Buying any kind of camper is confusing. Our list of nine best family travel trailer RVs can cut through the noise. In this article we also explain the top seven questions to ask so that you can choose the best RV for families like yours.
From how to buy the right travel trailer for your needs, to great features of the newest models on the market, any of these family trailers help make fun camping memories for everyone on board.
But before we can address the big question of what travel trailer is best for families, let’s review the four types of travel trailers made by RV manufacturers in 2023. Each can be perfect for families, depending on how the RV will be used for camping.
The Four Types of Travel Trailers
Pop-up trailerss are the most affordable RVs. They can be towed with any car, even a small SUV or electric vehicle with a towing hitch. Pop-up campers are compact, but expand to provide good living space and storage.
Want the affordability of a pop-up trailer, with travel trailer living space? Hybrid trailers have hard sides that fold up, like a pop-up camper. When fully open, they can provide as much space as a travel trailer. Their folding ability allows for easy towing by small tow vehicles.
Heavier than pop-up campers but lighter than 5th wheels, travel trailers are also called “bumper pulls.” They are the most popular type of towable RV, made with hundreds of floor plans and models ranging from simple to luxurious. Most travel trailer layouts work for part-time or full-time RVing.
Fifth wheel trailers for full-time RVing are a popular option. They have lots of living space, high-end features and amenities such as large bathrooms, master bedrooms, kitchens, and storage. But fifth wheels are big, expensive, and require a 3/4-ton or 1-ton tow truck to pull them.
Top Seven Questions to Ask Before Buying a Family Travel Trailer
Now that you know the different types of travel trailers, it’s time to narrow down your options. The problem is that choosing the best family travel trailer RV for your tribe feels like a ton of work. And it can be! Just visit an RV show and you’ll find dozens of RV floor plans and styles. Some trailers are great, some not so great. But all require you to ask important questions, such as:
1. What type of family travel trailer works best for our camping needs?
Travel trailers are non-motorized RVs. They tend to be the most affordable campers because there is no motor, drive train, or complicated RV systems to factor in. Towable travel trailers break down into four types of RVs pulled with a tow vehicle. Each has different pros and cons of ownership depending on how your family will use it throughout the year.
2. How will we use our family travel trailer?
Think about how you and your family want to use the trailer.
Some folks use their family travel trailer RVs for the weekend and don’t mind tight quarters. Others want lots of space and amenities for extended RV road trips. And today many families are full-time RVing with travel trailers. Some prefer being outside most of the time. Others just like to curl up with a good book on a comfortable RV bed.
Where and how will you use your family travel trailer?
3. Will we take short or long RV trips?
Do you see family as weekend warriors? Or are you dreaming of full-time RV living as a family? If your travel trailer becomes your family’s second residence or even primary home, residential-type amenities are a must. Features of the best family travel trailer RVs for long-term living include large storage compartments, a residential refrigerator, big food pantry, and spacious bathroom.
Where will you and your family go RVing? And for how long?
4. How many people will sleep in the trailer?
Nearly any small travel trailer works for a couple. But if you are an RVing family of three or more, a travel trailer with multiple beds is necessary. Do you have young kids? They require less privacy than families who go RVing with teenagers. Consider a bunkhouse travel trailer for older kids in the camper.
What family members need a bed? And what kind do they need?
5. How much weight can your vehicle tow?
If you have a light truck like a Ford F-150, you can easily tow over 8,000 lbs. But small trucks like a Toyota Tacoma can safely tow much less. And if your tow vehicle will be even smaller, like a small SUV, your towing capabilities are even more limited.
Don’t put your vehicle transmission or your life at risk by towing with a vehicle that is too light for the trailer. Some RV sales people will say anything for you to buy a family travel trailer.
Do you understand everything about “GVWR” (Gross Vehicle Weight Ratio) for travel trailers?
6. What kind of trailer bathroom works for your family?
Some travel trailer floor plans with two bathrooms exist. These two-bathroom trailers are great for family RV trips and full-time RVing with kids, but they tend to be large and require heavy duty trucks. Many travel trailer floorplans include split bathrooms. The sink and shower or bathtub are in one compartment, and the RV toilet is in another. These RV floor plans make it easy to RV with multiple family members.
What is the best RV bathroom for your family? Split? Single? Dual?
7. What is my RV shopping budget?
Last but not least, the RV shopping budget is an important factor in finding the best family travel trailer for your needs. Buying an RV in 2023 is not like RV shopping during the pandemic. There are a LOT of RVs on the market, and it’s a buyer’s marketplace at the moment. You have plenty of leverage to get a good price, but it’s still important to know if you can actually afford to make payments or buy a new or used RV in cash. If you don’t have a good grasp on your finances, get one before you are stuck in a bad RV financing deal.
Our 9 Best Family Travel Trailer RVs
You now have a better understanding of the bumper-pull trailer your family needs. Let’s start shopping!
