Most truck stops offer free overnight parking in their lots. This is a benefit to nomads and others as they pass through the area. Be sure to ask the manager if parking is allowed and which spots are acceptable, make a purchase from the store, and check local parking regulations which may disallow camping. Most truck stops provide showers for a fee. Some truck stops provide hookups for RVs in some spots for a fee.
Please don't park in the truck parking area unless you have a very large vehicle and can't fit in other spots. The truck parking spots are designated for truckers who are working, or resting from work; truck drivers are legally required in most jurisdictions to stop driving after a certain number of hours on the road, and they have a very limited number of places they can legally park. In small truck parking areas, your vehicle may get in the way of truck maneuvering. Also, parking very close to running diesel trucks exposes you to more exhaust fumes, which could be hazardous to your health.
Instead, park in the areas designated for passenger vehicles, preferably in a spot not near the main building. Watch for signs, and be sure to follow best practices when parking at a business.
Some truck stops do not allow overnight parking for non-trucks at all. You can usually check apps like iOverlander and/or ask an employee if parking is allowed.
Truck stop showers
Many truck stops offer showers, typically charging $15 or more (in the United States) for a shower. These private showers are generally cleaned between each use. If you aren't traveling solo, some truck stops offer "team shower" packages for multiple shower credits at a reduced price (and no, you don't need to share a shower for this; it's intended for trucks with alternating drivers or other employees or passengers).
At many truck stops, you can sign up for a loyalty card that gives free showers with (large) fuel purchases, or otherwise reduces the price of a shower with multiple purchases:
- Love's offers free showers with 50+ gallons of fuel.
- Pilot/Flying J offers free showers with 50+ gallons of fuel.
Sometimes truckers have more shower credits than they can use and will give them away to others in need. A word of caution, however, especially if you are a solo female: there are some reports of people getting shower credits from a trucker, and then being followed by that trucker into the shower and then assaulted. If this is a concern, do not use the shower credit until much later, when the trucker has left the truck stop. See the Safety and security page for additional tips.
(No truck stop showers? Find other places to shower.)
RV hookups
A limited number of trucks stops, such as some Love's truck stops in the United States, offer hookups, primarily for RVs, as a paid service. This effectively means they are RV parks without most of the usual amenities.
- Love's RV parking (about 60 locations in the U.S.)