Overnight at Cracker Barrel?

[Ollie's GG]

Recently learned you can stay overnight at Cracker Barrel parking lots with your RV. Has anyone done this? Did you feel safe? Any Cracker Barrels on I95 from New Jersey to Disney you recommend? It would be great to stop for dinner, sleep, have breakfast, then hit the road again.

Yes, we have done it, a couple of years ago. It was in Horn Lake MS (just south of Memphis). We did ask permission from the manager AND we had dinner there. He told us which side of parking lot to park on and requested that we not put out all slides. We did put out one slide (the one on the tree side so no parking spaces there). Good location close to interstate but traffic on interstate started VERY early next morning.

 

[TXWAC]

Wish we had known this last summer. Spent a horrible night at a rest stop on the way to DC. Pulled in late and had to park on a sideways slope between some big rigs. Drove 10 min to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Could have been there all along.

 

[Corgidad]

ArielRae, We have probably stayed at over 100 CB's over the past 10 years, have never had a problem at any of them. We would usually stop after 8pm when they were not too busy. We would sometimes go in and eat Dinner and we would ALWAYS ask the manager if it was okay to spend the night in our RV. We would always go in and have Breakfast before we got started on the rest of our trip and would always tell the manager Thank You for letting us stay, sometimes it was the same manager from the night before but most it was a different manager. Every CB we stayed at had someone there overnight cleaning and or prepping for Breakfast. CB is our number 1 place to just spend the night if we are on the road for numerous days. That said we have stayed at many CB's on I-95 from Virginia to Florida and I will list the ones we liked best.
North Carolina----Exit 20 and Exit 73
South Carolina---Exit 53( has some Interstate noise)
Georgia----------Exit 36-----Exit 102
Hopefully this helps with your trip, one other thing on numerous occasions I have emailed CB's corporate office and expressed my thanks for letting RV's stay in their parking lots overnight.

 

[rideswithchrist]

Since we will be making this trip with a popup, does anyone have similar experiences? Obviously a popup is very different because it is all slides.
I am sure we would be better off just finding a campsite to pull into for a few hours on the way there.

 

[parrothead64]

When we had our pop up, we just got a hotel/motel room. It was worth the extra $40 over a campsite and no hassle of popping up and back down. We could just get up and go, plus most places have a complimentary breakfast.​

 

[KristinU]

Yeah, with a pop-up I'd get a campsite or just stay in a cheapie motel for the night and not mess with setup.

 

[rideswithchrist]

that does make more sense, DH would be happier not to have to set up, that means we could drive further.

 

[jgdsoarin]

that does make more sense, DH would be happier not to have to set up, that means we could drive further.

When I towed my Aliner last year to the Fort, we stayed overnight at two different KOAs off of 95 in cabins. Cheaper than a hotel, plus I felt that my camper would be safe overnight. Just another idea to keep from setting up a popup camper for one night on the road. Now I have a hybrid that you can easily use without putting the bed end out. It will give us more options for quick overnight stops.

 

[4077]

When I towed my Aliner last year to the Fort, we stayed overnight at two different KOAs off of 95 in cabins. Cheaper than a hotel, plus I felt that my camper would be safe overnight. Just another idea to keep from setting up a popup camper for one night on the road. Now I have a hybrid that you can easily use without putting the bed end out. It will give us more options for quick overnight stops.

That is a good idea, although might need to plan more ahead to stay there (as opposed to just pull in for a site wherever you decide to stop) with reservation as not usually many cabins...

 

[jgdsoarin]

That is a good idea, although might need to plan more ahead to stay there (as opposed to just pull in for a site wherever you decide to stop) with reservation as not usually many cabins...

True...we reserved well in advance to get the cabins. We actually liked the cabins so much that we booked them again for our summer vacation, on the way to and from Vero Beach.

 

[TXWAC]

When we had our pop up, we just got a hotel/motel room. It was worth the extra $40 over a campsite and no hassle of popping up and back down. We could just get up and go, plus most places have a complimentary breakfast.​

Going to second this. Did The Fort with a pop up the first time we took the kids. Just wanted to get there and to make it from Texas in two days we needed to travel lite and fast. Love the pop up. Hated the setup and teardown. Makes it easier to take a day halfway too when you don't have to unpack, setup, takedown, and pack up again.

 

[rideswithchrist]

No clue where 95 is, coming from TX we will be on I10 all the way till we hit 75, but I saw some KOAs on the way. Love the idea of the KOA cabins so the pup is safer and it keeps the camping feel.
After telling my husband about Cracker Barrel, he is already thinking of the TT upgrade.

 

[FtW Mike]

No clue where 95 is, coming from TX we will be on I10 all the way till we hit 75, but I saw some KOAs on the way. Love the idea of the KOA cabins so the pup is safer and it keeps the camping feel.
After telling my husband about Cracker Barrel, he is already thinking of the TT upgrade.

I95 is like I10. This is the interstate that those of us here on the EAST coast use to get to WDW

 

[peg110]

I95 is like I10. This is the interstate that those of us here on the EAST coast use to get to WDW

And grumble about if we get stuck in the wrong city at the wrong time (DC, Maybe?)

 

[rideswithchrist]

I looked into the KOA, it has a 2night minimum because we will be traveling Labor Day weekend... I guess we need to think ahead on some hotels or campsites.

 

[Maligator]

And grumble about if we get stuck in the wrong city at the wrong time (DC, Maybe?)

That's why we try to take i81 instead when heading south. It's a bit west of i95 and on paper adds about an hour to the trip, but it can easily save 3-4hrs if traffic in Baltimore and DC are heavy.

 

[CDNCruiser]

That's why we try to take i81 instead when heading south. It's a bit west of i95 and on paper adds about an hour to the trip, but it can easily save 3-4hrs if traffic in Baltimore and DC are heavy.

Yup . . . I-81 to I-77 to I-26 to I-95 . . . NO huge cities and NO traffic issues!

 

[4077]

I looked into the KOA, it has a 2night minimum because we will be traveling Labor Day weekend... I guess we need to think ahead on some hotels or campsites.

Oh yeah....gotta watch out for the holiday minimum stays for the cg's....wouldn't have thought about that myself either...

 

[TXWAC]

On long trips we have tried them all. Pulled into a laQuinta with the pop up. Lucked out and had plenty of room outside room to park. Herd kids to continental breakfast and back on the road.

Pulled into a KOA with the TT. Didn't even unhook. Pad was just right. Yeah, like that will ever happen again. Just plugged in for tha AC. Did use the sewer connection to potty the trailer while the kids had breakfast. Actually faster turnaround than LaQuinta, but wouldn't be if you had a pop up.

Did the rest stop thing and it was horrible. Was past capacity and ended up 15 degrees off level between two big rigs. Road noise was unbelievable. Could have been a lot better if we had gotten there earlier.

Will try the CB next trip. The breakfast is already calling.

 

[tmoo]

If I decide to boon dock it is almost always at a Cracker Barrel. I always call the restaurant beforehand to make sure that location allows overnight stays and they always have said yes. The person answering in the phone has always said yes immediately without needing to check with anyone else. Most times it has been a good place to stay. One time the parking was by the rear doors where deliveries and employees came through in the wee hours but other than that no issues. We normally eat breakfast before leaving since they are doing us a good turn. I would much rather be at a Cracker Barrel than a Wal Mart.