Best/Safest areas to pull over and Sleep during Interstate travel

Went there last year. Was in the store for ~15 minutes and came out to find someone had kindly taken my brand new generator out of the bed of my truck to go put some fuel in it for me. Still waiting for them to bring it back though.

I've always avoided the Walmart, but especially so anymore.

 

As a trucker, I hate seeing RV's taking up truck spaces. I understand it, but I don't like it.

 

Wally world's loss prevention has eyeballs all over their parking lot with prosecutable footage. As far as wasting time filing a police report I can see not wanting to.
Sorry it had to be an expensive lesson to not tempt the downtrodden.

 

Be a normal person and get a motel room

 

Damn rich folk braggin' about their level of disposable income.

 

I will also add that i feel much more comfortable stopping just about anywhere in my motorhome than I would if I was in a truck and trailer. The fact that I can go straight from the bed to the drivers seat is comforting

 

I usually can make the trip back home from the track without having to rest. All except the trips home from NJMP. I live in West MI and after a day of riding, all I can muster is about 6-7 hours behind the wheel. I usually find a spot at one of the Tollway Plaza somewhere in Ohio. This was the first time I've had to try more than once. First Plaza was full (I prolly could have parked in the RV or even car area out of the way, but i didn't want to deal with it.) I drag a toy hauler that has the bed separate from the garage.

I have some pretty serious tinnitus that comes and goes. So sometimes the semi idling helps me sleep. This time my ears weren't ringing at all so i popped in some ear plugs and was out pretty quick. I actually got like 6 hours of sleep on accident. lol I didn't set any sort of alarm and i'm pretty sure I only woke up because it managed to get down to 48 degrees inside the hauler.

 

This was addressed a while back by Carlie Pride

Sleepin' under a table in a roadside park

 

Charley Pride, one of my mom's favorites.

I posted the song in the YT thread.

 

I've used rest stops and truck stops, but lrefer truck stops. Have also used the odd Walmart parking lot but didn't like it at all

 

Same here but I skip the ear plugs and crank my sound machine. That and a cold room with a dog next to me seems to do wonders. Occasionally we let the wife sleep next to us 48 degrees is perfect sleeping weather

 

If you fuel up at some truck stops,you can also get a free shower in the morning,and restaurants,if you can call them that.Park waaaaay in the back to avoid traffic noise,and as mentioned above truck drivers hate RV's. I use to pick rest areas as #2 spot,but no amenities,other than vending machines,and bathrooms. Last resort would be a desolate on ramp,but if someone hits you while sleeping,youre liable,and some shit head cops will look to ticket you for sleeping there.
I wouldnt suggest any strip malls in Anderson SC!! LOL worse night ever for pregnant lot lizrd,drunks,druggies! But great memory of what not to do as a truck driver
"Some" walmarts,but shit head truckers that leave trash are killing that option in some states.Buy some stuff,and keep the receipt for any security scrutiny

 

I try to pick my spots based on proximity to the freeway/noise. A Crackerbarrel can be great since they don’t get big rigs unless it backs up to the freeway (noise). I either want to be insulated from freeway and truck noise, or I want to be in between trucks that are idling with a nice white noise.

Walmarts can be nice because they typically open at 6am with freshly cleaned bathrooms and you can grab a few necessities while in the store.

 

rest stops. especially if you go all night and wake up super early to split. you have coffee, a place to take a dump, and a way to scrub your mouth. I've slept in so many rest stops and truck stops on the seat of my truck, I actually began to like it.

 

“Most” locations per their corporate website…

Walmart
Lowe’s
Home Depot
Cracker Barrel ( supposedly they even have free RV hook up electric at some locations?!?)
Cabelas/Bass Pros
State Rest Stops

 

I have a 30' MH and 18' trailer and what few times I can get away to race at tracks not in my backyard, I make a mini vacation out of the trips when I can, so I leave a day or two early, make early nights, stop along the way and explore the areas....

In order of preference:
Harvest Host (if available within reasonable distance)
Truck stops (prefer Loves, seems to have best showers)
Cracker Barrel ( if convenient)
Walmart
RV park
Rest Stops (last resort, although a few in NC I have found have specific RV parking away from everything)

 

Love's seems to be moving away from just being a "truck stop." The name is now Love's Travel Stop, and I've seen a few that have dedicated RV parking areas, for a small fee.

 

The only Traveling I do now is my Bi Annual trip from Michigan to Florida . The Old days of driving straight through are long gone . As are my days of sleeping in my Vehicles. That’s not sleeping, my old bones can’t deal with that anymore. Now I drive about 10 hours or so then get a Hotel Room . Nice Bed & Bathroom with a Hot Shower in the Morning. Definitely worth the $60 something @ Night . My Back Hurts just thinking about how I slept in a CJ 7 with the passenger seat folded forward back in the day .