© Coachmen
Adventures in Tow
A popular activity for many American families during almost any season of the year, traveling by trailer can provide miles and miles of discovery and fun. Trailering gets families out of the house and away from daily routines, rekindling relationships and sharing adventures. Taking to the open road in travel trailers also means avoiding costly hotels and restaurants, and it provides peace of mind knowing where and in what kind of beds the family will sleep at night.
© Dutchmen RV
Towing and Family Needs
Before shopping for a trailer, an important factor to consider is the capacity of the tow vehicle intended to pull the new travel rig. The following travel trailers for family adventures can be towed by a number of full-size SUVs and heavy-duty pickup trucks equipped for the task. Other major points to consider when trailer shopping include the number it sleeps, the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or GVWR, the Cargo Carrying Capacity or CCC, and the length of the unit — to name a few key things. After spec and stat consideration comes the fun part: features and accessories.
© Grand Design RV
Size, Price Range
The amenities — and the prices — for family-size trailers range from economical to extravagant. What follows are midrange travel trailers of moderate length (25–30 feet) in ascending order by price, offering shoppers an introductory cross-section of travel trailers ready for family adventures.
© Outdoors RV Manufacturing
Availability
A word about availability: RVing has been experiencing explosive growth since last year, with no signs of slowing down. Note that dealer stocks can be extremely low and wait times for particular units might be lengthy — so check about preordering and delivery dates, plan accordingly and keep dreaming. If you can, check stock in neighboring states, or you might be able to locate a previous model year. And don’t give up — your family’s next adventure awaits.
© Starcraft RV
Starcraft RV Autumn Ridge 26BH
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $24,076
Sleeps: 10
GVWR: 6,500 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,200 lbs.
Length: 29.5 ft.
One of the most economically priced family trailers on this list, Autumn Ridge features galvanized steel wheelwells, aluminum exterior walls, lighted pass-through storage, magnetic baggage door catches, radial tires, a safety bumper with hose carrier and end caps, and self-adjusting electric brakes.
© Starcraft RV
Starcraft RV Autumn Ridge 26BH Interior
The Autumn Ridge 26BH sleeps up to 10 people (BH aptly stands for bunkhouse), and standard interior appointments include a 13,500 BTU air-conditioner, a foot-flush toilet and a powered bathroom vent, LED lighting, hardwood cabinet doors, seamless countertops and residential vinyl flooring.
© Dutchmen RV
Dutchmen Manufacturing Coleman Lantern LT 274BH
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $27,240
Sleeps: 6–8
GVWR: 7,600 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,000 lbs.
Length: 28 ft. 7 in.
Named after perhaps the most recognizable piece of camping equipment in American history, the Coleman Lantern LT is a value-oriented trailer from a company with the motto, “Legendary Innovation. Trailblazing Value.” Dutchmen trailers also have a 3-year limited structural warranty.
© Dutchmen RV
Dutchmen Manufacturing Coleman Lantern LT 274BH Interior
The Coleman LT 274BH (BH for bunkhouse) has double bunk beds at the rear as well as a convertible dinette, a jackknife sofa and a queen-size bed to accommodate up to 8. The 274BH is unique in this size in that it has no slideouts, so everything is accessible inside the unit at all times, and it will fit in some narrower campsites.
© Coachmen
Coachmen RV Apex Nano 208BHS
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $29,000
Sleeps: 7
GVWR: 6,000 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,052 lbs.
Length: 25 ft.
One of Coachmen’s most popular Apex trailers, the Nano has many great features for families including its large tinted front picture window. The Apex Nano also has an outdoor kitchen as well as a full dry bathroom with a tub / shower and pass-through exterior storage at the front of the trailer. The trailer also has an awning with an LED light strip.
© Coachmen RV
Coachmen RV Apex Nano 208BHS Interior
The Apex Nano 208BHS is great for growing families, thanks to dual double bunkbeds, a slideout dinette that converts to a bed, as well as and a queen-size master bed that can be an optional jackknife sofa / Murphy bed (shown above) that converts to extra seating during the day without blocking the large front window.
© Grand Design RV
Grand Design RV Transcend XPLOR 245RL
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $33,177
Sleeps: 6
GVWR: 7,995 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,300 lbs.
Length: 30 ft. 8 in.
