bunkhouse room or cave?

Thanks everyone! I'm more hopeful that the cave will work. We just have to be creative and find the best floorplan overall. Off to the RV show to explore!

When we got our new to us camper, we gave our 19yr old daughter the option of taking the top bunk out to give her more of a room, and light from the window. She liked the "cave" as it was. I added a tv with dvd player and a 12v fan. We took the mattress off the upper bunk and added it to the lower bunk, put carpet down on the upper bunk and now have a great storage location.

We had the "cave" bunks for our two, starting when they were 8 & 5, and they loved it. This design was not an issue for them until they got to their late teens.

I have three kids, not one, so my needs were different as far as space goes.

That being said, I LOVE having a door on the bunkhouse. I would vote for that hands down every time.
For me, the purpose of the bunkhouse is to have a separation when it's quiet time for the little ones and I still want to function; cook dinner, watch adult tv, etc. It's defeating the purpose if they aren't separate rooms.

My kids like to take their glow sticks from the evening and line them up on their beds at night. Then, it's not so dark and scary but instead the dark is pretty fun!

Here's a photo of our previous trailer. It was a Keystone Springdale (no slides). We did not have kids with us any more, but the bunks were sure nice for storing stuff, and we had all kinds of small pets, it was great space to put their cages.

Several years ago we went to the RV and Boat show in Indianapolis and we were looking at the million dollar boats they brought in. One boat had bunks under the stair well, around the corner and along the hull. There was a top one and bottom one. No windows anywhere. I crawled in one and laid there for a moment and all of a sudden I got claustrophobic! I mean .... wild-crazy insane claustrophobic! I felt like I was laying in a closed coffin. Horrible experience! After that, when looking at campers, the bunk-house models (the cave style), just absolutely gave me the chills!

So the Springdale had more open bunks. The top was a full size and the bottom was a twin size. My wife and I slept on the top bunk a few times to try it out. But it made a better shelf for our bird cages. Still, the open concept did not make it feel like bunks at all. My grand granddaughters slept on them once, but before the night was over, they were in bed with us!

Only problem with this camper, and the reason we sold it, it just got too small for us with no slides after 8 years!

We have the "fort" type since that is what our kids call it, but my 3 year old son and 5 year old daughter loves them. My 2 yo son wants one too but we only have 2 bunks. One trip we put the row oldest feet to feet on the top, and the youngest on the bottom: it only worked one night.

A huge decision In choosing the trailer we did was the design of the bunks. As a 6 ft, 2 in 250 lb guy, I can comfortably get in and out of the bunks. This allows me to help make the bed, sleep in there with a sick one, or reach a hiding kid. There is an open floor area that has a closet next to the bunks. It's perfect for the kids stuff and only closes off about 18 in of the bed opening, so it's not a cave.

this is a picture of the trailer the day after we bought it, but you can see the bunks in the back.


on a second note: I love the idea of the cup holders and nets for the kids stuff and I will be swinging by camping world today. :)

Joe Zeppe

We always called them caves as well. When the kids were older they would not go for them basically feeling if we went that way it would send a message that we don't want them camping. They do have double bunk caves which has more room as well as a double for the lower bunk and a twin for the upper. We do have the bunk room which is great space. First it allows for our full outside kitchen, next it gives our son space for video games and a tv, gives us extra space for people or storage and makes a great dressing room when it is just the wife and I. We do camp only at private campgrounds with full hookups so the 35 feet length is not an issue.

2006 SMOKEY >> Use THIS to post photos.

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I want to see your mod.

We knew them as Torpedo Bunks.
We had a 28' 2002 Sportsmen with the 'cave' bunks and the kids liked them. But they didn't know there were other options either :)

The 'cave' worked for us for 8 yrs.

I can say that if you bring extra adults or kids on trips like we have, the bunk room provides a lot of space for the kids or privacy for the adults. Since I replaced the trundle bed with 8 very deep drawers, the storage is amazing. And there is still enough beds in there to sleep 4 (2 adults on the fold out couch, a teen over the entertainment center/closet, and a kid on a fold down bunk). On those rainy days, the kids have a room to hang out in while the adults have a separate main living area for my sanity. Being that my TT is 34ft long, some planning ahead may be required at popular State or National Parks. But with online searches and reservations, it's very easy.
My last trip to Mammoth Caves for a long weekend, there were 8 of us. In the bunkhouse there was my nephew and wife on the pullout couch(queen sized), their 7yr old on the fold down bunk, their 12 yr old on the entertainment bunk. My 7yr old on the dining table bed. My 11yr old on the jackknife couch. Everyone had their own beds. Fortunately the weather was perfect and they said they would do it again. (I'm trying to talk them into getting their own rig.) :)