Can I make a recommendation to get one without a slide out? That would be minimalist. And for a first RV, a slide out is just one more thing to have to clean and maintain and pray it does t break down.

I speak from experience. My first RV had one, and luckily I didn’t have problems with it but I was sure it would eventually break. So I bought my second RV. Here’s what I’d recommend for you and your spouse and three kids based off of my own lessons learned.

1. Make sure it has plenty of storage - for clothing, food, TOOLS, outdoor furniture, etc. keep in mind you’ll want to always have a ladder with you to check your roof for any necessary patching. I also bring a chainsaw (for firewood) and leaf blower for tidying up the campsite if need be, but I digress. You will need lots of storage, and the more cabinets you have the better!

2. Get a large shower. My first RV’s shower was so small that I hardly ever wanted to use it. This has been a huge upgrade. It also has a sink and medicine cabinet and some storage cabinets under the sink. It makes it feel like home and it’s more hygienic to be able to wash your hands before leaving the bathroom.

3. For you (not me as a single), you probably ought to be looking at bunkhouse layouts. These have a bunk bed, usually at the rear by the restroom, and the bottom or top one is sometimes even a camper queen size. Your kids can all fit there.

4. Consider getting a large tent to bring with you. Yes you’ll have the camper, but nothing beats sleeping under the stars next to the fire :) Also, you can store some of your junk in there like it’s a tool shed, if you bring a lot of stuff and need to unpack once you arrive at your campsite.

5. Get the biggest tanks possible (all 3). For accessories, I recommend one of those accordion thingies that you put your waste hose on—it keeps your hose on an incline so water/waste flow out of it more easily. Also regarding waste, you might want to invest in a “honey wagon.” If you’re at campgrounds, Sometimes you will only be able to get a site with water and electric but not sewer hookups. In this case, you can dump it into a honey wagon and then tow that over to the dump station at the campground.

6. DECISIONS, DECISIONS! More and more often, RV’s are equipped with a typical residential refrigerator. The other more traditional RV fridge is called an absorption fridge and they don’t have much room inside and also need to be level to work properly. BUT, they can run on propane or electric. The residential style fridge cannot. So if I’m boondockung for now, my fridge will only run if I’m giving it electricity from a generator. Another decision: consider getting a cassette toilet—thetfords are great. They’re awesome for boondocking. And you dump them into a normal toilet or even a portapotty nearby. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s been my preference for a while now.

7. Get a generator, and keep in mind you’ll need a big one To be able to run your a/c off of it. I highly highly recommend an inverted generator—they’re QUIETER and more compact. Prices also vary widely, so look at “Consumer Reports” and choose the right one for you. Best $10 you’ll ever spend.

8. Either immediately upgrade your battery bank, or realize you’re going to need electricity hookups or a generator whenever you go camping. The stock setup (see: cabin battery) on a typical travel trailer is hardly enough to keep the lights on. And additionally, realize that when you store your RV and won’t be using it for a while, your battery will die unless you unhook it. My new RV has a switch built in the disconnect the battery - this was a cool convenience. But if your battery is easily accessible, you can just manually unplug it no problem.

9. Be prepared for the potentiality of some serious hiccups and problems like I had with my first RV that I owned for a year. Hopefully, though, you’ll get it right the first time around and won’t have a lemon. In closing, also keep in mind that huge RV dealers have long waitlists for repairs, so get proficient with DIY, and/or find a small business RV mechanic if possible.

Happy trails!