Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Navy UDT-SEAL Museum – Fort Pierce, Florida
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • Internet Solution(s) for Full-Time RVers
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
      • Florida RV SuperShow 2018
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

October 7, 2019 by Julie Chickery 5 Comments

5 Tips to Save on RV Travel

We’ve been full-time RV travelers for 5 years now and have found numerous way to save money along the way. In this article we’ll share our top five tips for saving money on RV travel including ways to reduce both campground and fuel costs.

Tip #1: Saving on Overnight Campground Stays

When we first started our RV journey we had a 44′ Fifth Wheel with a residential refrigerator and a tiny inverter that couldn’t keep it powered overnight. As a result, we always stayed in full hook-up campgrounds, even for overnight stays.

We used a program called Passport America to save a lot of money on these stays. It only costs $44 a year and gives you 50% off the regular nightly rate. Just use it for 2 nights, and you’ll get your money’s worth. It is important to know that there can be restrictions because each park is individually owned and makes their own rules about participation. This information is provided for you in the Important Campground Notes section of each park’s listing on the Passport America website, mobile apps, printed camping directory, and e-directories.

Tip #2: Saving on Extended Campground Stays

As full-time travelers who are working full-time, we prefer staying a month in most locations to allow ourselves time to really get to enjoy an area. As a result, we get massive discounts! We stayed at a fabulous RV resort in Arizona this winter that has 2 pools, 2 hot tubs, a bar & restaurant, mini golf and more! The least expensive sites (back ins at the back of the campground) were regularly $65 a night. BUT stay a month and it was only $690 for the month. Divide that by 30 days and it is only $23 a night!!!

Many (not all) places that have a monthly rate meter your electricity. Since we have solar, we don’t need to use much so our electricity bill for the month we stayed at that resort was only $29. I asked the cashier the typical rate and she said about $150 for a large, all electric rig. Still if you add that to the $690 and divide by 30, it is still only $28 a night and a great deal!

Tip #3: Saving on all your Stays

Another terrific way to save money on overnight and even longer stays in by boondocking or dry camping. After we upgraded our power system and installed solar, we started doing more off grid camping and loved it!

Of course you can stay overnight at retail places like WalMart or Cabelas, but we really like Casinos if we’re going to stay in a parking lot. We go in and get a player’s card that usually gives us $10 of free play on the slots and sometimes even win money back! You often get 50% off buffets too!

The spots we love best for overnight stays are Harvest Hosts, a membership program of farms, wineries, breweries, and even some museums that let you dry camp on their land. Click here for 15% off via my affiliate link (that means I’ll get a small commission if you buy a membership through it). In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that this is not really a money saving technique because you have to buy a membership and then you’ll obviously want to spend money at the business, but we still love it. To us there is no better way to see this country than to meet the people who make it unique and Harvest Hosts allows you to meet small business owners all around the US.

Boondocker’s Welcome is another great program where private land owners allow you to stay overnight at their location for FREE. Of course, there is an annual fee, but it is only $30/year. If you are thinking about this membership, lock it in now because the price is going up to $50/year on Nov 15th!

Boondocker's Welcome allows you to stay overnight for free on private member's property.

For longer dry camping stays (more than 1 night) we prefer FREE camping on public lands.

Click here to read my article on Trip Planning where I share the apps and websites I use to find great campgrounds and boondocking spots. I even have a video tutorial to show you how easy it is.

Tip #4: Saving on Fuel

Our first tip for saving on fuel is to slow down! Believe it or not this actually can lead to significant savings. A study of diesel trucks was undertaken that showed that slowing down 10 miles per hour on the interstate can save 27% fuel efficiency!

We never drive over 65 MPH and get 12 MPG towing our fifth wheel with a Chevy 3500 HD dually truck. We also ensure our tires are properly inflated and we keep up with all preventive maintenance.

Tip #5: More Fuel Savings with Apps

We use two different apps: one to save money and one that pays us back with a rebate. When we’re really lucky we can use them both at the same campground.

The savings app is called Gas Buddy and we use to find the range of gas prices near our current location when we’re at a campground. When we were in Tucson, we found a range of $0.30 per gallon in a five mile radius! We also use it to find the prices of propane.

The rebate app is called Get Upside and we use it to search our location to see if there are participating gas stations. If so, you scan the receipt and upload it to the app. Once you reach $20 they send you a rebate!

Bonus Tip: Mindful Spending

We have found that setting financial goals and tracking our spending is hands down the best way to save money. Otherwise, it is way too easy for all the small things you buy to add up.

