Suggestions for roomiest floorplan for 8

[tlemon]

Hello all,

We are searching for an rv floorplan that will best suit our family. We plan to leave it at a seasonal campground. We have a family of 8 and are searching for the roomiest floorplan and are unsure if a travel trailer or fifth wheel would be best? We have also considered park models? Pros and cons of park models? We have thought about bunks and or lofts and wondered if there was more leg room with a loft? There is so many floorplans and manufacturers to consider it is overwhelming! Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. And also we would like a model without a front slide as there is a deck built alongside the front of the seasonal site.TIA!

[reluyog]

I'm thinking a 5th wheel and a small travel trailer. One for adults and one for the kids!

[mgirardo]

We've been looking at Jayco's Bungalow line. They are 40' or longer with 8' ceilings. Some have 3 or 4 slides. We are a family of 4 (kids are 15 and 13) and camp seasonally. We considered the 40BHQS for this season, but the local dealer sold it right before we decided to buy it. Wasn't worth waiting 2 months to order one. We'll most likely order it for next season.

The 40BHQS is a 40 foot Bunk House with Quad Slides. The Bunk House has 2 slides, 2 bunks and a trundle bed under each main bunk. The bunk house easily sleeps 6. It is also plenty large enough for a cot or two or just a few sleeping bags on the floor. It also has a half bath in the Bunk House.

The Bungalow line all have Residential refrigerators (with ice maker), 4 burner stove and two rack oven, full size microwave and a central vacuum system. The appliances can be upgraded to Stainless Steel and the counters can be upgraded to solid surface.

-Michael

[FunnyCamper]

park models seem best, or a big toyhauler will give more sleeping options. best of luck finding a good floorplan. Also some times you see a small tent near an RV, some of the kids might choose to sleep outside for fun. might be an option??

[2gypsies1]

Look in other seasonal parks near you and most likely there would be Park Model for sale. You'd have to pay to have it moved by a mobile home mover but if it's close to you it wouldn't cost that much.

For the children's ages, sleeping in a loft would give a lot more leg room than bunks. Of course, heat rises so make sure you have AC!

[tlemon]

yes,"investment" was a bad choice of words!

[Merrykalia]

We are a family of four, well, actually 5, but the oldest is now on his own. We camphost during the summer months and as such, we spend around 100 days per year in our camper.

We have looked at the loft bunkhouses and that will be our next purchase. I like that the living area is so much larger than in most bunkhouses, where you have a couch and then a dining table. In the loft BHs, there are usually 2 recliners and a couch and a dining table. This gives us all a place to sit and watch television during those times that we are forced to remain inside (whether heat, cold or rain).

The bunkhouse has a couch that can be used to watch videos, read or just get away from everybody with a bunk above, while the loft has a queen size mattress that will sleep two comfortably. The master has a washer/dryer hookup, which we may utilize if washer/dryers are not available at the camp place.

I would rather have the larger living space with decent sleeping accommodations than more beds and less living space.

[JAC1982]

You don't mention price point, but what about a toyhauler with beds in the garage area? There's models out there with lots of bunks in the garage area.

For example, the Dutchmen Voltage 3810 can sleep 6 in the garage alone, and they're actual beds so it would work for growing kids, as long as they don't mind sharing. Lofts would work for now, but not when the kids get bigger. Now, this is a pricey camper but some older toy hauler models have lots of beds in the back.

[Bumpyroad]

tlemon wrote:
We would love to have a park model but don't have a ton to spend and want to make sure it is a wise investment long term.

Investment---RV, an oxymoron. no RV is an "investment".
bumpy

[missourijan]

Look at the Facebook page of Fulltime Families, they might have better suggestions

[big_bird_2]

Holiday Inn

[tlemon]

We would love to have a park model but don't have a ton to spend and want to make sure it is a wise investment long term.

[Bumpyroad]

In another current thread I suggested a park model and the response was that it did not have the room or storage room of a 5er. as said, lofts sort of cheat the 399 sq ft rule. and when I was looking at them at the wisconsin dells many /most had built an adjacent screened in porch the size of the park model which were squished up against the PM with some foam/etc. to make bug proof but they could NOT be attached to the PM.
bumpy

[MNGeeks61]

We have a park model at our seasonal campground. Has two lofts in it, one with a door, but that would really be useful for 2 smaller children who don't spread out a lot. The other loft could fit maybe two more. We built a screened in porch and have curtains up so in a pinch someone could sleep out there (it's 12 by 24) but I can't imagine doing that all the time. Our park model is a Heritage, custom built. Came in cheaper than a Kropf or Woodland Park, and had the floorplan DW wanted. "Best" manufacturers are relative, if $$$ are no object. They all have similar specs. (We had the additional insulation put in ours and have used it in the winter in 20 below weather.) Be prepared to spend at least $50,000 if buying new.

I really think you'd be better off with a bunkhouse style destination trailer, there are models with 4 bunks I believe, and would cost less, with more nooks and crannies for storage. Downside is that they are not built as heavy as they are still designed to be on the road.

forgot to mention: Park models on seasonal campgrounds really tie you to that campground. It's not going to be that cheap to move a park model with skirting, a deck, etc, so if the cost to camp doubles...

They also weigh upwards of 18-20,000 lbs. For us, we had a pad put in so it would not "settle" and creak/crack. Built much more like a house with all that entails. Definitely long-term "investment".

[tonymull]

A park model will give you the most room, but it will be tight with 8 people. You're going to be limited to 1 BR and maybe a loft. Don't expect the loft to be useful for anything but sleeping or storage and marginal for that. Perhaps plan for some outside living space, a deck or something. A park model is going to be 400sf or less. We feel OK in ours with 2 of us but 8? I don't know.