Not much difference moving. You still have to unhook and set up at the end of the day unless you are going without a car in which case day trips are a hassle and it really only saves about 10 minutes on either end.
As you are not on a tight schedule, you don't have to do 8-10hr drives, so stopping to go to the bathroom is no longer a big concern like it is for weekend warriors.
I would lean towards a travel trailer or even better a small 5th wheel but I think you are off thinking you can get a new truck and trailer for the cost of a used Class C. I would expect it to be pretty close to a wash, with the possible exception of if you are adding a new car to pull behind the Class C.