This web site didn't used to cover picking a place to sleep. I thought that everyone knew how to do this. It turns out many people have never even taken a road trip in a car that lasted longer than a day or two. This is unfortunate but I guess that you have to start sometime and it might as well be now.
Like everything I talk about in this web site, I will approach this subject with my own unique perspective. You can feel free to disagree. I know that many people, including most of my friends and acquaintances, motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists alike, think that their on the road lodgings need to be at least as luxurious and accommodating as home. They want zero inconvenience. I don't understand this. If you want your surroundings to be like home, stay home. If I was to be generous I would call these people self-indulgent. It's not my nature to be this generous so I'll just call them wimps. If they were children they'd be called spoiled. Fortunately, even though some of these people ride motorcycles, most of them do not tour.
Now I'm not recommending living off the land here. I also have some minimum requirements. I want a hot shower and a decent bed. I want quiet when I sleep. I want to be dry if it's raining and warm if it's cold. That's about it. I don't need much else.
You have two choices for sleeping accommodations; motels or camping.
There is a fair amount of variation in what different people would consider to be camping. My definition of camping is simple; You are camping is when you are not staying in a motel. This often, but not always, means that you are providing your own shelter, usually a tent.
Camping is usually cheaper than motels and can be quite flexible, depending on your willingness to break a law or two. Your choices range from commercial campgrounds to pulling off the road in an isolated area and pitching your tent.
I used to camp a lot. Now I never camp and my tent and other camping gear is just gathering dust in the basement. I stopped camping because it stopped being fun and started being a pain. Yes, I too can be a wimp. For years I used a old-fashioned human powered reel-type lawn mower and shoveled the snow. Now I have a Lawn Boy to mow the lawn. It's not self propelled -- I have to push it -- I still have some standards. I also have a snow blower. Hey, you try to shovel a foot of snow off of 240 ft of sidewalk plus do your driveway and you'll want a snow blower too. I think that it's old age.
See, even thinking about camping makes me ornery. There are a few aspects of camping that make it inconvenient. Beginners sometimes find these things that quaint and endearing. I used to think that way but now I just find them annoying. Finding a place to camp is a bit more work than finding a motel depending on your willingness to risk setting up your tent someplace you're not supposed to be. I also like a shower in the morning. Most commercial campgrounds have showers and regular bathrooms but most of the others have pit toilets and not much else. The thing that annoys me the most about camping is packing up wet gear. Even if you take a shower in the evening your towel and wash cloth will be wet when you leave the next morning. The tent will usually be wet from the dew.All these wet things must be packed on your bike. The only way top prevent this is to leave later in the morning, say about 10:00. Even this may not be enough time for everything to dry if the weather is lousy. I don't want to deal with this sort of thing any more, I just want to ride.
The most ubiquitous commercial campground in the USA is KOA (Kampgrounds of America). They even have KOA's in large urban areas. KOA tend to have pretty consistent quality -- OK, not really nice, just OK. They have public showers and bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a small store with a limited selection of food and sundries. Most other commercial campground operators offer similar amenites since they are competing for the same customers. These places vary a fair bit in quality.
What I mean by quality is the cleanliness of the bathrooms and showers, the state of repair of the facilities, and the quality of the campsite. Commercial campgrounds cater to the RV (Recreational Vehicle) crowd. If you go to one of these places they will be filled with RVs along with lots of loud sticky kids. An RV salesman once told me that they single biggest selling point for RV's is that they make it possible to use a campground without the need to use the public bathrooms in the campground. Many people find the quality of the public restrooms unacceptable but then some people find any public restroom unacceptable.
Perhaps I'm just more tolerant. In my mind the bathrooms in commercial campgrounds are not any worse than those I used for years aboard U.S. Navy ships and in some ways the campgrounds are better. At least the commercial campgrounds have water available when you turn on the faucet and it's usually even hot. Actually, they usually have hot water but I did encounter one which didn't have water, hot or otherwise.
