6 Must-Have Apps For Free RV Stays

RVing is full of fun and freedom of the road. But it can also be expensive, especially those pricey RV parks. But we want to share our 6 must-have apps for free RV stays. Several months ago, we embarked on a four month tour through the southern US. As newbies to the RV life, we knew we would be learning a lot ‘on the road’. One of the big ones we learned was where to park for the night.

Of course, we thought of RV parks, but we wanted to save money and avoid spending $30, $50 or more a night for space rental. And one reason, among many others, for road tripping in an RV is to save money on lodging expenses, and not stay in motels every night. (Along with having our own home and the ability to bring our dogs along) However, we wanted to find an alternative to RV parks and their high rental fees.

With that motivation, and some late night driving necessity, we found some alternative options for nightly stays. Using five particular cell phone apps to find nightly stays along with parking for a few days at friends’ houses, we managed to stay entirely free for our first month RVing If you want to know how we did it, keep reading for our list of the 6 must-have apps for free (or cheap) RV stays.

1. Harvest Hosts:

Our favorite of the 6 must-have apps for free RV stays is a membership website and cell phone app I highly recommend. It is called Harvest Hosts. (Click on the link to check it out) Harvest Hosts is a collection of over 700 wineries, farms and historic sites along with 200+ golf courses that allow Harvest Host members to stay overnight for free.

There is a small cost to become a member, but well worth it. We paid $49 for a year, but there are different options available. Your RV must be fully self-contained and, although not required, it is recommended that the RVer support the host by purchasing their product.

Well, that is usually not a problem, especially if that involves purchasing some wine to add to a collection. Or purchasing a bottle to drink that night, which is a great way to get a free nights stay.

“The discovery of a wine is of greater moment than the discovery of a constellation. The universe is too full of stars.”

― Benjamin Franklin, circa 1700s

On our trip, we stayed in wineries in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Tennessee along with some historic parks in Louisiana and Texas. All of them have been beautiful, peaceful places to stay and the owners have all been friendly, accommodating, and wonderful to speak with. And tasting the unique wine of the region is a great bonus!

2. ‘Overnight RV Parking’ App

The second of 6 must-have apps for free RV stays I recommend is Overnight RV Parking. It is a list of thousands of places to stay for free overnight. It is usually parking lots, like Walmart or Cracker Barrel, but also lists other places like Rest Areas and Welcome Centers that allow overnight parking.

It uses GPS and your location to show any overnight places right where you are. This is such a great way to find a quick overnight stay and you can see how far you need to go to find your parking spot for the night. Very nice when you are tired. 😉

It has definitely come in handy, especially on a few of our long 8 hour treks. Just having a safe place to park with easy access is great. You have to be willing to be self-contained, but usually it is just a place to pull over and sleep and be back on the road in the morning.

It may seem strange at first to sleep in a parking lot, but once you close all the blinds and curtains for the night, you create your own little world, your private sanctuary, despite the goings on outside. I won’t say I love it, but having it available when you are tired, and it’s late, and it doesn’t make sense to pay for an RV park for just a few hours, makes it worth the slight awkwardness. A bonus to staying in a Walmart parking lot….there is usually less expensive gas right there and the store if you need any quick restocking.

3. ‘Park Advisor’ App

We found this handy little free app later in our journey. It is similar to the ‘Overnight RV Parking’ app but has a more user-friendly interface. It also uses GPS and your location to list all overnight parking places like Walmart, as well as campgrounds, BLM land, fairgrounds, National Parks and Recreation areas, KOAs and RV parks. It’s kind of a one stop shop for overnight stays.

But it not only shows you on a map or list, but also gives information on each location including all the pertinent information, contact, amenities, and reviews from fellow users. All in all, a great app to have on your road trip. Find ‘Park Advisor’ in the app store.

4. ‘Campendium’ App

Campendium is the next must-have app for free (or cheap) RV stays. This is another free app in the app store and lists all the RV parks, dump stations, etc in an area of your choice or by your GPS location. This app also uses an interactive map to find locations and gives some information on the parks and sites, although not as much as the previous apps. But it is still a great resource to have on the road.

The best part about this app is showing dump station locations. Knowing where dump stations are is very important information for an RVer. Not a pleasant subject but very real! This app was the only one we found that shows where dump stations are on the map.

5. Passport America

The fifth recommended must-have app for cheap RV stays is Passport America. It is another membership site along with an app that works with hundreds of RV parks and campgrounds across the country to offer members 50% off the normal nightly rate. It is $44 per year to join but is worth it, because it will pay for itself after the first or second use.

It has an interactive map along with campground listings, amenities, pricing and contact information. I recommend signing up for this membership. Although the stay is not free, you can save a lot on campgrounds and RV parks. Be sure to have your Passport America card or ID number when making reservations so you get your 50% discount.

6. ‘Boondocking’ App

The last of the 6 must-have apps for free RV stays is for RVers who don’t mind being ‘off-the-grid’. Boondocking is the art of finding out of the way places, often BLM land or a large ranch to park your RV and stay either overnight or in some cases, extended periods. The caveat is you have to be fully self-contained. The Boondocking app helps to find those places.

It’s also an interactive map showing your GPS location and any possible locations where you would be able to boondock or dry camp. Most of these locations will be in National Recreation areas or wilderness areas. The app is helpful for the more adventurous RVer. Check it out in the app store.

Thanks to the hospitality of good friends, wonderful winery hosts and the these 6 must-have apps for free (or cheap) RV stays, we were able to travel through 10 states and stay completely free for a whole month. You can too!

Whether you are a weekend warrior or a full-time RVer, using these apps will save you so much money on your overnight stays. So be sure to check out the following apps: Harvest Hosts, Overnight RV Parking, Park Advisor, Campendium, and Passport America. Here’s to your next awesome road trip!

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Let me know if you found this post helpful or if you have any of your own apps you would like to share. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading and remember…’Someday….is today’!

Be sure to subscribe below, so you don’t miss out on any of the good stuff. You’ll receive an update on new content sent right to your inbox. How cool is that! Cheers to you, fellow Gypsies!