Full Timing In a 30ft Class A

Dutch_12078 wrote:
....The takeaway, I believe, is that's there's a "right size" home for everyone, and for some that size may not fit on any RV frame.

:B :B :B

We went from a 33 foot no slide Class A, to a 33 foot triple slide 5'ver, and are now very happy in a 28 foot single slide 5'ver, as long as the weather is good (don't tell the DW I said that ;) )

John&Joey wrote:
Another way to look at it is when I asked my Uncle Donnie (20+ years a snowbird) if a 33 foot Class A was too small. His reply was "it isn't the size of the rig that makes it small." You need to know my Aunt Alice to appreciate it fully.

I think there's a lot of truth in that statement! I know one couple that feels very confined after a few years fulltiming in a 45 ft 4-slide Class A, while another couple has been quite happily fulltiming in a truck camper for about 20 years. And my wife and I do very nicely in our "mid-sized" 34 ft 1-slide Class A, and have no interest in getting anything larger.

The takeaway, I believe, is that's there's a "right size" home for everyone, and for some that size may not fit on any RV frame.

Another way to look at it is when I asked my Uncle Donnie (20+ years a snowbird) if a 33 foot Class A was too small. His reply was "it isn't the size of the rig that makes it small." You need to know my Aunt Alice to appreciate it fully.

jarata1 wrote:
We are full timing starting next year have our eyes on a 30 ft newmar bay star.Its just me and my wife wondering if that might be a little to small seems fin looking at it.We are also towing a car so we flet a 36 footer would be way to long to drive

If I were to be living in one, it would be at least 40ft, given the choice and no it won't be too long. Just might take a few minutes for getting used to. We had a 36ft before this one, pulling the Jeep. Only way I know of any appreciable difference is because I know it's that long and otherwise, couldn't say, just from driving it.

Rookie RVer :C here! My first Class A was a 26 footer, but it didn’t long for us (wife) to realize we NEEDED more living area. Moved up to a 30 footer and lovin it.....

I've had a 39 ft. for 16 yeas but we don't full time but I had my eye on a 30 ft. Newmar or 30 Winnebago but my wife's eye wasn't the same as mine and taking delivery of a 4o ft. next week. As far as towing I wouldn't hesitate going with a 35 or 36 ft. Towing has never been a problem. I tow a 2011 Chevy HHR and it tows like a dream.

We have visited over 30 National Parks, some on several occasions. This is the list of where we stayed in our 40 foot motorhome with our minivan in tow at that time.


Teklanika (in park), Denali RV Park, Denali Rainbow Village Jul-09 Denali National Park and Preserve

Seward Resort (Mil) Jun-09 Kenai Fjords National Park

Kanab RV Corral, Kanab, UT Sep-08 Grand Canyon National Park - north rim

GC Trailer Village (in park) Mar-11 Grand Canyon National Park - south rim

Crystal Forest Gift Shop - Free Boondock - South entrance Apr-13 Petrified Forest National Park

Davis Monthan, Tucson, AZ (mil) Dec-10 Saguaro National Park - East & West

Catherine's Landing Dec-12 Hot Springs National Park

Twenty Nine Palms Resort Oct-08 Joshua Tree National Park

Country Manor Mobile Home, Visalia, CA May-11 Kings Canyon National Park

Manzanita (in park) Jul-11 Lassen Volcanic National Park

Golden Bear RV, Klamath, CA Jun-11 Redwood National and State Parks

Country Manor Mobile Home, Visalia, CA May-11 Sequoia National Park

Escapees - Park of the Sierras, Coarsegold, CA May-11 Yosemite National Park

Saddle West Casino, Pahrump, NV (east) & Boulder Creek RV, Lone Pine, CA (west) Apr-11 Death Valley National Park

Great Sand Dunes Oasis Jun-15 Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Mesa Verde RV Resort May-15 Mesa Verde National Park

Bridge Bay (in park); Fishing Bridge (in park); Grizzly Bear, West Yellowstone Aug-07 Yellowstone National Park

Singing Hills, Cave City, KY Apr-08 Mammoth Cave National Park

St Mary's (inside) & Johnsons (outside) Jun-13 Glacier National Park (part of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park)

Whispering Elms RV, Baker, NV Jul-11 Great Basin National Park

Carlsbad RV Park May-15 Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Red Trail (South) & Juniper Campground (north-in park) Aug-07 Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Cedar Pass Campground (in park) Jun-10 Badlands National Park

Guadalupe NP - (in park) Pine Springs May-15 Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Moab Valley RV, Moab, UT Jul-11 Arches National Park

Ruby's Inn Sep-08 Bryce Canyon National Park

Moab Valley RV, Moab, UT Jul-11 Canyonlands National Park

Thousand Lakes RV Park May-15 Capitol Reef National Park

Kanab RV Corral, Kanab, UT & Watchman (in park) Sep-08 Zion National Park

Escapees - Evergreen - Chimacum, WA Jul-11 Olympic National Park

Colter Bay RV Park, GTNP, MT Jun-13 Grand Teton National Park

Personally, I don't see a problem with a 30 footer. We're not fulltimers, but the DW and I have traveled for two to three months at a time in our 33 footer with one slide, including staying in one place for two months. I remodeled the interior to suit our needs including removing one sofa and replaced it with a desk and recliner and added a fold down table mounted to the wall between the slide and wall for extra countertop space, which was small. We never got in each others way.

What I'm saying is you can make anything work for you if your happy with the layout.

We spend 4 months a year during winter in motorhome. Our winnebago vista 30t with three slides was great. The kitchen was tiny but worked. We decided an upgrade would be nice and went to 35 foot with washer/dryer stacked. Loved that ability to wash clothes. Had no prior idea how much we would like it. Since we moved up more to a 42 foot dp with bath and a half. Love it and the space. We also love the ride. We struggled with the ride on all gas powered. Full-timing in smaller is possible and you can make it work nicely. Bigger with more amenities will make it even better.

I have a 31 foot triple slide BSS and it works great for our casual use. I wouldn’t try to full time in it as storage space does fill up and I don’t want to use laundromats. What ever you get make sure you have some work space. Towing capacity is good, holding tank size is good.