Vacation trailers, otherwise known as a travel trailer, come in a variety of styles and sizes and prices. Although it is an exaggeration to say there is a vacation trailer for practically every American, it is not that far-fetched. If you have a spare thousand dollars, and a vehicle capable of towing a trailer, you have all it takes to own one of the millions of travel trailers available in the U.S.
Different types of vacation trailers
As you become more immersed in the travel trailer community, you will quickly learn that the terminology used to describe various types of vacation trailers varies greatly. Below is a list of the various types of travel trailers, with a brief description of each; just beware of the fact that the terminology used here may not be consistent with terminology used in other articles you read:
- Traditional travel trailers (these are the classic trailer design, walk-in models, usually with a kitchen, sleeping area, dinette possibly, and bathroom possibly)
- Teardrop travel trailers (so named because of their shape, lower at one end than the other, aerodynamic shape for better gas mileage while towing)
- Stand-up trailers (a full-sized adult will be able to stand up inside of the trailer)
- Pop-up trailers (either the top pops up for more headroom and space, or sections of the walls pop-out, adding to the living space)
- 5th wheel trailers (normal trailer design, but instead of hooking up to a standard, tow-behind trailer hitch, a 5th wheel will hook up to a hitch mounted in the bed of a pickup truck)
Costs of these travel trailers
Depending upon the size of the travel trailer, the style of the travel trailer, and the age of the travel trailer, you can spend anywhere between $500-$100,000 when purchasing a travel trailer. It is not an exaggeration to say there is a vacation trailer for a large percentage of working adults with a little extra cash laying around the house.
Know your towing vehicle’s capabilities
Highlight this section and commit it to memory. You cannot purchase a travel trailer which is heavier than the towing capacity of your towing vehicle. If you do so, you will destroy the towing vehicle, and your RV life will be a very costly one. Check the manufacturer specs for your towing pickup truck or RV. It will be listed and then, our suggestion, subtract 25% from the suggested towing capacity.
Generally speaking, a half-ton pickup truck can handle anything under 5,000 pounds, a one-ton pickup can tow, with ease, ten-thousand pounds or more, and two-ton pickups can pull anything you can afford to buy. Many RVs with large V8 engines, like a Ford Expedition or Chevy Suburban, will easily tow anything in the 7,000-9,000 pound range. Any RV smaller than that will require some serious soul-searching when choosing your camper trailer.
Buying used or new vacation trailers
Buyer beware is a good philosophy to live by when purchasing a travel trailer, used or new. New trailers will inevitably have something go wrong with them very early on in your ownership. Either the fridge will stop working or the heater or the air-conditioning. It’s just the nature of a travel trailer. They shake, rattle, and roll down the highway, and all of that shaking will eventually lead to a repair. But buying used is no picnic either, despite the fact you can save money by doing so. Look for signs of leaking with a used trailer. Look for rust underneath. Those are always the two major concerns when buying used.
No matter your personal preferences, there is a trailer for you
The good news is this: if you have a reliable towing vehicle, there is a vacation trailer available for you. Do your due diligence, arm yourself with as much information as possible, and then make the decision and buy. There is a lot of fun waiting for you on the open road once you do make that purchase. Your quality of life will improve. We guarantee it!