A subsidiary of Winnebago Industries, Grand Design developed the Transcend XPLOR as an entry point into their product line, so it has many amenities and a great design (grand, even) for a family new to trailering. All 2022 XPLOR 245RLs have a new look and come with a few packages preconfigured for solar, power, seasonal protection and elevation. The 245RL also boasts an industry-leading 43 cubic feet of pass-through storage.
© Grand Design RV
Grand Design RV Transcend XPLOR 245RL Interior
The XPLOR features include a bedroom with a separate exterior entrance and a queen-size bed, a full kitchen, a bath with a separate shower and porcelain toilet, a tri-fold sofa, a U-shaped dinette in a slideout, as well as motion-sensor lighting for entering the unit at night. A bonus feature pet owners will love: a floor-level drawer beneath the refrigerator for pet food and water.
© Riverside RV
Riverside RV Retro 265RB
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $34,000
Sleeps: 6
GVWR: 7,475 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,680 lbs.
Length: 27 ft. 10 in.
One of the coolest looking family trailers around, the Riverside RV Retro evokes the feeling of a travel trailer of yesteryear or a 1950s diner with its black, white and jazzy accent color scheme. A pleasantly surprising data point: the Retro 265RB has one of the largest cargo-carrying capacities of any midsize trailer on this list. The exterior features include whitewall tires with painted rims, a power awning and solar prep.
© Riverside RV
Riverside RV Retro 265RB Interior
Providing a midcentury diner vibe, the Retro 265RB has black and white checkerboard flooring as standard equipment. Other interior features include birch cabinetry, a birch-paneled Dometic refrigerator, two bunk beds with windows top and bottom, a full bathroom including a tub and shower, and a U-shaped dinette.
© Heartland RV
Heartland RV Mallard M260
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $36,927
Sleeps: 5–6
GVWR: 6,900 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,000 lbs.
Length: 31 ft.
The Mallard M260 has a rear bathroom and a large slideout containing a dinette and sofa that create a lot of room, and standard features include a king-size master bed, a 60/40 split-bowl sink, a central vac, and a step-in pantry.
© Heartland
Heartland RV Mallard M260 Interior
The 2021 M260 interior has lighter cabinets that create a more open, airy feeling inside. The trailer now features a new master chef’s kitchen with Infinity edge countertops and a stainless steel sink.
© Cruiser RV
Cruiser RV Radiance R-26KB
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $38,906
Sleeps: 6
GVWR: 7,644 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,700 lbs.
Length: 31 ft.
Founded in 1988, Cruiser RV builds affordable, lightweight travel trailers and toy haulers designed specifically for families. The 2021 Radiance 26KB has a new exterior look and many standard features including Azdel composite walls, an awning with LED lighting, a 6-foot 11-inch barrel roof, LED-lit pass-through storage as well as an exterior camp kitchen.
© Cruiser RV
Cruiser RV Radiance R-26KB Interior
The 26KB features a full-width rear bathroom with dual sinks, medicine cabinets and lots of linen storage as well as a skylit freestanding shower. The unit also has a king-size bed, a tri-fold sofa, a media center with storage, and a dinette in a slideout that converts into more sleeping accommodations.
© Highland Ridge RV
Highland RV Open Range Ultra Lite 2410RL
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $39,000
Sleeps: 4
GVWR: 7,400 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,950 lbs.
Length: 28 ft.
With a motto of “More Room, Less Weight,” the Highland Ridge Open Range series offers a lot of space for the price. The 2410RL has a fully walkable roof, an exterior ladder, a PVC roof membrane with a 15-year limited warranty, an I-beam chassis and RidgeLink (a Bluetooth phone app that controls slides, lighting, auto-levelers and stabilizer jacks).
© Highland Ridge RV
Highland Ridge RV Open Range Ultra Lite 2410RL Interior
The Open Range UltraLite interior includes LED lighting, a 39-inch TV, a slideout dinette, an outdoor mini-fridge, a 10 cubic-foot refrigerator in the kitchen, optional theater seating and even a laundry chute. (Note that on the Highland Ridge site it says the 2410RL is currently limited to dealer stock only, so shoppers might have to hunt for one in stock.)
© Winnebago
Winnebago Minnie 2529RG
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $39,995
Sleeps: 5
GVWR: 8,800 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,500 lbs.
Length: 28 ft. 7 in.
Featuring a brand-new floor plan for 2021, the Winnebago Minnie Winnie 2529RG has all-aluminum framing, two exterior entrances, a powered awning with LED lighting, lighted pass-through storage, aluminum wheels, backup camera prep, heated and enclosed holding tanks, and an exterior ladder leading to a full walk-on roof.
