25 Foot Class C for family of four

Maustin,

As an RV owner that grew up in close quarters as the youngest of 3 and the owner of a small RV and the grandfather to 5 I can offer some perspective here.

Your plan is do-able, but it will be no more of a challenge than living at home on a rainy weekend. You will be continuously converting the convertible parts between services, just get used to it. Get the kids trained in both low water use life and everything in its place. If it does not have a safe place to be, it does not come. Get the elder reading books as they are quiet and cordless.

Carry bicycles with the required seating and add more as need be. These are both good exercise and far less of a problem than a towed. A 25' coach is a good size to take shopping fore provisions and they can be put away before you fire up to leave the lot.

Lastly, If you are thinking of new, stop now. Go used shopping. You will not be able to put enough miles on it to make new anything like a decent ROI. You might be able to get a 4~5 year old for little enough to pay cash. If you can store it on your own lot, then the cost will be a minor consideration. If you make sure it never has any roof leaks, it will retain its value for years to come. (One water leak can end that fast.)

Enough the kids while you can.

Matt

I grew up with a truck camper. We fit 2 adults, 3 kids, and usually at least 2 large dogs and a mid-size dog. We never had a problem. We were camping. We were outdoors. We had camp chairs for sitting, picnic table for eating, the campground for exploring, the TC for sleeping and travel.

As the kids get older and want to bring friends, add a tent to the mix.

You're only going to "outgrow" the C if you intend to spend your time inside or you keep filling it up with "stuff".

Since you're talking skiing, snowboarding, etc., i'm guessing you already spend a lot of time outdoors doing stuff rather than sitting inside watching TV, so you should be fine.

And in five years, your kids will only be 9 and 5.

It's all about keeping the wife happy. My brother and his wife go camping with their 3 girls (13, 11, 8) in a pop up. They love how easy and small the pop up is. Of course, they use the pop up for primarily sleeping. Most of the time, they are outside enjoying whatever place they are visiting.

My wife, on the other hand, requires more room and walls to drown out the outside noises at night. We have a 31' Class C Winnebago. So far we love it. It is my wife and I, our two boys (13 and 9) and 3 dogs (German shepherd, pitbull mix, jack russel mix).

I think the key to remember is "why YOUR family is there". Each family is different and each destination is different.

It is wonderful to have a lot of the conveniences with you when "glamping" (as my coworker puts it). My suggestion is to go tent camping with the family at least once for a weekend at a spot that has water and electric. You will quickly find out what the family needs to make the next camping trip happen.

I think you'd appreciate something a little bit bigger, with a separate bedroom area and some kitchen counter space (assuming you do any cooking at all). Of course, that's rather a guess since I know very little about your temperaments and expectations and so forth.

CruiseAmerica's "standard" rental is quite similar in size and layout to the 25B you're considering. I would suggest you rent one for a few days and see how it fits you. Renting also gives you a better feel in general for what to expect from a motorhome, and maybe some ideas on what features to look for or avoid. Rentals are not exactly inexpensive, but it would be less costly in the long run than buying something ill-suited to your needs and wants (and then presumably selling it and buying something else more appropriate).

maustin00 wrote:
Thank you for the feedback. And as far as kids, one is 4 years old and the baby is 6 months old :).

6 month old? Diapers, bottles, and a wooden spoon to chew on. He won't be all that active, and needs are very simple.

4 year old? Yes, a bit challenging there. Attention span is about 10 seconds and then they are off to something else. And when they get tired, they get destructive. My son and grandson live with us. Our grandson turned 4 on April 2. We take them camping with us (although we now have the TT now. My son is now 31. (how time flies).

They have been living with us for the last 3 years. When camping, the grandson's cloths all fit in a paper grocery sack. But even now, he still prefers to be all "natural"! Well.... that saves laundry you know? When camping, his toys consist of the latest couple items he's attached to at the moment. His interests are always changing as fast as the wind changes direction, but one thing that is consistent is his enjoyment of watching movies. With Smartphones having Internet access, my son keeps him supplied with his favorite videos.

So, many times yesterday did we hear .... "Daddy Finger, Daddy Finger, where are you? Here I am, Here I am, how do you do!"...... Oh my! The kid will sit for hours and hours listening to that same song.

But then, get him outside, and you can't get him to come back in the house (or camper, or anywhere). He wants to climb trees, and pretty much do whatever "grandpa" is doing! He's becoming quite handy at age 4 with a hammer, a screw driver, and even a hatchet! Really!

Toys? Not this kids!

For yours also? Whatever comes naturally. They really don't need a bunch of 'stuff' when camping. They find their own.

Not only may you outgrow it fast IMO you will tire of the layout quickly. I've never been a fan of the corner cut beds, open to the rest of the mh, and right next to the community bathroom. The dinette is your only "counter space". Think real hard about where you and your kids are going to store their "stuff".

Thank you for the feedback. And as far as kids, one is 4 years old and the baby is 6 months old :).

I'm assuming you mean your kids are 4 and 6 years old, not 4 and 6 months???

We camped with a pop-up until the kids (boy and girl), were about 16 years old and started working jobs and then quit traveling with us. Never had a problem. The kids knew the routine, knew their space, and accepted the space and sleeping arrangements as just a fact of life.

Starting your kids out that young, in 5 or 6 years, they's never question anything.

Now, about you? You need to adjust from the first day! Take the basic essential and keep it that way. You really don't need an entire warehouse of "stuff" for a couple of kids. And don't let them drag along a bunch of stuff they will never play with either. Basically, you need something to keep the kids entertained when traveling. And really.... a portable DVD player is the absolute best baby-sitter.

Once at the campground ... let them discover their own method of playing. You don't need to drag along a bunch of toys. They may make friends with other campground kids, and next thing you know, they are climbing trees, digging holes, and looking for bugs.

Good luck.