5 Tips for Sleeping at Truck Stops
01-15-2018
Author: in We Wander Wherever
One of the most wonderful things about traveling with an RV is the ability to stop and sleep practically anywhere. After all, if you’re bringing your bed along with you wherever you go, you may as well take advantage of that fact.
That said, sometimes it just isn't convenient or financially smart to find a campground to sleep in when you are just going to get up and move again the next day. When my family runs into situations such as these, we almost always find ourselves sleeping in a truck stop, rest stop, or Walmart parking lot.
While these aren’t the most comfortable places to sleep, they do work well for quickly catching some Z’s during a long trip, and by using the tips below, we are able to sleep fairly comfortable with minimal interruptions.
#1: Ask First
First and foremost, it is highly important that you ask before staying anywhere overnight. Some states have very strict laws about where RVs can stay, and breaking the laws could mean someone knocking on your door in the middle of the night.
Additionally, although most truck stops are happy to have the occasional RV or two spend the night, some of the busier locations prefer to reserve their parking places for the drowsy truckers passing through.
#2: Invest in Blackout Curtains
Once you have the go-ahead from the store manager or another person in charge, you will want to make yourself comfortable. The first step in doing this is almost always going to be hanging a set of blackout curtains.
You see, most gas stations and retail locations tend to use very bright lights in their parking lots for safety reasons. Because you will want to be as safe as possible, you will want to park near these lights. However, you also won’t want the light to interrupt your sleep.
Blackout curtains alleviate this problem quickly and easily, and for very little money.
#3: Use a Noise Machine
Another thing to consider is the noise level of the place you choose to spend the night. Rest stops, Cracker Barrel locations, and Camping World stores all tend to become fairly quiet at night. On the other hand, truck stops, and Walmart stores never really seem to sleep.
A noise machine (or a similar app on your phone) can help drown out any parking lot noise that might wake you during the night.
#4: Take Advantage of Your Vent or Furnace
Sleeping without electric hookups does not have to mean sleeping in uncomfortable temperatures. Most RV furnaces can run off of battery power and propane alone. If it’s feeling warm out, your roof vent fan used in conjunction with an open window will cool you off in a jiffy.
That said, those towing trailers will want to unplug from their tow vehicle in order to avoid draining their truck battery overnight should their trailer battery die.
#5: Have Water on Hand
Stopping for the night is probably going to mean washing your face, brushing your teeth, flushing the toilet, and making coffee in the rig. Be sure to keep some water in your freshwater tank or pack jugs of water for this purpose. You’ll be glad you did!
With these five simple tips you can go into your first truck stop sleeping session with confidence, knowing you’ll be comfy and cozy during your on-the-road rest time.
That said, sometimes it just isn't convenient or financially smart to find a campground to sleep in when you are just going to get up and move again the next day. When my family runs into situations such as these, we almost always find ourselves sleeping in a truck stop, rest stop, or Walmart parking lot.
While these aren’t the most comfortable places to sleep, they do work well for quickly catching some Z’s during a long trip, and by using the tips below, we are able to sleep fairly comfortable with minimal interruptions.
#1: Ask First
First and foremost, it is highly important that you ask before staying anywhere overnight. Some states have very strict laws about where RVs can stay, and breaking the laws could mean someone knocking on your door in the middle of the night.
Additionally, although most truck stops are happy to have the occasional RV or two spend the night, some of the busier locations prefer to reserve their parking places for the drowsy truckers passing through.
#2: Invest in Blackout Curtains
Once you have the go-ahead from the store manager or another person in charge, you will want to make yourself comfortable. The first step in doing this is almost always going to be hanging a set of blackout curtains.
You see, most gas stations and retail locations tend to use very bright lights in their parking lots for safety reasons. Because you will want to be as safe as possible, you will want to park near these lights. However, you also won’t want the light to interrupt your sleep.
Blackout curtains alleviate this problem quickly and easily, and for very little money.
#3: Use a Noise Machine
Another thing to consider is the noise level of the place you choose to spend the night. Rest stops, Cracker Barrel locations, and Camping World stores all tend to become fairly quiet at night. On the other hand, truck stops, and Walmart stores never really seem to sleep.
A noise machine (or a similar app on your phone) can help drown out any parking lot noise that might wake you during the night.
#4: Take Advantage of Your Vent or Furnace
Sleeping without electric hookups does not have to mean sleeping in uncomfortable temperatures. Most RV furnaces can run off of battery power and propane alone. If it’s feeling warm out, your roof vent fan used in conjunction with an open window will cool you off in a jiffy.
That said, those towing trailers will want to unplug from their tow vehicle in order to avoid draining their truck battery overnight should their trailer battery die.
#5: Have Water on Hand
Stopping for the night is probably going to mean washing your face, brushing your teeth, flushing the toilet, and making coffee in the rig. Be sure to keep some water in your freshwater tank or pack jugs of water for this purpose. You’ll be glad you did!
With these five simple tips you can go into your first truck stop sleeping session with confidence, knowing you’ll be comfy and cozy during your on-the-road rest time.
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Author: Chelsea Barron
