Family of 6 plus 2 dogs... What fits best?

[Jrhawke]

Hello!
We are a family of 6 (4 kids ranging in age from 7-15) and 2 dogs (standard poodle and beagle)..
There are two parts to my question... (and I did skim over the search for when I typed Family of 6, Dogs. but didn't find anything..)

Our plan is to use this for seeing our Nation.. lots of national parks.. and also to take as an all season camper to various Ski areas and use it as a home base.

We are in the market for an RV.. Either a Pull Behind (tow or 5th wheel) or a class C

The options are endless.. which is a good thing.. but also a bad thing... When we went to an RV show this past weekend (1 dealer, small.. 2 brands) we got overwhelmed.. The sales guy steered us to a Jayco Eagle 5th wheel.. 29 ft I believe.. 4 fixed bunks in the front... It was a very nice trailer and I could see us being comfortable here, even on week(+ ) trips.
Then we looked at pull behinds.. also very nice.. also so options..

Some thoughts I am wondering about..
Of course the big one is.. truck... our current vehicle (Sequoia ) cannot tow anything that could fit all of us and the 2 dogs without it being cramped..
If you have a larger family. what do you use to tow your travel trailer.. that can fit everyone plus dogs?
Then there is the bed issue... Ideally, we are thinking that 2-3 fixed bunks are a minimum requirement (if we went with 2 fixed bunks.. ideally we'd like some sort of bench that converts to a bed under one of those bunks.. with kid 4 using the hide a bed pull out option..
At first, the thinking was 4 fixed bunks.. but this is a big purchase and how long with the 15 year old want to come with us.. in 5 years he will be 20 and have his own life (hopefully!)..
Sure a 2 bunk option could work (and maybe a smaller trailer which would then mean maybe (haha right) the current SUV could pull it... but then I wonder how much we'd regret that option when we are all shoulder to shoulder in there.. and constantly taking beds up and down (table to bed option here would have to be used in addition to a hide a bed). I remember how much of a pain that was when I was camping as a kid and that was my bed....the table.. up and down and up and down..

THEN we are thinking.. ok.. maybe get a Motor Home.. the class A's seems HUGE and daunting to try and drive... and not sure how welcome those are in National Parks etc...? so looking at class C.. and the layouts all seem pretty much the same..if you look at only the bunk bed ones.. If you use one of those.how do you like it for 4 kids? how much of a pain is the grandma's attic option? We'd have to tow our Honda Pilot behind, as that is the only other car we own that fits everyone plus the 2 dogs (tightly)

I think if I can get some input on either Class A or a Truck option that would fit all of us plus the dogs.. I can narrow things down before we head to the super show this coming weekend..

Thanks for reading this far!
J and family

[Tvov]

You may find that your 15 year old, after turning 16, may well find camping with the family to be not as cool as it once was.

Most everyone here seems to be steering you away from a Class C or Super C, not sure why. Another style camper to look into. We have a trailer, haven't used a C - but they seem to work well for some families.

[Jebby14]

good choice. Pay VERY close attention to payload as it will likely limit you. Also make sure you get an RV made to survive cold and expect to use a boat load of propane.

[CharlesinGA]

Chevy Savannah 2500 van, E250 or E350 SRW van either with seats and windows, or a Sprinter, 2500 or 3500 DRW, Surbuban 2500, Ford Excursion, and a travel trailer, very likely a bunk house model. There are a couple with four bunks in the rear, a queen bed up front and kitchen and bath in the middle, about 30 ft.

Charles

[Jrhawke]

thanks all.. we were leaning towards a motor home..but now that we can't tow the pilot that is just not an option. Looking at 6 seater trucks with a cab on back for luggage and dog crates.. but who knows what will come of that..
As for the ski usage.. there are lots of campgrounds here that clear for usage in winter.. and you just use their bathrooms etc and use the rv for sleeping.. and they are short trips away *under 4 hours each way*
Obviously, the under 2 hours each way is a day trip..so no rv..

[troubledwaters]

bikendan wrote:
ideally, i would recommend a 3/4 or 1 ton van and a TT but i wouldn't want to tow that combo in snowy conditions.

What's the problem with towing in snowy conditions? I have done it many times. Some people can't stop towing just because its snowing outside, unless of course they decide paying the mortgage ain't important. Towing in Snow, recreationally or professionally, means you do some things differently, but it doesn't mean you have to stay home.

[Jebby14]

large pop up will easily sleep 8. tow with full size suv all day long. hotel it when skiing.

this is by far the cheapest and easiest solution. other than that look at large class A's and expect to not have water when skiing and use a metric S#I+ ton of propane.

[bikendan]

Jrhawke wrote:
Hello!
We are a family of 6 (4 kids ranging in age from 7-15) and 2 dogs (standard poodle and beagle)..
There are two parts to my question... (and I did skim over the search for when I typed Family of 6, Dogs. but didn't find anything..)

Our plan is to use this for seeing our Nation.. lots of national parks.. and also to take as an all season camper to various Ski areas and use it as a home base.

i'm surprised no one has addressed this part. the OP not only wants a RV for 6 people plus 2 dogs, he wants to be able to fit in national park campgrounds AND have it be a 4 season RV for skiing!:h

i think the OP needs to get realistic as you can't get it all in one package. something has to give on the wish list.

first, very few RVs are truly 4 season. those that are are heavier than non-4 season RVs.
second, how do you expect to negotiate winter weather to get to ski areas in a RV, especially a TV and trailer.
third, anything to fit the size of your family will be big and may not fit in many national/state campgrounds.

ideally, i would recommend a 3/4 or 1 ton van and a TT but i wouldn't want to tow that combo in snowy conditions.

