Do you love boondocking? Are you always looking for new places to stay while on the road in your RV? Marianne Edward’s community, Boondockers Welcome, can help finding that perfect boondocking spot much simpler.
After a long and exhausting day behind the wheel of your RV it can be a painful task to find a safe and affordable place to boondock for the night. Free camping opportunities are becoming a rare thing nowadays. Places all over the US are passing ordinances that ban sleeping in vehicles. Once popular parking spots, like big box stores, often have “No Overnight Parking” signs posted.
Limited boondocking options force travelers to be creative when finding places to camp. Thankfully there’s a way to avoid this misery.
Marianne Edwards has been guiding RVers to free and safe overnight parking sports for years. Her online community creates a place for budget-minded RVers and private property owners to connect. The property owners offer a place to stay, and weary travelers can easily find free overnight parking accommodations.
Edwards is no stranger to boondocking. As the the author of The Frugal Shunpiker’s Guide she has been helping those in search of boondocking sites for years. This popular series of travel guides showcases free and low-cost scenic camping locations.
She became a boondocker 16 years ago when she and her husband hitting the open road in an RV of their own. Since then, she has shared her love of affordable RVing with readers from all around the world.
Her inspiration for creating Boondockers Welcome came when she went on a long solo trip through Ontario Canada. While on her journey she realized how hard it was to find a free and safe place to pass the night.
She passed dozens of rural homes with long driveways and RVs parked on the properties. Unable to find a place to stay for the night, she gathered up her courage and drove down one of those long driveways. She introduced herself to the middle-aged couple that owned the property and asked if she could park for the night. The couple agreed and it was as if a light bulb lit up in Marianne’s head.
Wouldn’t it be terrific is she could connect property-owning RVers with other RV enthusiasts? What a great way for road weary travelers to easily find a place to pull over for a night or two.
This idea became the basis for a safe community with members from all over the world. With the help of her daughter, Anna, Marianne founded Boondockers Welcome.
It is a dues-based membership group that connects property-owning RVers with those who are on the road. But, this isn’t the only criteria; if you are are full-time RVer, you are also welcome to join.
The community works like vacation home-swap arrangements and couch-surfing sites such as AirBNB. Unlike those other communities, members arrive with their own facilities and homes. This is a far less intrusive arrangement when compared to letting strangers sleep on your couch.
Membership rates are less than what you would pay for the price of one night in an RV park, and before signing up you are allowed a free preview of the site. Potential members are able to search the database for free RV parking opportunities before they join. RVers can find boondocking spots that range from a simple driveway to premium tourist destinations.
This site has turned into a community where strangers can commune with those who also share a love of the open road. Boondockers Welcome operates on a global scale. People all over the world are using the community to link up and find free places to park.
The main difference between Marianne’s community and other similar websites is the personal feel. It allows members to interact with each other before they decide if they would like to connect in person.
Sharing information provides potential visitors and hosts with the opportunity to become better acquainted. It is important to note that no member has to offer a place to stay, or agree to visit one. Personal information is not released unless the two parties have agreed that they are a match.
If you have any questions, the FAQs page on the Boondockers Welcome website is quite helpful. Here you can find answers to questions such as:
Boondockers Welcome is a great resource for boondockers. With their 90 day money back guarantee, it is an excellent investment. Give it try, you have nothing to lose.
