mainly reserved for vans and smaller more discrete RVs.If you’re wanting to camp for free more often, we hope this guide helps you feel more confident about boondocking.įinding Free Spots You have 4 options when it comes to finding free RV parking:

We’ve been putting so much more into savings each month, and if you know us, we’re extreme budgeters so that makes us happy campers. There’s nothing quite like parking for FREE because it makes the lifestyle that much more appealing.

We’ve realized it’s much easier than we ever thought. However, the longer we’ve been RVing, the more we’ve wanted to boondock. How do you find free spots? What if you park somewhere you’re not actually allowed to? How do you conserve power and water? What about dumping your tanks? It seemed like too much to worry about. When we first started full-time RVing, we were a little intimidated by boondocking. In case you’ve never heard the term “boondocking” before, it’s just the cool RVer’s term for free dry camping (no electric, sewer, or water hook ups).

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