I had just come through Glacier National Park and it had been raining all day. The temerature was about 55°F (13°C) and I wanted to stop. I stopped at a commercial campground in Kalispel Montana, paid my $15 (which was too much but it was a tourist area in the peak tourist season and I was too tired to look for an alternative) and went to the campsite they'd assign me.
The rain I had been riding through had produced a pretty bad storm in Kalispel and had knocked out the electricity to a fairly large area, including the campground. It further turned out that this campground had it's own well and without electricity there was no water pump and therefore no water. They had told me this when I checked in but assured me that the power would be restored soon. What they didn't tell me that the toilets were full to the brim of what normally goes into toilets and the bathrooms stunk so bad that you couldn't even go into the building (there was no water to flush the toilets). Fortunately some kind soul in a nearby motorhome let me use their bathroom. When I left the next morning there was still no electricity.
On the road things happen. Sometimes bad things. Occasionally, really bad things. Be ready and don't get too upset. Beyond a certain pont there's nothing you can do about it except deal with it.
Back to campgrounds. You will find that you will often (maybe even usually) have to pitch your tent on gravel, wood chips, pine needles, or something other than nice soft grass. It's important to bring a ground cloth to prevent punching holes in the floor of your tent. Most small tents do not have a real strong floor.
It is not unusual to arrive at a comercial campground and see a "Full" sign at the entrance. Usually what this sign means is that they don't have any RV spaces available. Check with the office. They amost always have room for a bike or two and a couple tents.
One situation I've encountered at some of the lower end commercial campgrounds that I never expected is the large number of people living there. I mean that some of these people are actually living in the campground. I'm not talking about retirees parking their motorhome for a month and seeing the sights. These people don't have a home. Everything they own is at the campsite. There are often whole families living at a campsite. Demographers would call these people "working poor." They eke out a living working odd jobs in the area. Most are honest and, as far as I could see, hard working people who somehow have either been forced into this situation by circumstance or have chosen this way of life. There are also some who I wouldn't trust any farther that I could throw a truck. Be careful around this second type. They'll steal you blind. Unfortunately, it's difficult to tell which type you're dealing with until it's too late.
This choice covers a lot of possibilities so I'll deal with them separately.
In big cities the parks are strictly for having picnics and playing games. No camping is allowed. In smaller towns this is not always the case. Some small towns allow camping in their municipal parks. Some even have regular campgrounds with a few RV hook-ups, toilets and occasionally showers. The cost is usually less than $10 for a motorcycle and tent. Sometimes they're free.
Most of the towns that allow camping in the city park are fairly small and only have one main street. If there is a city park, there will be a sign that points to the park somewhere along the main street. The sign may or may not say anything about camping. Just ride over and see what's up. Parks that front the main street usually do not allow camping. If the park is not on the main street, it's usually just a few blocks off the main street. If you're lucky you'll see a small area for camping. If you're unlucky there will be a sign saying something like "No overnight parking" or "Park closes at 11:00 PM."
If there is no obvious camping area but the park is somewhat separated from the town (by trees, railroad tracks, or distance) and there is an area where you could unobtrusively stay the night there may still be hope. If there are no signs forbidding camping or overnight parking go over to the court house or police station and ask. Sometimes these towns are large enough to have police but not a separate police station. Often the police are in the courthouse. If you are polite, sometimes they will let you stay the night. A promise to not make a fire or cook (even with a stove) might help convince them to let you stay the night.
The only problem with camping city parks is that unless you already know that there is a park that allows camping in a particular city there is no way to plan ahead. City park campgrounds are almost never listed in campgroung guides. Maybe that's why they're seldom full. Camping in city parks is opportunistic. If one pops up when you start looking for a place to stay, great. But don't count on it. Have an alternative in mind or else you could be riding around well after dark with no idea where you're going to sleep.
I have a friend who does bicycle touring and his favorite place to stay is in a dugout at the local baseball field. The dugout provides enough shelter from the rain that he doesn't have to pitch his tent and he keeps his bicycle in the dugout with him. In the morning he's gone before anyone even knew he was there. I haven't tried this on a motorcycle and you can't put a motorcycle in a real dugout but I still like the idea. If you can hide and/or cover the motorcycle it might just work under the right circumstances.