© Winnebago
Winnebago Minnie 2529RG
The interior of the Minnie 2529RG features a full bath with a separate shower, as well as a floor-level sofa or theater seating / wardrobe / pantry slideout. The unit also has a trailer-width rear kitchen with a 10.3-cubic-foot refrigerator, a 3-burner cooktop and a corner sink. The front bedroom houses a queen-size bed with flanking wardrobes as well as underbed storage to boot.
© Northwood
Northwood Manufacturing Nash 24B
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $40,000
Sleeps: 8
GVWR: 9,200 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,700 lbs.
Length: 28 ft. 8 in.
Built at their factory in La Grande, Oregon, all Northwood travel trailers have in-house built, third-party certified, thick-wall aluminum off-road chassis for rugged 4-season trailering. The cargo-carrying capacity of the trailer is immense for those who want to bring along a lot of goodies.
© Northwood
Northwood Manufacturing Nash 24B Interior
The Nash 24B has a dinette slideout, a full bathroom with a porcelain toilet as well as an actual tub/shower combo, double bunk beds, a queen-size master bed, a one-piece kitchen countertop, LED exterior lighting, a 45-watt solar panel and USB ports throughout.
© Venture RV
Venture RV Stratus SR281VBH
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $40,000
Sleeps: 8
GVWR: 8,300 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,790 lbs.
Length: 31 ft. 8 in.
The Stratus SR281VBH sleeps a lot of folks, and exterior features include a camp kitchen with stove, sink and mini reefer, pass-through storage, an outdoor shower, a LevelMate Pro wireless leveling system, a large powered awning with LED lights, a powered tongue jack, a Screen Shot door and flip-up step. The big change to the exterior for 2021 is the large windshield up front that gives the bedroom a lot of light.
© Venture RV
Venture RV Stratus SR281VBH Interior
Standard interior features on the Stratus SR281VBH include a U-shaped dinette and sofa slideout, a separate master bedroom with a queen-size bed along with accessible outlets, USB ports and storage cubbies. The modern kitchen includes a stainless-steel sink with residential faucet and pullout hose as well a Furrion stove/oven combo and an LED accent-lit backsplash. The SR281VBH also includes a large pantry/closet behind the entertainment center. (Cooks, note the Venture RV wooden cutting board on the kitchen wall, above.)
© Jayco
Jayco Jay Feather 27BHB
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $41,880
Sleeps: 8
GVWR: 7,600 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1300 lbs.
Length: 33 ft.
Jayco trailers are built to exacting standards on Norco NextGen chassis frames. The trailer walls are aluminum-framed and vacuum-bonded for light, strong construction. The Jay Feather 27BHB is a little longer than our self-imposed limit of 30 feet, but there is so much extra trailer in that extra three feet.
© Jayco
Jayco Jay Feather 27BHB Interior
The Jay Feather 27BHB interior has a choice of theater seating (two seats and table trays) or a tri-fold sofa. Other features include a slideout dinette, a roomy bathroom and shower, a walkaround queen-size bed, double bunk beds, a bench seat and plenty of floor space.
© Forest River
Forest River Wildcat Maxx 266MEX
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $48,000
Sleeps: 6
GVWR: 9,712 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,615 lbs.
Length: 32 ft. 7 in.
Forest River makes many trailers under multiple brands, with many eclipsing 30 feet in length. The Wildcat Maxx 266MEX is a 4-season trailer with myriad amenities including plenty of exterior storage including pass-through storage up front.
© Forest River
Forest River Wildcat Maxx 266MEX Interior
The Wildcat Maxx T266MEX also has an oversize convertible dinette or an optional freestanding table and chairs, a tri-fold sleeper sofa, a 50-inch TV, a king-size bed, a fireplace, a large rear kitchen with a 10-cubic-foot refrigerator and a lighted pantry, and optional theater seating in place of the sofa.
© OPUS Camper USA
OPUS OP15 Hybrid Caravan
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $51,000
Sleeps: 4
GVWR: 6,600 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,600 lbs.
Length: 15 ft.
The off-road-ready OPUS OP15 Hybrid Caravan is unique among midsize travel trailers; it does not use traditional side slideouts to increase space — the roof rises. (There is also a small rear bump-out.) This configuration gives the caravan a lower profile when going off-road so owners can take the OP15 where taller trailers cannot go. The OP15 has many exterior amenities including a camp kitchen with a Dometic CFX75 refrigerator/freezer combo as standard equipment.