We created a program called Full-Time RV Finance to help others financially achieve their full-time travel dreams. Over the course of 25 videos, we’ll help you chart your course towards financial freedom, create a realistic full-time RV budget, and learn how to make money & save money on the road. 

Want More Full-Time RV Advice?

Join us for Full-Time Freedom Week, the largest online event for RVers! We talk about Budgeting for Unexpected Expenses and DIY Solar Installation, but that is just us. There are 30 more presentations you won’t want to miss.

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Looking to save money on RV travel? Check out these five simple tips that will save you thousands in campgrounds and fuel costs. RV vacations and camping can be a very economical way to travel with the whole family.

Filed Under: Full-Time Finance Tagged With: saving money

September 18, 2019 by Julie Chickery 10 Comments

5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret

We can’t believe it has been 5 years already! First, we just want to say that overall it has been terrific, and we are so happy that we chose to embark on this full-time RV journey. However, there were growing pains and sometimes we miss the comforts of a traditional home (believe it or not). It has been a learning process and we wanted to share some of our lessons learned along the way. We rarely have regrets in life because even mistakes can cause growth, but we will share one regret that we do have from our full-time RV lifestyle.

Note: It’s been a year since we wrote this article. We updated the post to ensure it is up to date. Feel free to watch the two part video series below or read on for a few more examples and details.

Lesson #1: Find Your Travel Style

Find your own travel style and don’t  worry about anyone else. In other words, do you! Do what makes you happy. Ask yourself:  

  • How far do you want to drive in a day? 
  • How long do you want to stay in a location? 
  • What types of places do you want to stay at? 

Don’t let anyone tell you there is a right or wrong way to RV. And watch out for social media. It can give you serious FOMO – Fear of Missing Out and lead to travel based on someone else’s ideal rather than your own. 

Wondering what works for us?

We are still working full-time from the RV so we like to stay in a location for at least a month. This gives us time to enjoy the area. It also gives us time to go back to places we enjoy — we’re not “one and done” kind of people. If we really enjoy a park, farmer’s market, or restaurant, we’ll want to visit it again.

Because we’re staying in one place for a month (or more in the winter), we usually travel farther in between. We often make big jumps between stops and by that I mean 12-15 hours driving time. We’ll typically drive two long days (Sat & Sun due to work commitments).

We typically stay in urban areas. We need to be within an hour of a major airport for work and we need good enough internet for video teleconferences. Internet has been an ongoing struggle for us over the past 5 years. Click here to read what we’ve tried and what we’re currently using.

We also like to stay at RV resorts that have all the amenities especially a good fitness room, swimming pool, and hot tub. Two of our favorites that we’ve been back to more than once are the Tucson LazyDays KOA and the Alsatian RV Resort near San Antonio, TX.

We do mix it up from time to time and do a little boondocking, as well as stay at COE Campgrounds or State Parks (Florida has some of our favorites). We do that for 1-2 weeks maximum and usually when we can take a little time off work.

Finally, we have access to military campgrounds since we both served 20 years in the Air Force. We love these because it feels like going home to us. Also, even though the campgrounds don’t necessarily have many amenities besides full hook-ups, the bases usually have great gyms, pools, and more! If you have access to military bases, check out our Guide to Using Military Campgrounds.

Lesson #2: RVs Require A Lot of Upkeep

Not only is there a lot of routine, preventive maintenance, things on RVs break. A lot. And usually at the worst possible time. So, have an emergency fund and try to learn how to do things yourself as much as possible. Here are just a few things we’ve had to pay to get fixed over the last year: 

  • New truck tires 
  • 2 new RV tires 
  • RV refrigerator – although it was under warranty we paid for the mobile repair tech’s service call and some parts when we tried to fix it ourselves. Plus we had to trash the groceries in the refrigerator and freezer.  

Of course, you know how things go…a couple of years ago, right AFTER the warranty ended we discovered water damage to the deck on our toy hauler. Neither the extended warranty, nor insurance covered water damage, so we had a hefty $7,000 bill to replace it!

In addition to routine maintenance and repairs, you may want to modify or upgrade your RV systems. A few years ago, we upgraded our power system to include solar panels and lithium batteries. When we downsized to our current fifth wheel earlier this year, it came “solar ready,” but we added panels and moved our lithium batteries over from our previous RV.

Lesson #3: Be Flexible

It’s life. Things are going to happen. I’m a planner and have reservations several months in advance. However, I’ve learned to be a little more flexible and only make reservations at places that have a liberal cancellation policy. In fact, my rule is that I don’t make a reservation at any place that will charge me more than $15 to cancel or make a change. 

