At first, I was looking for overnight parking in national parks and campgrounds. Quickly, I realized that most of these were closed because it was off-season.
After asking for advice from full-time vanlifers, I learned of the best-kept secrets about van life: Most vanlifers sleep in parking lots. In fact, I learned that Walmart is one of the most popular overnight parking spots for vanlifers and RVers — not beaches and national parks, like many might assume.
After researching overnight parking at Walmart, I learned that I needed permission from a manager to spend the night. I called a few Walmarts around Philadelphia and no one could grant me permission to park overnight.
Luckily, my research also showed that Cracker Barrel is another popular destination for vanlifers. The first Cracker Barrel I called immediately granted me permission to park overnight.