© OPUS Camper USA
OPUS OP15 Hybrid Caravan Interior
The OPUS website describes the OP15 trailer as “tough luxury,” meaning this off-roader can take overland punishment, but it also has premium materials such as leatherette seating surfaces and bamboo cabinets, as well as premium features including a Truma heater and instant hot water system, a king-size bed, an internal LED lighting system and a 300-watt solar system.
© Lance
Lance Camper 2465
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $58,000
Sleeps: 5
GVWR: 7,800 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 1,925 lbs.
Length: 29 ft. 5 in.
The Lance company in Lancaster, California, builds truck campers for pickup beds as well as travel trailers. Lance recreational vehicles are quality products backed by strong warranties. The 2465 has two large road-side super slides to create a spacious environment. The trailer has dual entry, exterior lighting, an exterior wash station, a power awning, keyless entry and much more.
© Lance Camper
Lance Camper 2465 Interior
This unit features a master living suite with a J-sofa as well as a large slideout dinette. A master bedroom in the rear slideout has a king-size walkaround bed as well as large wardrobes and a functional dressing space. The kitchen has a 3-burner stove with a stainless steel range hood, a 7-cubic-foot two-way double-door refrigerator and an undermount sink with a pullout residential-style faucet.
© Outdoors RV Manufacturing
Outdoors RV Backcountry Series 24KRS
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $58,000
Sleeps: 6
GVWR: 9,995 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,565 lbs.
Length: 28 ft. 8 in.
Made by the same company that manufactures the Northwood Nash mentioned earlier, the Outdoors RV 24KRS has a significant amount of cargo-carrying capacity. This 4-season off-road-capable trailer is built on an 8-inch I-beam chassis and has a fully enclosed and insulated underbelly, thermal pane windows and 2-inch bonded aluminum-framed walls.
© Outdoors RV Manufacturing
Outdoors RV Backcountry Series 24KRS Interior
The interior of the 24KRS has attention to quality, durability and detail all around, including solid-surface galley countertops and a metal undermount sink in the rear galley, a porcelain toilet and a dual-pane skylight in the bathroom, and an extra-large dinette with 40 percent thicker cushions. The entertainment center features a 12-volt HD LED TV, and HDMI Bluetooth DVD sound system and a device charging station. The master bedroom has a separate exterior entrance as well as its own door to the bathroom.
© Oliver Travel Trailers
Oliver Travel Trailers Legacy Elite II
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $65,000
Sleeps: 3
GVWR: 7,000 lbs.
CCC (Approx.): 2,100 lbs.
Length: 23 ft. 6 in.
Built in Tennessee, Oliver trailers are 4-season, double-hull fiberglass units designed for off-road camping. The Legacy Elite II sleeps a family of three in style. Both the build quality and interior appointments of an Oliver are absolutely stunning. The Legacy Elite II comes in two floor plans: one with a rear-area U-shaped dinette, the other with a rear area set up for two twin beds.
© Oliver Travel Trailers
Oliver Travel Trailers Legacy Elite II Interior
The interior of the Elite II is chock full of goodies and features such as an immaculate wet bath with shower, integrated overhead lighted storage, overhead LED lighting, a full-height wardrobe, a stainless steel microwave, a Norcold 3-way (DC, AC, LP) refrigerator as well as all birchwood dovetailed storage drawers. All Olivers are sold factory direct — not through dealerships. (Twin bed configuration shown above.)
© Airstream
Airstream International Serenity 28RB Twin
Approx. Starting Retail Price: $112,700
Sleeps: 6
GVWR: 7,600
CCC (Approx.): 1,621 lbs.
Length: 27 ft. 11 in.
Available in multiple lengths, configurations and prices, the International Serenity has what Airstream calls a “Zen vibe.” The rear bedroom (hence 28RB) with twin beds gives families more daytime room and sleeping options. On Airstream’s website the company notes that wait times for units are longer than normal due to high demand.
© Airstream
Airstream International Serenity 28RB Twin Interior
The International Serenity interior features a kitchen with Moen faucet with a pullout hose, Corian countertops, a 3-burner stove and microwave. The panoramic windows admit lots of natural light that complements the cool “coastal” vibe of this trailer’s amazingly tranquil space. Airstream interiors are sights to behold, and the International 28RB is one of the most versatile floor plans available. (Note twin beds through doorway.)