County parks will often have camping available. There is a lot of variety in the facilities you'll find at county park campgrounds. Some are primitive (no water and pit toilets) and some are close to commercial campgrounds (but without the store). As with city park camping, it's tough to plan ahead. Most of the smaller county park campgrounds are not listed in campground guides.
Finding county parks can be tough. The park may or may not be shown on a road map. If the park is shown on the map it will most certainly not indicate if camping is avialable. Sometimes there are signs on the road indicating a turnoff for the park. You'll just have to look and see what's there. County parks are often near water; a lake, river, or creek, and usually heavily wooded.
Some county parks are nearly always full on the weekends (Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday until about 15:00). These are usually very nice parks, often near urban areas, and usually on a lake. There are a lot of these within about 50 miles of Minneapolis. These parks are a nice place to stay on a weekday but you'll never get in on a weekend.
Most state park campgrounds have water, pit toilets and not much else. Most of these places are relatively far from urban areas and the people who use them are on vacation rather than a weekend trip. In Minnesota state parks are very popular and require advance reservations, even on weekdays. Sometimes you can get in if you come later in the day, like after 18:00. There are occasionally people who have made reservations and then don't show.
The crowds are generally the worst between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This is the peak vacation season and the time that most people take thier vacation. Before Mrmorial Day and after Labor Lay things are much easier.
As with state parks, between Memorial Day and Labor Day most national parks are wall-to-wall people. Even if I could get in I wouldn't want to be there. Some of the smaller national parks and monuments may have space but I've never even tried to stay in ant national park so I couldn't say how difficult it would be to find a campong space in the peak season.
There are some national parks worth going to just for the ride through the park. Going to the Sun Highway through Glacier national park in Montana is one of the most amazing roads in the USA. Trail Ridge Road (US34) through Rocky Mountain national park is also a great road.
There are a lot of campgrounds on Forest Service land. Some are very crowded and some are easy to get into. In general, if the forest is in a popular vacation area it will be tough to get in. If the forest is in a less popular area you may have some luck. Most of the Forest Service campgrounds I've seen are fairly primitive: pit toilets and a water spigot (or hand pump) or two scattered throughout the campground.
I have heard that the US Bureau of Land Management allows camping anywhere almost anywhere on their land. To me it seems pretty unlikely that a US government agency would be this accommodating to the taxpayers; sort of like the IRS sending you a letter saying that you don't have to pay your taxes this year. I suspect that the BLM does allow camping in selected places in certain areas. It's certainly worth investigating the BLM website. I'd do it but I don't camp anymore, remember?
The US Army Corps of Engineers has campgrounds at some of their operations. What, the same guys who build dams and dredge rivers, who'd have thought? Maybe they're trying to buff up their image. For whatever reason, the Corps of Engineers does indeed have some campsites. There is a lot more informantion on thier website.
This is sometimes a great choice but can get a bit dicey if you pick the wrong place. There a couple af ways to do this. First, find out who owns the land you'd like to use and ask them. Second, just find an out of the way place where you're unlikely to be discovered and camp there.
The first option -- asking permission -- is something I used to do a lot when I was younger. Back in the 70's and early 80's it worked more often than I'd have thought. The best strategy is to pick a grove of trees on a farmers land. It's usually fairly easy to figure out which farmer owns a particular piece of land. I could usually find the right house in two tries. I'd tell them that I would just stay the night and not light a fire. If they wanted I'd not even light a stove. By the mid 80's it stopped working as often so I stopped asking. I suspect that the lessening cooperation was due to the worsening liability litigation that started to take over the US about that time.
The second option -- just pitch your tent somewhere where no one will see you -- will often work as long as you don't get cauught. I know one guy who has a camouflage tent and tarp to cover his bike. In forested areas he's completely invisible. I've known him to setup camp right next to the highway and no one knew he was there. My method was a bit less bold.