A couple of years ago, we had to evacuate Florida for Hurricane Irma. When we returned to Florida after the storm, we still had quite a few reservation changes to make because the parks we planned to visit in the Keys had not recovered.

You may also just change your mind about your current itinerary. We did that this year. We were tired of being cold, so we diverted to Arizona after two months in the Pacific Northwest.

Lesson #4: You Don’t Need as Much Room as you Think

We thought because we had a large 2400 square foot home, that we needed a large RV. As a result we purchased a 44′ Fifth Wheel toy hauler. Here’s a tour of it:

After a few years on the road, we sold our toy and realized we didn’t need such a large RV. Of course it took us 2 more years to pay it off before we would allow ourselves to get a new RV. 

This year we downsized to a 30′ Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel and love it! Learn why we chose this particular make and model below:

There really is a lot that goes into choosing the right RV for you. I wrote this article earlier this year on some things that everyone should consider when trying to determine which RV to get.

Lesson #5: It Doesn’t Have to Be Forever

We like to say we’re making for now decisions, not forever decisions. That applies to our full-time RV lifestyle too. Change is really second nature to us after having served 20 years in the military. In fact, we moved so often that our first RV was the longest we ever lived in one home — 4 1/2 years!

So we went into this full-time RV life knowing that we would do it as long as it felt right to us. Once it doesn’t, we’ll move on to the next thing — whatever that may be. We actually never owned an RV before we moved into one, but now we know RVing will always be a part of our life. However, we do think we’ll move back into a traditional home (still small though) one day and part-time RV. Even then, we’ll still allow ourselves the flexibility to change our minds.

One thing that really helps with options, is money. That leads us to our one regret…

Biggest Regret: We Didn’t Start Debt Free

We were so excited to get started one our full-time RV life that we rushed out and financed an RV instead of saving up and buying it. In fact, our RV wasn’t our only debt. We financed a truck, had a Parent Plus loan from one of our son’s college semester abroad, and some credit card debt.

A couple of years ago we read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, and it changed the way we looked at money and debt. It took us two years, but we are now debt free. Click here to read how we paid off $139,000 in 2 years while traveling full-time.

It was not always easy that’s for sure. For example, we knew we wanted a different RV, but we wouldn’t allow ourselves to get another until we paid off the last RV AND saved up enough to purchase the next one outright. 

So even though we had to really prioritize what was important to us and make sacrifices, being debt free allows us to save even more money. Our savings provides us with more options for the future, and keeps us from stressing out too much when things happen (like needing new truck tires and a new refrigerator in one month). We only wish we had started out debt free because we know how much farther ahead we would be now. Still, we don’t dwell on that because all we can do is change our future, not our past.

Want to Learn More About Full-Time RV Travel?

Full-Time Freedom Life is an online library of everything you need to know about full-time RV life.

More than 20 RV enthusiasts share their expertise on topics such as:

  • Purchasing and maintaining an RV
  • Building community on the road – for solo RVers, families, and RVers of all types!
  • The financial side of full-time RVing: making money and saving money on the road
  • Full-time RVing for families: children, road-schooling, pets
  • Helpful RV memberships, gear reviews, renovations/modifications
  • Transitioning and overcoming challenges of life on the road

Learn more now!

Hope We Helped

We hope this article has helped you as you plan your full-time RV journey. We don’t expect yours to be exactly the same as ours, but hopefully we’ve given you some things to consider.

Learn more about our Nomad Story here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send us an email. We answer each and every one.

Sharing is Caring! Feel free to save this image to Pinterest or share the article on social media.

After 5 years of full-time RV living and traveling, we share our top five lessons learned and biggest regret. While we don't expect your RV journey to be the same, we hope we can give you some things to consider. We also share some tips and ideas for enjoying your RV life whether you are traveling in a motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer.
After 5 years of full-time RV living and traveling, we share our top five lessons learned and biggest regret. While we don't expect your RV journey to be the same, we hope we can give you some things to consider. We also share some tips and ideas for enjoying your RV life whether you are traveling in a motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer.

Filed Under: RV Resources Tagged With: full-time rv, full-time rv life, RV Living

August 21, 2019 by Julie Chickery 2 Comments

How to Camp for Free

If you’re looking for ways to save money on RV travel, reducing campground expenses should be at the top of your list. One great way to do that is to do some free camping. Whether  you’re looking to just do it for a night or longer stretches, this article will help you figure out where you can camp for free. 

What is the Catch?

The vast majority of free camping is without services or hook-ups like power, water, and sewer. You may also hear this type of stay called boondocking, primitive camping, dispersed camping, wild camping, stealth camping, dry camping. If this sounds a little intimidating, click here to learn more about how to dry camp with confidence.

