Flexible floorplan for soon to be empty nesters

[ac_sheldon]

Not sure if this has been asked before.

We are considering upgrading our bunkhouse TT to a 5th wheel. Our kids are in high school and will be leaving the nest soon. We are looking for a floorplan that can give them their space now like they have with the bunkhouse but where we can use that space for "adult living" when they are off to school.

Any suggestions?

[TXiceman]

If you think the 35' 5ers are big....try a 40' or larger 5er. Or 5er is set up for drinks for 6, dinner for 4 and sleeps 2. When the grandsons want to be with us they get the sofa bed and never complain.

Ken

[Halmfamily]

We started off with a front living room, FR Sandpiper 366FL. The kids, 12&14 at the time, really liked the room with both couches pulling out to Queen beds. They had the 50" TV and a fire place. During the day everything folder up and we had a nice large living area.

Now kids are 16&18 and the daughter has moved out, she never really liked camping after the first year. In 2014 we purchased a Sierra 360PDEK, rear living room with a deck off the back. Our son, when he has time to join us, sleeps on the couch. This new layout suits the wife and I better and we love the deck.

The new fiver is 42' long but have yet to not get a site. Purchase for the empty nesters in you. Your kids will not be camping with you much longer and when they do they can sleep on the couch or a tent.

Best of luck, it's scary and sad at the same time yet exciting to see what our empty nest travels will be.

Camp on.

[Campfire_Time]

Veebyes wrote:
Who are you buying for, yourselves or the kids who might occasionally be with you? Get them a tent & get yourselves a rolling little condo that is the proverbial partys 6, feeds 4 & sleeps 2. If the convertable couch is not good enough they can go out & sleep with the bears.

X2. Kids are flexible. They may actually prefer the tent when all is said and done. Our first hybrid was small and purchased when our daughter was getting ready to graduate from HS. We bought it without thoughts of her camping with us. When she did camp with us after that she had a tent.

[IdaD]

Toy haulers do offer some compelling advantages and they can't be beat in terms of flexibility. You can use the garage any way you want, and you typically get an on-board generator and really big tanks for camping off the grid in comfort. We're seriously considering going to one when we upgrade in a few years primarily because they are so much more flexible than a standard fifth wheel trailer, not only in terms of hauling toys but also with how you use the living space. And the aforementioned generator and big tanks are really appealing given the way we like to camp dispersed whenever possible.

The tricky thing with toy haulers is keeping the sizes down to a reasonable length because your options are limited at 35'. I also have a mental aversion to going much longer than that.

[Bipeflier]

Have you considered a toy hauler? "Garage" area can be a bedroom or an empty space that you can use for anything.

[Veebyes]

Staying under 35' is an important point.

Much can still be had in <35'. The >35'ers basically have all of the same stuff in them that the smaller ones do. They just have more floorspace. Who needs enough open space to have a square dance? Not my DW. Galley counter space is what is important to her. As 150 plus nights a year travelers alot of cooking goes on in her galley. A fully functioning galley & a large freshwater tank were top prioritys.

[ac_sheldon]

Thanks everyone for the comments! We looked at the mid bunk models at the RV show this weekend and like Greene728, our issue is the mammoth size of those guys!! We would love to stay in the <35 foot range so we can have better access to the state parks, etc.

After retirement, we will be looking at the 35+ foot units for more of a full time thing. But for now, we just want something for the weekends and the occasional week long trips.

[Greene728]

Great thread as me and my wife are in the exact same boat. We too have looked at mid bunks for all the reasons already stated. However, the size really pushed me away simply due to not wanting to exceed the 34-36ft range because it limits us really bad in some of the older COE parks we love to visit. I too am leaning towards the nice tent idea when they do wish to come along as them and their friends would probably rather stay in a tent anyway. Sprinter makes one that is really tempting and just over my length at just under 38 or 39ft IIRC. But if I get another one, I'd like a nicer and better built unit for when we hit the road in the future as I'd hope to have it for quite sometime. The Sprinter is probably a fine unit, but just not sure a entry level (maybe a step or two above) is what I want to hopefully have for I'd say atleast 10+- years.

[downtheroad]

I agree with Veebyes above.
Almost grown kids...leaving home soon. Realistically they aren't going to be camping with you much if at all...

Look for a unit that fits your "new life style" situation..like a rear lounge (with a couple of recliners) and a larger bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. No need for a bunkhouse taking up space mostly unused.

Our dogs ended up using the bunk house area when we were in the same situation.

[Veebyes]

Who are you buying for, yourselves or the kids who might occasionally be with you? Get them a tent & get yourselves a rolling little condo that is the proverbial partys 6, feeds 4 & sleeps 2. If the convertable couch is not good enough they can go out & sleep with the bears.

[dbob62180]

Most manufactures now put their floor plans online. That is where we started. We eliminated lots of manufacturers from the start because of things that would not work for us (corner showers and islands with a sink were our 2 big 'do not wants'. Then when we had a handful that looked good, those were the ones we checked out up close and personal! It's a process but we wanted to find the just right one and we did! Good luck!

[WoodedOne]

Mid BH floorplans appear to us empty nesters primarily due to the separate space -- perfect for a sewing room, a quiet reading room, a place to have a quiet phone conversation. One of the first things I noticed that if I wanted to have some quiet time while the TV was going, I either needed to sit outside under the awning to lay on the bed -- this led me to start thinking of the benefits of a bonus room.

[Merrykalia]

Just as ACZL says, the mid bunk units have a small "bedroom" with a couch and usually a bunk above. There is some wardrobe room, but then an entertainment center, which is perfect for a den or office if the kids aren't around.

They are large units, usually 42+, but there are a couple of manufacturers whose units are a few inches smaller.

That is my plan within the next couple of years, but I'll wait until I can get a fairly new but used one.

[ACZL]

Have you looked at mid BH offered by many mfr's? Have the rear LR yet still have a room for the kids if they want to come along. Most of these set-ups have a loft above them for add'l sleeping---but it's tight. Could use this area for storage of things and the BH as well or an office/computer room when just the 2 of you.