We selected nine best family travel trailer RVs based on the following criteria:
- Large floor plans with generous sleeping capacity
- Bathrooms must be a dry bath, multiple bathrooms a plus
- Plenty of USB outlets to charge electronics
- Large amounts of storage space
- Bunkbeds when possible
If you are an RV camping family of four or more people, consider these nine top-rated travel trailer RVs for families.
Best RV for Two Adults and Two Young Kids: Lance 1995 Travel Trailer
- Dry Weight (lbs): 4,265
- Length: 19′ 2″
- Width: 96-3/8″
- Sleeping Capacity: 4
- Starting Price: $49,877
Lance Campers are one of our favorite travel trailer brands. They make excellent family travel trailer RVs, and the Lance 1995 is no exception.
The 1995 travel trailer easily sleeps 4 with the convertible dinette. It has large windows and skylights, making it feel open and roomy.
It’s exterior walls are made from Azdel composite. The cabinets are made using Lite-Ply, giving them strength but keeping them lightweight.
The fridge is seven cubic feet. It’s not full-size but sufficient for a camping family of four. It has a three-burner range that you can optionally upgrade to a high output range with an oven. One of the features Tammy and I like is the walk-around queen bed.
The Lance 1995 travel trailer works well as a small travel trailer for a family of four with young children. That’s if you don’t mind the kids sleeping in the dinette/bed.
Learn more about the Lance 1995 Travel Trailer
Best Travel Trailer for Large Family of 6: The Grand Design Transcend Xplor 247BH
Dry Weight (lbs): 5,392
Length: 29′ 11″
Width: Not specified
Sleeping Capacity: 6
Starting Price: $34,000
The Grand Design Transcend Xpor 247BH is a full-featured family-friendly travel trailer that easily sleeps two adults in the walk-around queen bed, two kids in the rear bunk beds, and two more guests on the 69′ roll-over sofa.
Features include a 3-burner stove, USB ports, residential countertops, and good size refrigerator. It has many more excellent features and amenities. You’ll even find a per drawer below the fridge to store all of your pet’s stuff.
There is lots of storage space in the Transcend. You’ll love the pass-through storage outside and overhead storage inside the camper.
In our opinion and based on Grand Design’s excellent reputation, we consider the Transcend one of the best family travel trailers for up to six people.
Learn more about The Grand Design Transcend Xplor 247BH
Best Family Camper for 5: Keystone Passport SL 229RKWE
Dry Weight (lbs): 5,178
Length: 27′ 4″
Width: Not specified
Sleeping Capacity: 5
Starting Price: $44,513
The Keystone Passport SL 229RKWE is made to sleep a family of five. It includes a walk-around queen bed, tri-fold sofa sleeper, dinette/bed conversion, and entertainment center.
The double door fridge is eight cubic feet. Enjoy a stainless steel kitchen sink, seamless countertops, plenty of USB charging ports, and LED lighting.
The Passport SL 229RKWE also features Keystone’s extended season camping packing with an enclosed polypropylene heated under-belly.
In our opinion, this Keystone is one of the best campers for a family of 5.
Learn more about the Keystone Passport SL 229RKWE
Best Travel Trailer for Family of Five: Jayco Jay Feather Micro 171BH
Dry Weight (lbs): 3,865
Length: 20′ 3″
Width: 90″
Sleeping Capacity: 5
Starting Price: $34,911
The Jayco Jay Feather Micro line is one of our favorites. We think the Jayco Jay Feather Micro 171BH is one of the best family travel trailer RVs.
This camper is great for four to five people. We like that it has bunk beds towards the rear of the camper, away from the main sleeping area at the front.
The dinette converts to a bed for additional sleeping capacity. The queen bed has a nightstand and a folding door for privacy. The fridge is 6-cubic feet, but can be upgraded to an 8-cubit foot model.
Also included is a 32″ LED 12V TV with built-in soundbar. The trailer has standard 16″ Goodyear off-road tires, and a rubber torsion Dexter axle. The walls are Azdel which makes this family-friendly camper even more appealing.
This is one of the best lightweight travel trailers for a family of five.
Learn more about the Jayco Jay Feather Micro 171BH
Best Lightweight Travel Trailer for Family of 5: Winnebago Micro Minnie 2100BH
Dry Weight (lbs): 3,860
Length: 21′ 11″
Width: 7′
Sleeping Capacity: 5
Starting Price: $37,182
The Micro Minnie 2100BH is a very capable and well-featured lightweight travel trailer for families. This model is available in a brilliant silver exterior color and features a modern interior design.
The galley has plenty of space and includes a sink, a 10.3 cubic feet double-door fridge, a convection microwave, and a recessed 3-burner cooktop.
The cooktop has backlit knobs and a glass cover. There is an option to get a slightly smaller eight-cubic feet refrigerator that runs on gas or electricity.
There is a full-size bed at the front of the Micro Minnie and bunk beds in the rear. The dinette also converts to a bed. You have the option to replace the dinette with a sleeper sofa if you like, at an additional cost.
