Hey, new to the board. I have never traveled so far with our travel trailer before. We are traveling to the Fort in May. We will need to stop as we go. Do campgrounds just let you swing in for the night? Truck stops? Heading south on I-75 from Michigan . Don't want to unhook, just want to sleep and hit the road in the a.m. Any suggestions?
help,never traveled this far
- Thread starter nayclayne
- Start date
bigredbill
Go Huskers!
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2009
I have not stayed in any truck stops, Walmarts, etc. I can tell you that, as long as your rig fits in the space, you shouldn't have any issues not unhooking at campsites, such as KOA. We took four days and drove down in January. Stayed in campsites along the way -- never unhooked the trailer.
bigredbill
Go Huskers!
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2009
One other thing, this website is a great resource for locating good campsites...
www.trailerlifedirectory.com
www.trailerlifedirectory.com
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2008
Welcome to the camping board !!!
We stop all the time without unhitching. I think truck stops frown on RV parking. Wal-Mart, Sam's and some rest areas allow overnight parking. We usually find a reasonable campground to spend the night. Do you know about where you'll be taking stops?
We stop all the time without unhitching. I think truck stops frown on RV parking. Wal-Mart, Sam's and some rest areas allow overnight parking. We usually find a reasonable campground to spend the night. Do you know about where you'll be taking stops?
KristinU
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2000
Yes, welcome!
I often think about stopping overnight at Wally Worlds or truck stops (Pilot/Flying J is specifically welcoming to RV-ers per their website)...however I have always chickened out because of my compulsive planning and need to know what to expect.
So, we usually stop over at KOA campgrounds on the way and make reservations for big pull-through sites. This year will be the first year pulling our 26 ft TT, but in the places we've stopped in the past with our little Aliner we've of course never had to unhitch, but the sites have all been big enough that we wouldn't have to with the current setup either. You don't mention your length, but if you're really concerned, book sites that can accomodate a rig that is the full travel length of your TV plus your TT.
The KOAs work out well for us and the offices are usually closed when we pull in for the evening - they just leave our name and site number/map on a bulletin board by the office and there we go. So far they've put us in sites really close to the office and easily accessible...I'm guessing that they see it is just an overnight and know exactly what we're looking for - a safe, quiet place to sleep.
The nice thing about making reservations is that it gives us a good goal for a stopping point for the day. However, I always see open spaces when we travel since it is not summer and high season yet. And I know they allow for late registration at the same little board that they have our info waiting for us on.
Hope that helps a little!
I often think about stopping overnight at Wally Worlds or truck stops (Pilot/Flying J is specifically welcoming to RV-ers per their website)...however I have always chickened out because of my compulsive planning and need to know what to expect.
So, we usually stop over at KOA campgrounds on the way and make reservations for big pull-through sites. This year will be the first year pulling our 26 ft TT, but in the places we've stopped in the past with our little Aliner we've of course never had to unhitch, but the sites have all been big enough that we wouldn't have to with the current setup either. You don't mention your length, but if you're really concerned, book sites that can accomodate a rig that is the full travel length of your TV plus your TT.
The KOAs work out well for us and the offices are usually closed when we pull in for the evening - they just leave our name and site number/map on a bulletin board by the office and there we go. So far they've put us in sites really close to the office and easily accessible...I'm guessing that they see it is just an overnight and know exactly what we're looking for - a safe, quiet place to sleep.
The nice thing about making reservations is that it gives us a good goal for a stopping point for the day. However, I always see open spaces when we travel since it is not summer and high season yet. And I know they allow for late registration at the same little board that they have our info waiting for us on.
Hope that helps a little!
Good luck on your trip to the Fort. Here are a few tips I can share for a long trip.
You are traveling with a travel trailer which is what I do. I haven't slept in a wal-mart or similar situation. I might feel more comfortable doing that in a Class A or C, but not in a travel trailer.
I plan for about 500 miles per day as a very long day. I have done more, including an 800 mile day, but wouldn't recommend it if possible. That is with two drivers switching off every few hours. We drive at 60 miles per hour, which is the max recommended for the trailer. We stop in rest areas to have lunch and other breaks. Plan on every stop taking a little longer than you would expect.
KOA's usually make a good stop for a night. There are other similar campgrounds that can work. Look for something close to the interstate and well rated. RVparkreviews.com is a great resource. On the way to the Fort, I have used the Savannah South and Fayetteville KOAs and can recommend them. While I really like camping in state parks, they often have 2 night minimum stays or other restrictions that make it hard to use them on a trip like yours.
As for unhitching, you should be able to spend the night without unhitching. Having a level, pull-through site really helps. In the morning, you can just unhook the power, water, etc. and head out.
Hope you have a great trip.
You are traveling with a travel trailer which is what I do. I haven't slept in a wal-mart or similar situation. I might feel more comfortable doing that in a Class A or C, but not in a travel trailer.