[mileshuff]

How about an RUV such as a Thor Axis? Sort of a mini-Class A. Some floorplans have several beds to sleep 6.

[Rick_Jay]

ncrowley,

"I would look at a fifth wheel and a new truck. You will need the truck to pull a fifth wheel big enough for your family and your pets."

How do 6 people and 2 pets ride comfortably in any pick-up truck? Unless there are options available now that weren't when we were looking, we determined that travelling that way for more than an hour or two would be very uncomfortable.

There are advantages to a fifth wheel, but I don't think his family dynamics right now suggest a fifth wheel solution.

Jrhawke, the fact that the "salesperson" suggested a fifth wheel for your situation just proves what most of us here know. The majority of RV salespeople have never even been camping, let alone know their products and applications. Ask your questions here and get real world responses and opinions. 🙂 But be patient, it will take a while for you to find your ideal solution.

~Rick

[ncrowley]

I would look at a fifth wheel and a new truck. You will need the truck to pull a fifth wheel big enough for your family and your pets.

[Rick_Jay]

I forgot to address this in my reply above:

"We'd have to tow our Honda Pilot behind, as that is the only other car we own that fits everyone plus the 2 dogs (tightly)"

What year Honda Pilot? I don't think they are approved for flat-towing beyond the 2004 model year, and possibly before that. If it's AWD, then I don't think it can be towed on a dolly either. Your only choice is to tow it on a flat-bed. Or.... you could consider picking up a 2004 or earlier model Honda Odyssey. They are roomier than the Pilots, and you can still find some with under 100,000 miles on them. I've actually begun looking for one as we'll be needing a third vehicle in the family soon (16 y.o. son, ys' know! LOL), so another Odyssey is on the short list of vehicles to buy. (He wanted a Mustang! LOL Oh well. 🙂 )

You could consider picking up a full-size van to tow a TT. We didn't do this as we would've had to buy a new van plus a trailer, and then we would've given up the convenience of the motorhome. However, it would work. I liked the Ford E-350 vans, but now Nissan has the NV which seems to be getting good reviews. So that might be something to look at.

We ultimately settled on the motorhome idea for a.) convenience and b.) increased utility. We figured we'd use the motorhome for day trips from home, which we have, and it works great. Heck, we've even taken it out to malls for extended shopping trips sometimes, so the dogs go with us. It definitely is a great way to travel.

It also sounds like you're looking forward through the years for a floorplan that will work looking forward. Wise move. We did the same. That's why we don't like the bunk models as, in our opinion, they waste a lot of space for "sleeping". Our rig uses that space for storage and we emphasized the need for "living space" over "sleeping space". Again, it works well for us.

~Rick

[Rick_Jay]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forums! You've stumbled upon a great resource for researching your RV purchase. 🙂

We were in your situation and started researching over 15 years ago. Two years after beginning the search process, including LOTS of reading on these forums, we decided that a gas Class A motorhome was best for our family. Thirteen years later, we still have the motorhome and are very happy with our selection. Ours is a bit special as it has a dual-sofa layout, which is pretty rare in gas chassis motorhomes. Although it is more common in diesel Class A's, if you opt for those.

Two adults, 4 kids and pets CANNOT comfortably fit in a truck, so forget the Fifth wheels. We investigated a full-size van and travel trailer option fairly, but decided a motohome was a better solution. There IS NO better way to travel with your family than in a motorhome. Period. Convenience, convenience, convenience.

In our search, I had several threads on the topic. I'll see if I can find them in the archives and post them here.

On Edit: Here are some links from way back...since Georgie Boy went out of business, the links to their site are no longer functional. However, if you search on Coachmen's site, they have some Georgie Boy manuals posted.

Class A instead of a C? Can you talk us out of it?

Not my post, but I did a reply: Class A vs Class C - 30' with SuperSlide

This one has more comments about Georgie Boy, than the family situation: We're thinking about a Cruise Master...sanity check please!!!

Family Floor Plan

But DEFINITELY, look into the Class A's. The visibility is much better than the class C's, and they usually have more weight carrying capacity, storage space and larger holding tanks than the C's. Unless you also include the "Super C's", and then things level out a bit in those areas.

Good Luck in your search,

~Rick

[2gypsies1]

Just a couple things to think about... depending one the kids' heights, make sure the bunk or dinette conversion would be long enough. Some are very short. Also, definitely consider taking a tent along for the kids. They'd love have a private space.... and so would you. They even make doggy tents. Good luck finding what you need.

By the way, our 40' motorhome fit in many national parks and other public campgrounds, including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc. Granted, if you're staying in the eastern parks you'll have a harder time finding long sites but there are always RV parks near the public parks, if needed. Buy the RV that you will be comfortable in and is within your budget. Finding a place for it shouldn't be a worry if you're comfortable mixing up public parks with RV parks.

[KD4UPL]

I'd be looking at full size 3500 vans for a tow vehicle. If you really want 4wd that they can be made that way. If you buy new you can order it from the dealer already 4wd with a warranty. Vans, both Ford and Chevy, can be found with diesel engines too if that's something you want. If the dealer tells you otherwise get a new dealer.
As for the camper, towing with a van or even a large SUV will mean that FWs are out. I've been looking at campers with 4 bunks lately and they're a lot easier to find in a TT configuration than a FW anyway.