Learn more about the Winnebago Micro Minnie 2100BH
Best RV for Family of 4: Coachmen Apex Nano 194BHS
Dry Weight (lbs): 3,634
Length: 22′ 8″
Width: 90″
Sleeping Capacity: 5*
Starting Price: $36,036
The Coachmen Apex Nano 194BHS floorplan makes an excellent family travel trailer RV. It features a queen bed at the front of the camper and 30″ x 74″ bunk beds with 4-inch foam mattresses in the rear. The slide-out dinette converts into a bed that can sleep two more.
You’ll find a dry bath with a tub/shower combination, a medicine cabinet, and wardrobe storage in the bathroom.
The galley has a flush-mount dual-burner stove, microwave, a six cubic feet double door refrigerator, and a pantry. The sink is a single bowl stainless steel model with a flush mount cover.
The exterior includes pass-through storage, outside speakers, and an outdoor cooking area. The Coachmen Apex Nano offers sufficient space and amenities for a family of 4-6 people.
*NOTE: Even though the Coachmen Apex can sleep 4-6, we believe it is an excellent unit and one of the best small camper trailers for a family of four. It is easy to tow at approximately 22 feet in length, and we like the outdoor camp kitchen.
Learn more about the Coachmen Apex Nano 194BHS
Best Airstream Trailer for Family of 4: Caravel 20FB
Dry Weight (lbs): 5,000
Length: 20′ 8″
Width: 7’7″
Sleeping Capacity: 4
Starting Price: $75,000
The best Airstream for a family of four is the Caravel 20FB. Assuming your family of four consists of two adults and two kids, it’s easy for the two kids to sleep on the dinette that converts to a bed.
The Airstream Caravel is not cheap, but has many features that make it an excellent family camper.
You will find a stainless steel gas stove with cast iron burners and a convection microwave oven in the kitchen. Baking and roasting are easy in a convection microwave.
Like all Airstreams, you get a gorgeous panoramic window for amazing outside views. With a spacious rear bath and Ultraleather seating, the Caravel is the most comfortable travel trailer for small families and everyone else.
Learn More About the Airstream Caravel 20FB.
Best Travel Trailer RV for Large Families of 8: Rockwood Ultra Lite 2911BS
Dry Weight (lbs): 9,270
Length: 36’6″
Width: 96″
Sleeping Capacity: 8-10
Starting Price: $46,000
The Rockwood Ultra Lite 2911BS fits the bill for those looking for a large family camper that can easily sleep eight people. This travel trailer is enormous both in features and size.
All-season features include a six-sided aluminum framed unit (side walls, end wall, front, floor and roof), radiant foil insulated underbelly and slide out floors, enclosed underbelly, electronically controlled heated holding tanks, and so much more.
Inside is where the Rockwood travel trailer shines. The bunk beds are larger than normal and may allow you to sleep with two small kids in 2 of the larger bunk beds.
In the master bedroom, you’ll find a walk-around queen-size bed with a wardrobe and optional entertainment/TV center.
There is tons of exterior storage space for all your belongings. Also, you’ll find an outside kitchen and a 20-foot awning.
This is not a small RV. But if you are looking for a large RV for your crew, you can’t go wrong with this Rockwood travel trailer for a family of eight.
Learn More About The Rockwood Ultra Lite 2911BS
Best 4-Season Trailer for Family of Six: Northwood Arctic Fox 25Y
Dry Weight (lbs): 6,640
Length: 30′
Width: 8’6″
Sleeping Capacity: 6
Starting Price: $46,000
The Northwood Manufacturing Arctic Fox 25Y is a great-looking, very-well appointed family travel trailer. It easily sleeps six people with plenty of interior room due to its long slide-out.
The Arctic Fox 25Y is an all-season camper built on a Northwood-built, independently certified, off-road chassis.
It has a thick-wall aluminum-framed construction, all fully welded. These are some of the best travel trailers for year-round camping.
You also find heated holding tanks, R-15 reflective foil insulation, and an arched cathedral ceiling. Northwood includes a high-output 3-burner range in the galley with an oven. The large 10-cu. ft. refrigerator is a nice size with wooden door panels.
The queen bed, which sits at the front of the camper, has wardrobes on either side and overhead storage. You can easily walk around this bed and not have to crawl over your partner to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Family Travel Trailer Reviews Summary
The RV lifestyle is something Tammy and I say is to be shared with family and friends. There are many fine family RVS to choose from, and too many to cover in one review article.
What’s most important to know is this: when purchasing a camper for your family, choose one that will suit your family’s camping needs and your budget.
We didn’t include any tent campers in our list simply because most don’t have bathrooms. They just aren’t convenient for a family with kids. However, if you are interested in them, check out our list of some of the best pop-up campers available.
Want a little more adventure? These seven off-road towable trailer campers may be more to your liking.
