Is a travel trailer with a slide out a good idea for me?

Slide out for sure, especially with 4-6 people. Like anything else, routine maintenance will help prevent problems.

Stay away from units with Schwintek slides if you can. Unlike cable or rack & pinion designs, the Schwintek don't have a manual "crank" if they are inoperable. They also seem to be more problematic compared to other tried & true designs.