What is the best travel trailer for full time living? A dream of many is to live life on the road. Whether you're retired, a digital nomad, or just want to live life away from the hustle and bustle living full time in a camper is an amazing life experience.
It gives you the freedom of living in pretty much any location you want, you can take your work along with you, and you can even follow the work. The options are endless when you choose to live life on the road.
Of course, this is an option for many people, but which rig to choose? There are many travel trailers for full time living and the choices can get confusing.
Fear not, we've compiled a short list of what we believe to be the best travel trailers for full time living. Yes, we could have chosen the most luxurious campers and be done, but not everyone can afford the largest and most luxurious travel trailers, so we've included, different sizes and budgets.
As well as reviewing the best models to suit full time living, we've also included a guide on what general things you should look for. And we've included a Pros and Cons section of living life on the road, just to remind you of the good and bad.
And if you're still left with some unanswered questions, we have an FAQ section dedicated to all things travel trailers for full time living to round things up. So, with that said, let's get into it...
Can Any Travel Trailer Be Used for Full-Time Living?
Technically you can live full time in any travel trailer, but we wouldn't advise it. Most full-timers prefer to live in travel trailers, fifth wheels, or motorhomes, because they're spacious enough, boast all the amenities you need, and have enough capacity in the water tanks and stuff so you don't have to do all the dirty work every single day.
With travel trailers, it's also a good idea to choose a lightweight travel trailer for full-time living, because they can be more awkward to tow than 5th wheels.
What Makes a Travel Trailer Great For Full-Time Living
Travel trailers can be great for full time living, because they possess many features you need.
Appropriate Layout
Designers and manufacturers of travel trailers are more focused on the right layout rather than making it more spacious by increasing in size. Optimizing the space keeps it light and ensures a trailer is easier to tow.
Having All The Appropriate Fittings
To live in full time, you need a travel trailer that's equipped with all the essentials, such as good sized water tanks with optimal sewage system. You'll need to consider things like a water pressure regulator, macerator pumps etc..
Space and Storage
There enough room to maneuvre inside, especially the kitchen and bathroom as it can get frustrating if you're cramped in. If you're living in a travel trailer full time, you'll need plenty of storage space too, because you'll have your entire life with you.
Multiple Outlets
Travel trailers come with all the necessary inlets and outlets such as washrooms, water connection, heat connection, electricity connection, and many other vital installations along these lines.
Insulation
Most travel trailers come with good quality insulation, and this doesn't just mean keeping warm in the winter. The best trailers' insulation will help keep you cool in the summer, too.
Review of the Best Travel Trailers For Full-Time Living
Have a look at some of the widely-preferred travel trailers by full-timers. Evaluate them based on the pros and cons, and we are certain you will choose the best option.
Best Overall Travel Trailer for Full Time Living:
Grand Design Reflection
What we love
Quick Specs
- Number of Floorplans: 8
- Length: 30’ 11” to 41’
- Weight: 13995 lbs
Our Review
To start our review, we've started with the biggest and some might say most luxurious travel trailer. There are many floorplans and different options, but you generally get the same construction which is double insulated throughout.
The baggage doors are insulated and there's even a layer of fiberglass insulation under the gooseneck, making this trailer one of the best constructed on the market.
This trailer is designed in a manner to supplement each and every need of a large group or family. Depedning on the model you choose will determine the space, but each floor plan is meticulously laid out to optmise for every kind of group.
The interior is luxurious, as you'd expect from a high end Grand Design Reflection travel trailer range. The master bedrooms boast queen beds and storage, some with ensuite bathrooms. If you go for a bunkhouse, there's great room and storage for the kids. Some floor plans also include a second bathroom.
The kitchen and living areas have everything you need, including a full kitchen with kitchen island, trifold sofas for extra sleeping capacity, and a dinette spacious enough to relax and unwind with a nice meal and a glass of wine, unless you prefer to enjoy a barbecue outside with the pellet stove cooking up your steaks.
For us, this is the best travel trailer for full time living. It is expensive and out of many people's reach, but if you can afford it, you are buying a new home on wheels. Enjoy!
