Couple of Questions...new to the concept

[AirKevan]

Greetings everyone,

I'm new to the RV concept, but would like to start traveling with one (plan to buy one during the fall RV show in Georgia).

I'm considering the 2720/3023/3124KB. It's my wife and I and our two kids...currently ages 3.5 and 2.

My three questions:

1. Which trailer would you choose and why (looking at my family size)

2. How do you keep someone from breaking into your trailer while you are out and about? Hooking up and driving off with it? I'm new...but it just seems like you are very much on the 'honor' system.

3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to? Obviously there is the internet...but do you have an giant RV guide that you use to find good areas and then find the good parks from there or what?

Anyways,

Thanks for the replies and I've really enjoyed reading alot of the posts on here...hope to be a TM owner this fall.

-Kevan

[Wavery]

Greetings everyone,

I'm new to the RV concept, but would like to start traveling with one (plan to buy one during the fall RV show in Georgia).

I'm considering the 2720/3023/3124KB. It's my wife and I and our two kids...currently ages 3.5 and 2.

My three questions:

1. Which trailer would you choose and why (looking at my family size)

2. How do you keep someone from breaking into your trailer while you are out and about? Hooking up and driving off with it? I'm new...but it just seems like you are very much on the 'honor' system.

3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to? Obviously there is the internet...but do you have an giant RV guide that you use to find good areas and then find the good parks from there or what?

Anyways,

Thanks for the replies and I've really enjoyed reading alot of the posts on here...hope to be a TM owner this fall.

-Kevan

1. Which trailer would you choose and why (looking at my family size)
Looking at your family size, any of these trailers would work great. It has more to do with what you will be towing with, where you will be storing the trailer and what your comfort level is with open space.

2. How do you keep someone from breaking into your trailer while you are out and about?.

That's easy. There are locks that you can purchase at any RV store that will lock your trailer hitch so that it can't be towed.

3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to?

Join a camping club or just get acquainted with your local State parks then venture out from there. What area do you live in?

[AirKevan]

We are currently living in Middle Georgia...(techincially I'm living in SW Asia in the desert but will be home soon).

I'm not worried about the towing, as I have on 08 Tundra 5.7L DC 4x4. However, storage may be an issue, as I'd prefer to park it in the garage and kick the wife's vehicle out, but I've not got a clue as to what our garage size is without measuring it...though I expect the bigger models won't fit.

Thank you for the response.

-Kevan

[ShrimpBurrito]

1. Which trailer would you choose and why (looking at my family size)

2. How do you keep someone from breaking into your trailer while you are out and about? Hooking up and driving off with it? I'm new...but it just seems like you are very much on the 'honor' system.

3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to? Obviously there is the internet...but do you have an giant RV guide that you use to find good areas and then find the good parks from there or what?

1) If your TV can handle it, I'd choose either the 3023 or 3124KB for the additional living space. The only thing the 3124KB has that the 3023 doesn't is a king bed in the back (vs. a queen) and an additional storage compartment. Otherwise, they're identical. Choose the 3124KB only if:


you prefer the space of a king bed
one of you gets up at night - the king bed allows you to sleep with your feet at the aisle vs. your feet at the wall -- that means you don't have to crawl over the other person to go to the bathroom
you need additional storage - there is extra space under the king bed


Otherwise, get the 3023. It's a little lighter and shorter, which will make it slightly easier to handle. I think they are also easier to find used, but that's not a consideration for you if you're buying at an RV show.

2) Generally, campers seem to respect other folks' property, but just like your home or car, if someone wants to get in your RV or TM, they will. The door has a lock, and you can add a deadbolt for added security. They will also steal the whole thing if they want, but there are many inexpensive after-market products to help deter theft; some occupy the coupler, some lock the wheel. It just depends on your comfort level. I think theft is very unlikely when the TM is setup, simply because the common thief doesn't know how to take it down. And if it is stolen, it will stick out like a sore thumb going down the road. Carry insurance. It will ruin your day if your TM is stolen, but it's not the end of the world.

3) There are lots of campground guides...books, websites, folks on this forum, word of mouth, etc. If you prefer to camp with full hookups in a campground with WiFi and a pool, you'll have alot easier time finding places than if you prefer solitude, wilderness, and isolation. More of the latter places typically require a backpack, but they are out there. They take work to find, especially if you life in a major city.

Dave

[ShrimpBurrito]

I'd prefer to park it in the garage and kick the wife's vehicle out, but I've not got a clue as to what our garage size is without measuring it...though I expect the bigger models won't fit.

