New to Travel Trailers - Nissan Pathfinder V6 TV

Just another option, although they are expensive, is the Trailmanor campers.

They are hard sided pop ups, and very light for their size. You'd be able to have the best of both worlds, small enough to tow, big enough to live with.

Still, you could always just get a pop up. Honestly, I had just as much, or even MORE fun in tents and pop ups as kids. Sure when it rains and you're in a thunderstorm it's not fun, but when I look back, those thunderstorm nights are the ones I remember most.