I don’t know how a massive Walmart, let alone one with the term ‘Supercenter’ added to it, manages to find itself hidden from plain site, but I’ve jogged up and down US1 in these parts for the better part of 3 years and I’ve NEVER seen this big box retailer before. So when I looked into this, the omission of traditional signage that is viewable from this major highway likely could be one of the few reasons. Tucked a good solid 2 blocks west of US1, you’ll have to look for the Olive Garden sign and take your first right as you are heading south in case you don’t want to miss this place. Upon turning into what looks like an alleyway or small lane, you’ll see the shortest Walmart sign in world existence tucked behind some shrubs standing about 10 feet tall.
Once you do make your way to this Walmart Supercenter from US1, having had to first cross a set of train tracks, you will discover also that you are entering this retailer from the rear, which yes, feels incredibly odd, but this first chunk of paved paradise that is located on the northern side is likely the best spot to park your rig, 5th Wheel or RV for the night. This area keeps you away from the front of the store where expectably there’s a lot more of incoming / outgoing traffic, thus staying here in the northern periphery will contribute to a more relaxed and hushed experience.
As you continue around the store to the front, you will indeed understand why this particular Walmart is called ‘Supercenter’ as it is absolutely massive – in fact, this place is more like a mall complex and is easily one of the largest Walmarts I have ever seen. The parking area in front of the store itself is comprised of standard little lanes that are like a block and a half long, and there’s about 20 or so of these, where when we stopped by midmorning on a Tuesday, the traffic was fairly decent, so I would urge caution as there’s a lot of traffic darting in and out of this place.
Overall, you will be impressed by the sheer size of this big box retailer parking lot as well as it’s fairly EZ and quick on- and off-access to either US1 and from there I95, which is the busiest traffic artery here in the Sunshine State. As long as you stay in the northern perimeter of this retailer, you will also appreciate the quiet, solitude and manageable amount of otherwise frenetic traffic. The dilapidated quality of the lot isn’t the best and while this section of Jacksonville isn’t the worst, it’s also not the safest, so be sure to keep your guard up from a safety and security standpoint.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) As you are just a block or two away from the heavily trafficked US1, you’ll have no shortage of retail options at your immediate disposal, which in particular, you might take note of the fact that you are a stone’s throw and across the street from The Avenues Mall, which has endless shopping adventures waiting for you; (2) Should you be looking to ‘get your food on’ and have grown weary of trying to conjure up your next meal from the leftovers in your onboard mini-fridge, then you should be able to find something nearby like Olive Garden, Steak-n-Shake and Miller’s Ale House, but if you want something really special and don’t mind a small 10 minute drive from where you find yourself at, then plug Salento’s Steakhouse into your GPS and make your way to Old St. Augustine Road where you’ll find this small Colombian joint in a small strip mall venue, where once you open the doors to this 'hidden gem' establishment, you will be immediately transported to Bogotá where you’ll be able to chomp down on local favorites like empanadas, chorizo and bandeja Paisa!; and (3) Should you have any issues mechanically, you’re in a lot of luck as there’s a ton of gas stations, RV camping dealerships as well as all of those tire, brake and oil change specialists as you are literally on the section of US1 where all of the car dealerships are located just in case you need to get something looked at or simply fueled up.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 4
Safety & Security: 3
Quality: 3
Peace & Quiet: 3
Amenities: 3
Overall, I scored this location a 3.
Happy Overnighting!
Overnight Parking