Unless your garage is particularly large, the 2720 is probably the only one of the three that will fit, and you may even have to get a swing tongue on it. That's easy to determine obviously, and if storing in the garage is your priority, your decision is easy. A 2720 would still be a great choice. The only difference is that the dinette seating is a little smaller; you'll have adequate room for eating, but there won't be any "lounging on the couch" for the adults since the benches are too short. Other than that, the 2720 is identical to the 3023.

Dave

[mcgyver210]

My three questions:

1. Which trailer would you choose and why (looking at my family size)

We originally was getting a 2720 but had some mechanical issues with our Rover & decided to wait. Luckily it wasn't anything major so we started looking again & found a 2008 3023 & noticed immediately the extra storage & bigger sofa area. We ended up buying it & so far it is very comfortable with me my wife, 14yr old son & our family dog. We have stayed 10 days for our longest trip in the winter last year.

Before choosing consider your tow vehicle tow capacity compared to the different model TM weight specs with estimated cargo & people weight totals. With all that said if we had two small children we would want at least the 3023 but I think I have heard of same situation with smaller ones also

2. How do you keep someone from breaking into your trailer while you are out and about? Hooking up and driving off with it? I'm new...but it just seems like you are very much on the 'honor' system.

If someone wants in an RV of any kind they will get in. Locks on the TM are secure enough to keep honest people honest. We are not as seasoned as many here but in our experience so far other campers don't bother even the stuff we leave out all day. Of course we also have a dog & good Insurance coverage. We do put a lock as a deterrent on our tongue also.

We have no plans on transporting anything not easily replaced though either.


3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to? Obviously there is the internet...but do you have an giant RV guide that you use to find good areas and then find the good parks from there or what?

1. We have joined GoodSams & CampClub USA which have campground listings all over country.
2. We also have read about destinations here & other places on the net.
3. Oh you can also purchase directory books such as WoodAlls


Good Luck with which ever one you choose for your family we love ours so far.

Once again I was beat to the punch by my slow typing LOL LOL

[AirKevan]

Billy, Dave, and HarveyRV,

Thank you all for your responses...much appreciated. I think my family and I will love the RV community...seems we have alot of good folks in it...from what I've gathered reading all the messages on this forum.

-Kevan

[ThePair]

We have a 2720SL, twins that are 2.5 yrs old, and an English Springer Spaniel. I've removed the lounge chair from the TM, and we seem to have tons of room for the whole family. I haven't used up all the storage space, and I think I've gotten just about everything I want to carry into the TM. So, for us at least, it's a good fit.

That, and the fact that anything bigger definitely wouldn't fit into the garage! But that's dependent upon your garage size, naturally. Plus, I'm towing with a Toyota Sienna, so I've got weight considerations as well.

As to theft, no one's touched anything we've had outside the TM (grill, etc.) As to towing the whole thing away, I'm doubtful it would be a likely occurrence, as mentioned above: most people won't know how to collapse the TM, so they'd first need to break in, then figure out how to collapse it, then drive off. Not likely, imo.

We love it!

[PopBeavers]

In Google Eath thre is a feature that will display the locations of all forest service campgrounds, state parks, county parks, etc. You have to enable it. Then just zoom in somewhere that you think might be an interesting area and see what shows up.

With young kids, Disney ha to be high on your list. There are other parks that are vacation destinations, but I just can not think of them. Jelley Stone comes to mind, but I know nothing aobut it.

Public parks on a lake or stream would probably be a good choice. Children seem to have a lot of fun anywhere that has water.

RVParks like KOA will typically have a swimming pool and other outdoor game areas that a state park would not have. With kids that may be a big deal for entertaining them.

RV parks will have full hookups (water, electric, sewer) while many state parks and forest service campgrounds will not have any of those, so it is a completely different style.

[Al-n-Sue]

3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to? Obviously there is the internet...but do you have an giant RV guide that you use to find good areas and then find the good parks from there or what?


Kevan - sounds like you may be military. First, thank you for your service! And we pray you get home soon.

Here in Colorado Springs we have friends who are retired AF and they swear by the family camp at the AF Academy. I understand that most military bases have camps like this or recreation areas nearby. That would be a good choice for you and would be very inexpensive.

One source that has not been mentioned is reserveamerica.com and recreation.gov. These sites are reservation sites for state parks and federal campgrounds respectively.

Welcome (soon) to the TM family!
Alan

[ShrimpBurrito]

Kevan - sounds like you may be military. First, thank you for your service! And we pray you get home soon.

Good point. And if that's indeed the case, I too thank you! Your base at home may also rent pop-ups at MWR for very cheap, and although it won't be a TM, you can get an idea of how much space you are comfortable with. Most pop-ups, in fact, have a similar floor plan to a 2720.

Dave

[AirKevan]

Sue and Dave

I am in the military..Active Duty Air Force going on 6 years now...the time flies by...I can tell you that.

