Free and Low-Cost Overnight RV Camping: It’s Out There If You Look
Campground fees can add up quickly when traveling with an RV. If you’re staying somewhere for several days and using the amenities, paying for a campground makes sense. But when you’re traveling from one destination to another and just need a place to spend the night, paying full campground rates can be a little harder to swallow.
You might arrive late in the afternoon, never use the pool, laundry room or other amenities, and be back on the road the next morning.
So, are there places where you can camp overnight for free or at a very low cost?
Yes, but you have to look for them.
Look at Small Towns
I originally started researching this thinking I could put together a state-by-state list of free campgrounds. What I discovered was that there aren’t nearly as many as I expected, and the rules at those that do exist can change.
Some of the better opportunities are municipal campgrounds operated by small cities and towns, particularly in the Midwest and Great Plains.
Why would a town let you camp for free?
They want you to stop.
You may not pay for the campsite, but you might buy fuel, have dinner at a local restaurant, pick up groceries or visit other businesses while you’re there.
Some locations simply provide a safe place to park. Others offer electricity, water or even a dump station. The free stay might be limited to one or two nights, require registration or come with a request for a donation.
That’s why you need to verify the rules before arriving.
How Do You Find Them?
There isn’t one perfect source for finding free municipal RV camping.
When planning your route, try internet searches such as:
- Free RV camping
- Municipal RV park
- City park RV camping
- Free city campground
- County park camping
- Fairgrounds RV camping
- First night free RV campground
Include the town or area you’re traveling through in your search.
RV camping apps and websites are also good places to look, but pay attention to when the information or reviews were posted.
Once you find a possible location, look for an official city, county or campground website. If you can’t verify the information online, make a phone call.
A five-minute call is better than arriving at 7:00 at night and discovering that the free campground you were counting on hasn’t been free for three years.
Harvest Hosts Belongs in the Conversation
Harvest Hosts isn’t technically free camping because you pay an annual membership fee and are expected to support the business hosting you with a purchase.
But once you’re a member, your first night’s stay at a participating host doesn’t have a traditional camping fee, so I think it belongs in any discussion about lower-cost overnight RV stops.
Harvest Hosts has thousands of participating locations, including farms, wineries, breweries, museums and other attractions.
Most should be considered boondocking. Don’t assume you’ll have water, sewer or electricity, although some hosts offer additional services for a fee.
For us, this type of stop can make sense on a travel day. We don’t necessarily need a swimming pool, laundry room or full hookups when we’re arriving in the evening and leaving the next morning.
I also like the idea of spending some of the money we would have paid for a campground with a farmer, small business or local attraction instead.
And sometimes an overnight stop at an interesting business can become part of the trip rather than simply somewhere to sleep.
There Are Other Options
Depending on where you’re traveling, you may also find overnight opportunities at fairgrounds, casinos and businesses that allow RV parking.
Just don’t assume you’re welcome because someone else stayed there in the past.
Rules change, local ordinances differ and individual businesses can set their own policies. Ask permission before settling in for the night.
Also remember that overnight parking isn’t necessarily camping. If a business lets you spend the night in its parking lot, don’t automatically put out the chairs, grill and other camping equipment.
You’re a guest on someone else’s property.
Another Tool in the RV Toolbox
I don’t think free camping is something we would plan an entire trip around.
But it’s another tool worth having in the RV travel toolbox.
If there’s a free municipal campground along the route we’re already traveling, why not use it? If a Harvest Hosts location offers an interesting place to spend the night, we’ll consider it. If neither works, we’ll find a campground and pay for the night.
The goal isn’t necessarily to travel without spending money. It’s to spend that money where it gives us the most value.
RV travel is expensive enough. Saving an occasional campground fee isn’t going to pay for the RV, but over a long trip those savings can add up.
And sometimes that little city park, farm or local business you chose simply because you needed somewhere to sleep turns out to be one of the more memorable stops of the trip.
Always verify before you go. Rules, fees, stay limits and availability can change. Check directly with the city, campground, business or organization before making an overnight stop part of your travel plans. Remember, when something is free it is open to everyone, so if you don’t feel comfortable once you get there, don’t stay there.