Rving The Way Down

Mhykol · Joined: Jul 18, 2003 Posts: 3

My friend and myself are loading up an RV with a PC loaded with our favorite digital music and a wireless access point (for remoting into the "jukebox" from our laptops), and driving from Mitchell, SD to Des Moines, IA. We hope to make the trip fun and we don't even have to find a hotel room Wink

. A question though, we were just thinking of finding a public 24hour parking lot to stay at night, but is there a place around the convention complex that has night rv parking? We were hoping it would be alright to park at the convention parking lot, if this is not alright with them could someone let me know before we leave so we can adjust our plans.

Thanks,
Mike

cobalt · Joined: May 06, 2003 Posts: 60

If I had to venture a guess it would be that there is no place to park all night without potentially getting a friendly knock on the windows by local police. I know that you would do well in one of the rest areas along I-80 because I've had several long road trips through in the last three years. Assuming you don't have to have a hook-up for electricity, maybe your best shot is to find a nice, quiet and dark neighborhood?

hclark · Joined: Jun 11, 2003 Posts: 126

I have no idea whether or not the convention center allows overnight parking. They don't mention it on their web site that I could find.

According to this page http://www.rvcentral.com/overnight.htm overnight parking is not allowed at Iowa rest stops. Don't know if that's true or not or if it is enforced.

You could stay at the local state park for about $15 per night
http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/organiza/ppd/walnutwd.htm

Or there's always the Wal-Mart parking lot. Razz

cobalt · Joined: May 06, 2003 Posts: 60

"Never enforced" is probably the operative part here, lol! There are always trucks and cars parked overnight in the rest stops. I stay in them for up to 6 hours at a time if needed with never a tap on my window.

BLW1540 · Joined: Jul 23, 2003 Posts: 2

From the offifce of the Des Moines Chief of Police:

You can take up all of the on-street parking spaces in downtown Des Moines you need as long as:

(a) the meters are kept plugged during the enforcement hours of 9 AM - 6PM.

(b) you respect the 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM Monday-Friday no parking zones (or your RV will be impounded).

Meters are not enforced after 6 PM on Friday and not at all on Saturday. The 7-9 and 4-6 zones are only enforced Monday through Friday.

emc2serv · Joined: Apr 13, 2003 Posts: 4

I've stayed at the KOA in west Des Moines a few times in the past and have had a wonderful stay. Here's thier web address if you need it.

http://koa.com/where/ia/15103.htm