Thank you for your prayers. I can tell you that the we all really do appreciate the thanks we receive from so many; we all are proud to serve our great country.

Thank you again,

Kevan

[ng2951]

...I'm considering the 2720/3023/3124KB. It's my wife and I and our two kids...currently ages 3.5 and 2.

My three questions:

1. Which trailer would you choose and why (looking at my family size)If you can handle a 3124 I would go with that one. The extra room will certainly help, especially with kids. The extra storage under the king bed will probably help a lot.2. How do you keep someone from breaking into your trailer while you are out and about? Hooking up and driving off with it? I'm new...but it just seems like you are very much on the 'honor' system.If they want they can get it. The more trouble you can make it the less likely they will take it. If you are parking with other campers they tend to watch out for you too.

Besides a hitch lock, I have a big cable lock I loop through the wheels and frame. Even if you were to hitch up you aren't going to get very far before that cable pulls taught. The trailer coulb be dragged after that, but it ain't going to roll.3. How do you go about finding destinations to go to? Obviously there is the internet...but do you have an giant RV guide that you use to find good areas and then find the good parks from there or what? RV.NET is a good place to start as is this site. It is certainly well worth the money to join this site for the first year of ownership.

The other places to check are at state lines where the tourist information bureaus are located.

I like AAA's mapping service because it seems up-to-date and has more information than other RV organizations. What is really neat is that you can build custom maps and store them on the website (password protected) and you can print them out anytime. It is also very easy to use and includes fuel prices too.

And THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE TOO...

[jquarles]

Whichever TM you get I think you will enjoy. I will throw my two cents in, and I am a newbie too. I took my just purchased used TM 3326 out for the first time 2 weeks ago and loved it. This might be a bit overkill for most, but I'll tell you my opinion of what I thought was great as more food for your thought.

Our family. Me, wife 3.5 y.o boy and 1.5 y.o. girl. Similar ages to yours. We also took in-laws and may take my mom. So, anywhere from the four of us in the nuclear family to 5 adults and 2 kids.

The pros of owning a big trailer.
+ while we were out the other week it rained on us a lot of the time. Snow and hail too. With the two little ones it was easy to keep them entertained inside as there is a lot of floor space. As you know, kids that size don't have the attention span to sit idle too long. The space was a life saver with all of us couped up in it for long periods.
+ the ability to take as many friends and family as we want. We figure there will be a lot of times that we will take the kids friends out too.

downsides
-space to store it. but surprisingly we fit it in a two 1/2 car garage. one side is longer so it fits. And it goes under the garage door. cool.
-need a bigger tow vehicle
- may be a little limited on places where you can go, but so far we have found many places.

anyway....things to ponder

[Joseph]

Thank you for your service Kevan. :new_usa: Being just up the road from you, sort of, in Griffin GA you would be more than welcome to come up and take a good, long, hard, slow, look at our 2720SL when you return home. Learn how everything works, opens, closes, etc. . . in the backyard away from the sales folks if you want. Just give a holler.

1. I would go for the larger TM if I had to do this all over again. Seems like more room is always better. Especially on rainy days.

2. If someone wants to steal something they will. No matter what. Been camping a long time in one form or another and so far no one has taken anything from any campsite I have been in. Take the prudent precautions of course.

3. This forum is a good place to bounce ideas around and too learn about future campsites. In addition to all the ideas shared earlier. I usually use the internet to research new places, routes, etc. . .

Good luck to you and yours. Come home safe sir.

[camp2canoe]

As for destinations, you might pick up a Woodall's Campground Directory. They are available at many RV stores, larger bookstores and through Camping World. It is the most comprehensive guide we've found. Most state DNRs publish a camping guide with reference to state camping facilities and some campground companies, such as KOA, publish a guide as to their facilities. - camp2canoe

[PopBeavers]

I am in the "shorter is better" crowd.

Many of the places we go I would not be able to take any trailer that is longer than 24 feet. Not because the sites are short. Many of the public campgrounds in California are old, some going back to before the 40s. The built the access roads around the trees. There are a lot of curves in the roads that access the camp sites. Too long and you will not make it around some of the trees.

My brother has a 32 foot fifth wheel. He can not go where I can go. I do not like to go where he can go.

Just understand where you think you will want to go and use that as a guide for your maximum length.

Some of the places that I used to go I can no longer go to because a 20 foot truck with the 2720 is too long.

[trailmanners]

AirKevan, if you are still checking this thread, I may be able to help with some places to camp in central Georgia. I am a resident there also.

[rumbleweed]

Just do some searching on the web. There are lots of sites like the link below. You can then always ask for inputs from this site.

http://www.eugenecarsey.com/camp/default.htm