Best Small Travel trailer for Full Time Living:
Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro
What we love
Quick Specs
- Number of Floorplans: 12
- Length: 16 ft to 21 ft
- Width: 92”
- Weight: 3442 lbs
Our Review
Ok, so not everyone needs the biggest and most luxurious travel trailer for full time living. If you are looking for a compact travel trailer that has all the necessities that a full-timer desires, the Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro could be a good option. This beautiful, durable trailer comes with roller shades.
There are many floor plans available all with different lengths, weights and amenities, but each one provides all the necessities for full time living. The construction is super sound and benefits from Vacuum Laminated Roof and Walls, 5/8" Tongue and Groove Plywood Flooring, ensuring the heat remains inside when it starts to get cold outside.
The master bedroom boasts a large sized bed with enough storage. All layouts boast a full bathroom, with foot pedal toilet, wash basin, and with an oversized shower makes using the facility roomy and comfortable.
The 72” sofa is large and can rotate into a comfortable hide-a-bed for extra sleeping capacity, and although there's no dinette, there's plenty of space for dining. The kitchen is also equipped with all the necessities, including a recessed cooktop, 12V Refrigerator, and a microwave.
It might not be the biggest travel trailer for full time living, but the Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro certainly packs a punch, and if you want something nimble, that will be accessible in most RV parks, then this might be the one for you.
Best Budget Travel Trailer for Full Time Living:
Travel Lite RV Evoke Full Body
What we love
Quick Specs
- Sleeps: 2-6
- Number of Floorplans: 4
- Length: 24 ft
- Weight: 8,620 lbs
Our Review
Fireplace, fridge, TV, sink, sofa, master bedroom, everything is present in this budget Evoke Model A travel trailer – you name it! It is perfectly equipped with optimal fresh water tank, gray water tank, and a wastewater tank.
The Model A is the smallest of the Evoke railers, but the floorplan makes the most of the space. The kitchen is spacious enough to cook a delicious meal thanks to the corner units. When dinner is ready, you can dine with the family on the spacious dinette, which also converts into a large double bed.
At night, you can turn off all the lights and switch on LEDs that are installed behind the cabinet and create a beautiful view. Plus, the master bedroom boasts a good sized window, so you can wake up to those amazing panoramics you go chasing.
All these features make this lightweight travel trailer a perfect compact box to hang out and live full-time with family. In addition to all of these stellar features, the best thing about it is that it is easily affordable.
Jayco Jay Flight Bungalow
What we love
Quick Specs
- Number of Floorplans: 4
- Number of Slide-Outs: 2
- Length: 40' 2"
- Width: 102 inch
- Weight: 10,690 lb.
Our Review
This is one of the biggest travel trailers for full time living and put simply, this unit makes you feel like you are living in a furnished home, it is called the Jay Flight Bungalow after all.
The Magnum Truss™ Roof System built with seamless DiFlex II material, 5/8-inch tongue-and-groove plywood floor decking, and 12-inch, I-class™ cambered structural steel I-beams really makes this one of the most durable and well built travel trailers.
The layouts differ, but are pretty much the same size. The master bedroom is very spacious with a queen size bed, dresser, a ward, and there's also an entry in and out of the trailer from the master bedroom.
The front kitchen makes best use of the large space and gives you plenty of cooking space for the family, who have all the their needs looked after in the dining and entertainment areas. The hide-a-bed and dinette convert into beds for extra sleeping space making this trailer comfortable for 6 people to live in relatively comfortably.
Airstream Classic
What we love
Quick Specs
- Sleep: 5
- Number of Floorplans: 4
- Length: 30′ to 33′
Our Review
Any Airstream travel trailer is a head turner. They look cool, they are cool, and they ensure you have an amazing experience. But they have built their reputation for very good reason.
This Airstream travel trailer is equipped with classic interior and sound, durable exterior that Airstream is famed for. Ranging from 30 to 33 feet, the Airstream Classic Travel Trailer gives you dedicated cooking, dining, lounging, bathroom and bedroom areas, each as luxurious as the last.
As well as luxury interior that comes with every Airstream trailer, the Classic has an abundance of large cabinets to spacious wardrobes and vanity storage, allowing you to take everything you love, on your life time trip.
