Where Should You Sleep On A Road Trip?

Parking up and sleeping in some locations may not be legal, so you need to be careful of where you choose to rest your head. Below are some of the most common options when it comes to sleeping on a road trip.

Motels

Motels are roadside hotels that are designed for motorists to stop at. You get your own room, which typically has a door that is directly accessible from a parking lot instead of having to go through a reception area. Motels can vary in price and level of luxury - some have their own cafes, pools and plush suites, while others are very basic. If you’re traveling by car or motorbike and you want a bed for the night, a motel can often be the best option.

Campgrounds

Staying in a tent or RV within a campground could be another option. Campground fees are typically much cheaper than motel prices. However, you need to be prepared to sleep more ruggedly (that said, many campgrounds will have public bathroom facilities and laundry facilities that you can use). If you’re travelling via RV, look out for RV campgrounds - these have designated pitches with hook-ups for connecting to electricity and water.

Rest areas

Rest areas are parking lots next to highways where you can park up to sleep or eat. Such rest areas often contain bathroom facilities and sometimes gas stations too. Some also come with travel centers that typically contain stores and food courts with multiple places to buy food. Choosing to sleep at a rest area does mean sleeping in your vehicle. This might not be too bad in an RV, although you won’t get access to hook-up in some rest areas. Sleeping in a car may be less comfortable, but is something that many motorists still do to save money. 

Truck stops

Truck stops are rest areas designed for long-haul truckers. However, it’s not just trucks that can park up here - many truck stops also have designated parking bays for cars and smaller vehicles. As with general rest areas, truck stops can vary in quality of facilities. Most will have bathroom facilities and fuel stations (although these may only be designed for trucks). Others have convenience stores and on-site restaurants - providing somewhere to get dinner or breakfast. Some truck stops have motels attached, but in many cases you’ll have to sleep in your vehicle.

Parking lots

You may be able to park up for the night in the parking lot of a superstore or mall. However, not all parking lots allow overnight parking. 24/7 stores are a good option, because they allow parking at any time, plus you can enter them and buy food and drink when you want (as well as using their bathroom facilities). However, such stores aren’t as common as they used to be.