Free Camping on Public Lands 

You can camp for free on public lands in some of the most spectacular locations across the United States. Most of these free dispersed camping or boondocking sites are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Forest Service, and the National Park Service. 

The video below shows several examples of free camping available around Las Vegas, Nevada including at Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and the Bureau of Land Management in Overton.

We enjoyed this free dry camping site at a National Conservation Area in Arizona.

View this post on Instagram

We did it! After 4 1/2 years full-time RV travel, we went boondocking all by ourselves! Have you done any dry camping? Do you prefer to go off by yourselves or with a group? #rvlife #fulltimerv #boondocking #offgrid #lovearizona

A post shared by Chickery's travels (@chickerystravels) on Feb 14, 2019 at 7:24am PST

It is important to note that not all camping on BLM land is free, nor are all National Forests. For example, Finger Lakes National Forest in New York has some areas where free camping is available, but there are other areas that require a permit and fee. When in doubt, check in with local ranger/forest offices.

Some states have their own version of public lands offering free dispersed campsites. They may be called Public Trust Land, State Forests, and Wildlife Management Areas. While the vast majority of free camping is found in the West, there are plenty of places to dry camp for free in Florida. The Escribano Wildlife Management Area is a perfect example of totally free campsites in Florida. 

Where to Find the Free Spots

While the National Forest Service has an Interactive Map to find potential free camping, BLM and state options are not quite as easy to locate. I think the best tool is Campendium, a free website where RVers share camping spots and reviews. I provide a tutorial on how to use it in the video below. The process is the same whether you are looking for free camping, boondocking, or established campgrounds. 

Free Overnight Parking

The second type of boondocking is overnight parking. I hesitate to use the word camping because it typically involves pulling into a parking spot and staying overnight without any services. This usually occurs when RVers are traveling longer distances and just want a free spot to get a few hours of sleep.

Some of the most common places to find free overnight parking is WalMart, Cracker Barrel restaurants, and Cabelas. It is important to always ask if overnight parking is allowed and not take it for granted. Many of these establishments have a restricted area for overnight parking. In addition, some cities and counties have established local ordinances prohibiting the practice. If it is authorized, be sure to follow these tips for overnight parking etiquette provided by Escapee’s RV Club.   

When we’re traveling and just want to park overnight, we prefer Casinos. We use the Casino Camper website to read reviews and get additional information. When staying overnight at a Casino be sure to get a player’s card inside for discounts on the restaurants and sometimes even “free play” on the slot machines.    

Many states limit the amount of time you can park at a Rest Area so always look around for signage that indicates if you can stay overnight. While we haven’t stayed at a Rest Area yet, our friends Kenny & Sabrina of Moving Forward Adventures have several times. Kenny provides some of his lessons learned in this video.

Membership Programs 

There are a few membership programs that advertise “free” camping, but obviously if you are buying the membership, then they are not truly free.

We purchased an annual membership to Harvest Hosts for $79 to be able to stay at member wineries, distilleries, breweries, farms, and museums. In addition to the membership fee, additional costs are incurred by the obligation to make a purchase. Of course, we love these locations so much that we don’t mind. We get the opportunity to meet and support small business around the country like this one in Manteca, CA.

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Forgot to share our awesome Harvest Hosts stay at the Indian Peak Vineyard in Manton, CA. Beautiful location, terrific wine & an amazing host — we couldn’t have asked for more! #rvtravel #harvesthosts #winerytour

A post shared by Chickery's travels (@chickerystravels) on May 20, 2019 at 3:44pm PDT

Some of our favorite Harvest Hosts stays include a farm with a petting zoo & camel right out our window, a Rum Distillery in Arizona, the General George Patton Museum near Joshua Tree National Park, and pretty much every winery we’ve visited. 

Another membership program we’ve heard of, but aren’t members of is Boondocker’s Welcome. For $30 per year, you can stay on private land owners’ property. Most of the hosts are RVers themselves so it is a great way to get to know like-minded travelers.

Share Your Experience

We’d love to hear your experiences with free camping and boondocking. Do you do it often? Which type do you frequent the most? 

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Learn how to find the most epic free camping spots. Also known as boondocking, free camping is available in some of the most beautiful places. Take your RV, motorhome, fifth wheel, trailer, or camper off grid today!
camp-for-free
Learn how to camp for free and where to find the best boondocking spots. Also known as dispersed camping, these campsites can be found in some of the most amazing locations. Take your RV, motorhome, Fifth Wheel, trailer, or camper off grid and enjoy free camping!


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