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a home, so making sure you have one for full time living in a trailer is also important. The Airstream Classic's kitchen is all that and more. It comes with high-end, sleek, and stainless stove, hood, oven, convection microwave, and fridge freezer.
Everything is built to fit in the arc shaped trailer, and everything has its place perfectly, including the 60" TV mounted into place. The bathroom is luxurious as with everything else. You really need to experience an Airstream classic trailer and once you do, you'll know they're ideal for full time living.
Pros and Cons of Living in a Travel Trailer Full Time
To help you make a decision, let us shed some light on the pros and cons of living in a travel trailer full-time.
Pros
Affordable
In this economy, it is a real challenge to afford to live in a stick and brick or a normal house. Full-time living in an RV would only cost you a fraction of a city apartment. Of course, you have to spend on gas, wood, and other utilities, but it is affordable living.
Portability
If you categorize yourself as an explorer or a traveler and don’t want to be confined in one place, then an RV or a trailer should be your pick. As you are always on wheels, you can easily move from one place to another.
Life Experiences
Life should be lived, and living in a travel trailer full time will allow you to make some unforgettable life experiences that not many people get to achieve.
Jayco Jay Flight Bungalow (Source)
Cons
Limited Space
Limited space means that you have to decide what is worth taking and keeping. So you have to be a bit picky when it comes to choosing items that can be placed in a trailer.
Climate
If you're considering living in a travel trailer full time, realise it can get uncomfortable during the winter and high summer. Make sure you have optimal insulation to keep water, mildew, and other obstacles outside of your trailer.
Living Full Time in a Travel Trailer FAQs
If you are thinking about living in a trailer, your mind must be filled with several questions. To help you choose the best full-time living trailer, we have addressed some questions and tried to answer them briefly. Go through their answers and see if it is feasible for you to live in a full-time trailer.
Can You Live Year-Round in a Travel Trailer?
The total cost of living in a travel trailer is lower than the cost of living in a traditional house. With proper forethought and full preparation, you can live and enjoy a comfortable life in a travel trailer year-round. Of course, you would need some equipment to sustain a healthy lifestyle.
You can live comfortably in Travel Lite RV Evoke Full Body travel trailer (Source)
How Much Does it Cost to Live in a Travel Trailer Full Time?
The total cost of living in a full-time travel trailer ranges between $1,400 and $3,000 per month. You can see that there is a huge, noticeable gap. It depends on how much you travel, where you live, and how much you spend on groceries and eating out. The total cost varies from person to person, but this is an estimated cost.
Do You Save Money Living in an RV or Travel Trailer?
Yes, if you are rightfully motivated, you can easily save some serious money while living in a full-time trailer. Roughly, you can save hundreds of dollars per month if you budget carefully. With the saved money, you can easily pay off your remaining debt, invest in your business, or whatever you please.
Is Living in a Travel Trailer Cheaper Than Renting?
It all comes down to the choices you make. If you are fine and comfortable with eliminating high-end luxury from your lifestyle, then living in a travel trailer is cheaper than renting. Leverage the small size of your trailer and fill it with only things that you need, not that you want.
How Do You Live Full Time in a Travel Trailer?
With the right amount and necessities, you can easily live full-time in a travel trailer. Make a list of all your things that you will need and not want during your time in the trailer and then stock up on those items to live with ease.
Should I Buy a New or Used Travel Trailer?
Whether you should buy a new or used travel trailer depends on your budget. Buying a new one comes with the liberty to modify it as you please, and buying a used one might come with a couple of flaws, which can be taken care of.
Travel Trailers for Full Time Living
Travel trailers are a great way to experience life, and living in one full time allows many of us to live out our dream. Your family will determine the minimum size you should go for, and of course budget also comes into play.
All of the above trailers are recommended, and will give you the home comforts wherever you want to live. Although you have to know there will be cut backs and some difficult moments. That said, choosing to live your life on the road is really worth the sporadic pain that comes with it.
Have you decided to live your life full time in a travel trailer? Please share your experiences with us, so we can share with our readership.
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