New guy in town

Since you are brand new to RVing, I would suggest you rent one first to make sure the life style is what you expect. Cruise America and El Monte RV both rent RVs. Also, another good way to get into RVing is to buy one of their units. Since you are considering a Class C, this strategy would work well for you.

I'm going to disagree with the assertion that a motorhome requires one to tow something to get around. That depends entirely on how you intend to use the motorhome, and to some extent on how willing you are to drive the motorhome itself around when needed (which is a less inconvenient for smaller motorhomes than larger ones, all other things being equal). I do not tow anything behind my 32' class C motorhome, and have only on quite rare occasions thought it would be useful for me.

If you're going on short trips or will be fairly frequently moving between campsites and so can shop etc. on the way, and don't care to go into town to enjoy the nightlife or whatever every night, then it can be easily practical to use just a motorhome. If you're staying in one spot for an extended period of time, another vehicle is a whole lot more convenient. Many people end up someplace in the middle.

For a beginner, I have a few general suggestions. First off, seriously consider renting a motorhome somewhat similar to what you're thinking of for a week or a couple weekends. It's not cheap, I know, but some actual use will give you a lot of ideas about what you may want to look for, about what sorts of features are handy to you and what to avoid, and generally about what it's like to RV. You may find that it's not your cup of tea after all, in which case you've saved a considerable sum of money over buying something outright.

Second, I would suggest looking at used units as the initial depreciation on a motorhome is rather steep and you may find your initial figuring on what will work for you wasn't quite right. For used motorhomes, by and large, the brand is less important than how well it has been maintained.

Of the main class C chassis, there are some advantages and disadvantages to all of them. Sprinters are reportedly nice to drive, and get relatively decent fuel mileage, but from what I gather can be a bit temperamental and are more costly to repair than the Fords. The E series has been around nearly forever and is solid and easy to get serviced, has a little more capacity than the Sprinter, but is rather less refined overall and a little thirsty for fuel. The transits are more limited in capacity, and the ProMaster very limited in capacity.

In terms of brands, offhand the ones I see consistently rated as the best are Phoenix Cruiser, Coach House, and Lazy Days. I have a twenty year old Coachmen, and at least in that timeframe they built a decent but not extraordinary unit. The fit and finish and interior materials etc. are not always top of the line, but the basic structure and design are sound and decently thought through, and the mechanical systems, electrical, and plumbing constructed and installed in a sensible and workmanlike manner. I can't say whether they're better or worse or much the same now; a good bit can change in a couple of decades.

donn0128 gave you good advice. Look at everything before you decide. They all have pros and cons. Only you can decide what is the best type RV for your application.
Will you be traveling often or, will you go somewhere and stay a week or longer?
Is it just you or, a spouse and kids? Pets? Think about how it will be used, does the floor plan work for you?
Take your time and do not be in a hurry to buy. And, ask lots of questions before you buy something.
Have fun with your search, use it as a learning experience.

Start the other way. Where do you want to camp? Private parks with full hookups or dry/boondocking in the National forests? Combination? Then you can pick an RV.

Motor homes, no matter class will require you to tow something to get around. Many Sprinter sizes will not have enough capacity to tow anything. For a given size of living space buying a motor home will require more length. Motor homes, if your towing a vehicle means two drive trains to maintain. Cost per foot of living space is higher.
If you can live with that, then go for it.
Towables are generally less expensive to buy, own, and maintain. Towables will have more living space per foot of actual total length. Towables dont have a second drive train to maintain.
Lots of reasons for both, but dont let the glitter get in your eyes. Pay attention to everything and go foreword.