I'd just ride a mile or two off the highway on a dirt road and find a secluded place hidden from the road by some trees or some other land feature. I only got caught a few times and was simply told to go somewhere else. The only really bad experience I had was when I picked a dry river bed to pitch my tent. Since it was near sunset I didn't really realize that I had picked a dry river bed. I found out about three o'clock in the morning when thunderstorm moved through and I was almost washed away. It was exciting though.
Before I start this section you need to understand what I look for in a motel. In order of precedence: 1) My bike must be reasonably secure, 2) The lights must work, 3) Screens on the windows if there is no air conditioning, 4) The bed must have reasonably clean sheets, 5) There must be someplace closeby to eat dinner (walking distance is best). 6) I'd also like hot water and an air conditioner if it's hot out. 7) Cable TV would be nice (it's really nice to have the Weather Channel). That's it. Bear this in mind when reading what I have to say about motels.
There are two types of motels. One is the modern chain like Comfort Inn, AmericInn, and the like. The other is the privately owned (mom-and-pop) motel. Actually, most of the chain motels are privately owned and operated under a franchise agreement but they're still not the same as the mom-and-pop type. There are also the big hotels in the larger cities. Since I seldom go to larger cities on motorcycle trips I almost never stay in a regular city hotel.
I prefer the mom-and-pop motels. They tend to be older and are usually not in the best state of repair but I still like them. They are usually in the smallest towns with populations less than 1500. Most are of the old motor hotel style with each room opening onto the parking lot; usually with your bike parked right in front of the room. I like these motels for three reasons. First, they tend to be in smaller towns. Being in a small town means that there is less crime so your bike is likely to still be there and intact in the morning. Second, mom-and-pop motels are generally much cheaper than the chains. I've paid as little as $25 for a night with cable TV and air conditioning. More often it's $35 or so. Third, the people running the motel are generally friendlier and helpful. These are people who you can talk to about something besides the checkout time.
The large chains are OK and sometimes you don't have a choice, that's all that's available. The chain motels are usually newer and in a better state of repair. They are more expensive than the mom-and-pop motels but they can still be reasonable in smaller towns and away from the interstate highways. I've paid a little as $35 at a chain but they're more often $60. In my mind the bigest disadvantage of chains is that you have less security for your bike.
The chain motels are all built as a large building with inside entrances to each room. There is a usually a large parking lot around the periphery of the building. If you're lucky you might be able to park your bike next to your room's window. More often you park wherever there's room. Most of these motesl have someone at the front desk 24 hours a day. Sometimes you can park near the main entrance and the desk clerk can keep an eye on your bike -- or at least they will say that they keep an eye on your bike, whether they actually do or not is debatable.
There are some advantages to the large chains. You can make reservations in advance. If you're into planning your stays in advance this is nice. Since I do very little planning I can't take advantage of this feature. They often have better amenities like a pool, hot tub, and such. They are usually closer to restraunts, often just a short walk. The best feature of the chains is that they sometimes have laundry facilities.Most Day's Inn and Comfort Inn motels have coin operated washers and dryers. In the last couple years I hace noticed that more and more hotels have this convenience. This is really nice on longer trips as it saves you the trouble of finding a laundromat and makes the logistics of doing your laundry much easier as you only have to walk down the hall rather than load up your bike and ride somewhere, often fairly far from the motel.
There is one type of motel that I try to avoid if at all possible and that's Motel Six, Super Eight, or any other place that caters to those people looking to spend as little money as they can. I don't want to pick on just these two chains. Thave chosen to cater a particular market segment and they are certainly free to do this. The problem is not so much the motel as the people who stay there. There are other motels that also fit into this category.
You can tell if a motel fits this category just by looking. If I see a lot of cars and pickup trucks in dubious state of repair (and a fair number of trailers) I just keep going. The people that stay at these places mostly just looking for a cheap place to stay. In and of itself there's nothing wrong with that -- that's what I'm looking for too. The problem is that there is also a fair number of people whom I wouldn't trust any further than I could throw a truck.