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M3 Road Trip parking places for sleep

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I plan on driving to NYC from South Florida later this month. In addition, I plan on spending 6-7 days touring across Virgina. I plan on sleeping most nights in the M3.

I have purchased the TESMAT along with the sheets and the privacy screen. I also have TravelJohn disposables (for overnight needs) and will shower at Planet Fitness when necessary. I have PlugShare and RV Parky on my phone to locate parking places but was also wondering if others have parked in unmonitored hotel parking lots of Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, etc or slept at SC stations. I obviously would try not to bring attention to myself (I’d set up the mattress elsewhere) but was wondering if others had experience with this or have any other ideas. I’m not interested in parking at RV Parks as I don’t want to be beholden to any schedule or reservation. Thanks.
 
If you are actively traveling and not touring (staying at the same place multiple nights) the super chargers along I-95 and I-75 are not busy from 11pm to 6am. Moving over one spot will disguise you and you won’t be blocking chargers.

It is hard to beat a camp site with power and showers.

if you want specific places there is watago state park and camping in the monaghalia national forest in WV. (I know you said VA but that is Eastern WV). Pocahontas County has 10 level 2 chargers. 8 of which are free.
Thanks. I might stay nearby a Supercharger but again my concern is being the only one out there. The problem with a camp site is the check-in. I don’t want to have a schedule. I’m not going to know exactly how far I want to go each day until later in the day. Once I’m in VA, I may decide after dinner to drive on another hour or two to the next place. I will have a gym membership at Planet Fitness for showers. They are plentiful in the areas I’m traveling.
 
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A lot of campsites do after hours checkin. Sometimes, they’ll leave an envelope with your shower key if that’s even available.

I’m with you about not wanting to lock in when it comes to campsites and schedules. The nice thing about supercharger stops is they give you time to make calls/check online for overnight options that day. If you’ve got some alternatives in mind and it isn’t a major tourist time/location, you should be able to make last minute plans that way and really just go with the flow.

I felt weird about it but did spend one night in the same lot as a supercharger. I charged up for about 30 minutes while setting up my bed then moved away from the chargers for the overnight and woke up well before the business (a restaurant) was scheduled to open. Moved back to a charger to recoup what I used overnight while packing up then, since the restaurant still wasn’t open, went to a nearby 24 hour joint for a quick breakfast and bathroom stop.

That was actually my first sleep of that epic road trip and, looking back on it, I don’t think there was anything to feel weird about.
 
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I plan on driving to NYC from South Florida later this month. In addition, I plan on spending 6-7 days touring across Virgina. I plan on sleeping most nights in the M3.

I have purchased the TESMAT along with the sheets and the privacy screen. I also have TravelJohn disposables (for overnight needs) and will shower at Planet Fitness when necessary. I have PlugShare and RV Parky on my phone to locate parking places but was also wondering if others have parked in unmonitored hotel parking lots of Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, etc or slept at SC stations. I obviously would try not to bring attention to myself (I’d set up the mattress elsewhere) but was wondering if others had experience with this or have any other ideas. I’m not interested in parking at RV Parks as I don’t want to be beholden to any schedule or reservation. Thanks.

i sleep in my 3 frequently when i leave in the afternoon for my usual roadtrip.
Tasmat is ok but for me its all about comfort and swiftness. I used to have an airmatress but I got rid of it as I wanted more vertical space up to the parcelshelf.
I now just have an isomat which I top with a yogamat and then and I fold a fluffy blanket over that (i use this blanket normally in the car to cover items in the trunk so it doesnt damage the plastic trim). then I put a sheet over that and then use a courtesy sheet as my blanket. I used to have a proper duvet but I live in the tropics/desert and 2x sheets and 1x yogamat and 1x isomat folds really nicely together and doesnt take much space. It can get cold in certain parts of Australia (down to maybe 8-10C) but I just leave the heater running all night if need to be lol.

I use the evannex heatshields (can also be bought from heatshield themselves) to dim out the cabin for privacy and isolation.

I am 184cm so I usually use a little flight suitcase behind the front seat to extend the rearbench and cover that with the yogamat and pillow.
The other seat is also all the way forward and is a nice little space to stand up/sit and get changed etc.

I usually preplan where I stop to arrive there at midnightish. Either 3 phase or an AC outlet somewhere, ideally with a toilet nearby.

Also bring some earplugs for traffic.
i dont really have any good pictures:
 

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here is a good example of the old setup i used to have.

The matress and big blanket elevates the sleeping floor way too much and then the cabin feels much smaller and the parcelshelf gets in the way. I sleep just as comfortable on the isomat and yogamat and a doublefolded fluffy blanket. (i have not used the isomat a few times before too and havnt noticed much difference in comfort). It makes the cabin seem much bigger too.)

I think the teslamat is somewhere in between. bit bigger than a yogamat/blanket but smaller than a normal airmatress.
 

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Former truck driver, AVOID rest stops. Drug haven as well as undesirables hanging around all night. Big chain TruckStops or TravelCenters are the place to stay. Open 24hrs,, plenty of traffic coming and going, well lit, plus restrooms and coffee in the AM. Look for Pilot Travel Centers, Flying J, or Petro Stopping Centers. (same advise as I gave my kids when needing to catch some sleep}
 
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Former truck driver, AVOID rest stops. Drug haven as well as undesirables hanging around all night. Big chain TruckStops or TravelCenters are the place to stay. Open 24hrs,, plenty of traffic coming and going, well lit, plus restrooms and coffee in the AM. Look for Pilot Travel Centers, Flying J, or Petro Stopping Centers. (same advise as I gave my kids when needing to catch some sleep}
Thanks for confirming my thoughts after I posted this thread. I’ll stay where there are other “campers” and some commercial activity. I can sleep with earplugs and eye mask.
 
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