If you’re the type of individual who enjoys van and RV life, then you know that you’ve gotta park it somewhere at night during your long trips. To the layperson, any parking lot will do, but that simply isn’t the case. You’ve got to know where to go, and I’m here to tell you that you can add one more store to your list of approved overnight stops: Home Depot. That’s right, most of the home improvement giant’s locations will let you set up camp overnight in their massive lots — but there are some ground rules.
Depending on local laws and store policies, not every Home Depot location is going to be welcoming to the more transient folks among us. That’s why you should really call ahead, according to Roadtrippers. All you’ve got to do is look for nearby Home Depot stores, give them a ring, ask for the manager and ask very nicely if you home on wheels can park up for the night. This won’t be a problem at most locations unless there’s some sort of local rule that restricts it, and there’s no official time limit, but it wouldn’t really be good behavior to stay more than one night, would it? It’s a mobile home, after all. You don’t want to overstay your welcome and ruin it for everybody else, do you?
Parking your RV at Home Depot
There are some things you’re going to need to keep in mind if you want to park your RV or van overnight at a Home Depot parking lot. First of all, you’re going to want to make sure you understand the rules and regulations of the lot. Some of these stores have designated areas where they want overnight parkers to stay, according to Roadtrippers. It suggests you park away from the entrance, usually toward the back of the lot. That way, the closest spots are reserved for customers.
In that same vein, you’re going to want to minimize your impact on that particular Home Depot location. That means you shouldn’t lower your jacks since it can damage asphalt that wasn’t specifically poured to support an RV, according to Roadtripper. To avoid taking up too much space — or give them the impression you’re staying longer than one night — don’t put out your sliders or awnings.
You should also be mindful of how loud you are. That means you and your guests should try to keep your conversations respectful and your TV and radio volumes to a minimum. Oh, and you really shouldn’t be running a generator. That would just be uncouth.
Finally, the last thing you should do — and this goes for everywhere, not just Home Depot parking lots — is pick up after yourself. Take your trash with you and dispose of it at your next camping spot. You’re Home Depot’s guest. You really don’t want to be out there making more work than is necessary for its employees.
If you want to park your RV at Home Depot, the rules are simple: be kind, be courteous and call ahead.
