‘It’s been an experience’: RV campers parked in Myrtle Beach area Walmarts amid coronavirus
Canadians Alan and Dianne Cotton hit the road in their RV last month looking to spend some time along the Southern coast during their annual road trip getaway. They didn’t expect their trip would be interrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.
Now the couple, who can’t stay in a campground with Myrtle Beach mandating its closure, have found refuge parking their motor home in Walmart parking lots along the Grand Strand over the last week before eventually heading back to their hometown in New Brunswick, Canada.
“There’s quite a bit of snow back home so we decided to come south just to get some sunshine and relaxation,” Dianne Cotton said. “It’s been an experience to say the least.”
Following 40 years of traveling with their motor home to escape the cold Canadian winters, the couple hit the road the first week of March as some cases of the coronavirus were being confirmed in Washington state. Looking to spend some time on the East Coast, they had little concern about their trip being affected by the virus.
However, with Savannah, Georgia their ultimate destination, the couple changed course to Charleston as the situation worsened. Unable to stay in Charleston, they traveled to Myrtle Beach only to find area campgrounds had been shut down through May with South Carolina later closing all public beach access points. They were left with a decision to make.
“Do we head back home?” Alan Cotton asked. “Well, we spent all this time trying to get down here so we decided Walmart usually lets you stop.”
Though regulations vary, Walmart is known for allowing campers to park their recreational vehicles in its parking lots overnight.
With activities limited throughout the Grand Strand, the couple, with their dog Buddy, has found solace boondocking their camper at the Broadway at the Beach parking lot during the day, taking in some sun, reading for hours and avoiding the news.
“As long as we can get the motor home parked and we can get the sun on us, we just go wherever people aren’t bothered or security people telling us you can’t stay here,” Dianne Cotton said. “Over at Broadway they don’t seem to be bothered.”
With confirmed cases of COVID-19 relatively low in Horry County compared to other metropolitan cities, the couple said they’ll continue to adhere to the guidelines of social distancing and remain in Myrtle Beach for as along as the weather stays nice to avoid going back to the snow and ultimately having to self-quarantine when they get home.
As of Friday night, Horry County currently had 51 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths. South Carolina had 1,700 reported cases and 34 deaths.
Robert Cardinal said he’ll be heading back to Quebec, Canada in two weeks after a six-month long vacation, fully aware he’ll have to self-quarantine upon his arrival.
For the last 13 years, Cardinal has spent his winters traveling in his RV to Miami, Florida, with his two dogs, usually leaving in November and heading back home in May. But Cardinal said he found himself in Myrtle Beach two weeks ago after Miami officials began enforcing regulations to mitigate the the virus’ spread.
While he was staying at the Myrtle Beach State Park for about four days before it closed, he’s now parked at Walmart, asserting he felt it unfair the state park shut down while the beaches have remained open. Campers at the park were either distanced nor isolated in their motor homes, he said.
“At the state park it was perfect; everybody was apart,” Cardinal said. “There was only a few campers, so it was a safe place for me.”
Now, Cardinal travels around to different area Walmarts, spending his days watching television, walking his dogs, eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts, enjoying the sun and doing some shopping.
“I’m stuck here but I don’t want to go back to Quebec, it’s too cold,” Cardinal said. “I stay away from people, I go shopping, I don’t mix with people. I take that seriously because people die of that.”