I plan for about 500 miles per day as a very long day. I have done more, including an 800 mile day, but wouldn't recommend it if possible. That is with two drivers switching off every few hours. We drive at 60 miles per hour, which is the max recommended for the trailer. We stop in rest areas to have lunch and other breaks. Plan on every stop taking a little longer than you would expect.
KOA's usually make a good stop for a night. There are other similar campgrounds that can work. Look for something close to the interstate and well rated. RVparkreviews.com is a great resource. On the way to the Fort, I have used the Savannah South and Fayetteville KOAs and can recommend them. While I really like camping in state parks, they often have 2 night minimum stays or other restrictions that make it hard to use them on a trip like yours.
As for unhitching, you should be able to spend the night without unhitching. Having a level, pull-through site really helps. In the morning, you can just unhook the power, water, etc. and head out.
Hope you have a great trip.
We're heading down from South Bend, IN the week before Easter. Two years ago we made the trip and stopped for a five hour sleep at a Walmart just south of Nashville, TN on US 24. We called ahead and spoke to a few Walmarts and found one where they often have overnighters. When we got there at 1am there were 8-10 rigs and RVs in one area near the back of the lot. They were all together. We liked this because we had numbers.
It worked well and we ran inside in the morning for some supplies (we always try to buy where we stop) and hit the road.
We're going to use this same method again this year
It worked well and we ran inside in the morning for some supplies (we always try to buy where we stop) and hit the road.
We're going to use this same method again this year
DQPapa
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2010
We drive down from Howell Mi two or three times a year stopping at a KOA in Sweetwater Tenn (about half way) or if we get an early start we stop for the night just south of Atlanta that way we miss the heavy traffic going through Atlanta earlier in the day
jeepfreak
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2009
I've found that you can judge pretty close where your going to be if you figure 50 mph or 100 miles 2 hrs 200 miles 4 hrs , you get the idea. We're going down 4/25 arriving 4/27 from Ma. To offset the cost of gas we're going to do our first Walmart over nights. i'm going to drive at about 62 mph to maybe squeeze 8mpg out of the MH. The FMCA has an excellent road atlas with all the walmarts ,sams clubs , cracker barrels and flying j truck stops on the state maps and indexs in the back. Enjoy your trip , half the fun is planning the route.
BearwithMouseEars
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2004
The only advice I have to offer is dont try to go through Atlanta between 7-9 am or 4-6 pm on a weekday . If its Friday add 1 hour to each side of those times. Road rage is an epidemic down here . 
The only advice I have to offer is dont try to go through Atlanta between 7-9 am or 4-6 pm on a weekday . If its Friday add 1 hour to each side of those times. Road rage is an epidemic down here .
That is way I take I-65 thru Alabama. It maybe a little longer but less traffic and NO Atlanta.
bigredbill
Go Huskers!
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2009
The only advice I have to offer is dont try to go through Atlanta between 7-9 am or 4-6 pm on a weekday . If its Friday add 1 hour to each side of those times. Road rage is an epidemic down here .
Heck, I pulled our trailer through Atlanta on a Saturday and that was stressful. We took the by-pass route on the way back, which helped out considerably.
cjalphonso
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2009
Cracker Barrel is very RV friendly. Plus you get to have a great breakfast in the morning 
Call ahead and make sure its ok. Florida is strict about overnighting in parking lots, even private ones.
Call ahead and make sure its ok. Florida is strict about overnighting in parking lots, even private ones.
Mcert01
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2003
Hello fellow Michigander. We have traveled from Michigan (Lake Orion) to the Fort several times. It really depends on what time of day you are leaving. We typcially shoot for the Sweetwater KOA between Knoxville and Chattanooga. It is about 1/2 way. Easy on / off, they cater to over-nighters, its clean, and they will give you a pull through to make it that much easier.
The advice on Atlanta is spot on. I let my darling wife talk me into returning on Friday last summer. The traffic was unbelievable - worse than DC. Never again.
If you can make it past Atlanta on the way down the first day there are several KOAs all the way to the Florida border which work as well. We have never had trouble getting a ressie, even the same day.
Good Luck!
The advice on Atlanta is spot on. I let my darling wife talk me into returning on Friday last summer. The traffic was unbelievable - worse than DC. Never again.
If you can make it past Atlanta on the way down the first day there are several KOAs all the way to the Florida border which work as well. We have never had trouble getting a ressie, even the same day.
Good Luck!
Kagoguen
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2006
I travel a long distance also, I plan stops at KOA, very convenient, I've always gotten pull through sites and never had to unhitch yet. I have a extended cab pickup and and haul a 21 ft long Jayco hybrid, 30 ft after I do the pull out beds. We leave for the Fort in 25 days, can't wait 
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