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If you have been shopping for a new travel trailer with bunkhouse features, you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best bunkhouse travel trailers available so that you and your family can hit the road in style.
But what exactly is a bunkhouse travel trailer, and what should you consider when shopping for a new one? Let’s learn more about this unique style of travel trailer now so that you can get your questions answered.
Already know you want a bunkhouse travel trailer?
Check out the table of contents below to jump ahead and see all our favorites:
What is a Bunkhouse Travel Trailer?
A bunkhouse travel trailer essentially means that you are purchasing a style of trailer with bunk beds inside. Bunkhouse travel trailers also imply secondary living space, where bunk beds and couches create a unique second living space inside of your RV.
Bunkhouse travel trailers are often larger than traditional travel trailers, given the need for all the extra sleeping space. These types of RVs are perfect for large families or groups of people, especially those with younger children comfortable with bunk bed sleeping arrangements.
However, you may be interested in a bunkhouse travel trailer whether or not you have kids. They often have unique layouts and ample living space that you wouldn’t normally get in a standard travel trailer layout. Some bunkhouse travel trailers will even have two bathrooms!
What to Consider in a Bunkhouse Travel Trailer
Wondering what you should consider in a bunkhouse travel trailer? Here are some expert tips and pointers to keep in mind while you shop for your new RV.
How Many People Can Sleep in Your Travel Trailer
The most important consideration for your new bunkhouse travel trailer is knowing how many people can sleep in it, and how many people on average you expect to travel with.
Bunkhouse travel trailers truly maximize sleeping arrangements, and some RVs can even have bunk beds that are three beds tall! You are most likely interested in this style of travel trailer because of its high sleep capacity.
However, when an RV tells you how many people can sleep inside of it, this doesn’t mean that everyone is sleeping comfortably. If you plan on traveling with more adults than kids, you should make sure that the sleeping arrangements suit everyone accordingly.
Number of Bathrooms in Your Bunkhouse
Traveling with a large group of people may mean that you need multiple bathrooms in your Bunkhouse travel trailer. Thankfully, this is a common request and most RV manufacturers have already planned for this when designing the layout of bunkhouse rigs.
One bathroom is standard in just about any travel trailer, unless you are shopping around for a smaller model with only a wet bath or no bathroom at all. However, many large travel trailers or fifth wheels offer multiple bathroom situations.
You may not get a full secondary bath, but you may have a half bath onboard, which should include a sink and an additional toilet. Sometimes, this is all you need when camping with a large group of people or many family members.
Style and Look of Your Camper
Bunkhouses are fun for the whole family, especially when you consider both the interior and exterior style and look of your travel trailer. While most RVs have a special sort of ugly style to them, you may find a bunkhouse that makes you feel cool.
Many travel trailers have multiple interior design options, and you can further customize your look and feel with your own personal touches. There’s nothing better than an RV living area that feels lived-in rather than brand new and sterile.
Bunkhouse Layout
The layout of your travel trailer is key no matter what style of rig that you are looking at, but this is especially the case with bunkhouse travel trailers. After all, the layout will be greatly affected by large bunkhouse living areas.
Many travel trailers situate the bunk room toward the back of your travel trailer to allow further privacy and separation from that part of the rig. This can be especially valuable if you plan on traveling with a large group of children, as they can have their own space.
However, no two travel trailers are the same, and you should make sure the layout works best for you and your family as well as your additional guests. Privacy is key for a bunkhouse travel trailer, and you should also pay attention to the other living areas as well.
Overall Length of Your Travel Trailer
Bunkhouse travel trailers can get pretty large, which is why you should pay attention to the overall length of your new rig. While the extra square footage may be necessary to allow for everyone to travel with you, you may be surprised to hear that the length of your rig matters.
Many national and state parks have RV length rules or limits in place depending on the location and style of park. This could be a wake-up call for those of you with rigs over 35 to 40 feet long- and most bunkhouse rigs are this large.
However, these rules are different from park to park, and your bunkhouse travel trailer may do just fine on your travels. It is always a good idea to call ahead before you make any reservation while RV camping.
Weight Limit
As previously mentioned, most bunkhouse travel trailers are very large. This means that you should be paying close attention to the various travel trailer weights and the overall weight limit of your tow vehicle.
There are a variety of different weights for you to consider when it comes to towing a travel trailer, but you should never shop for a brand new rig without first knowing what tow vehicle you plan on using and how much weight it can carry.
However, they make travel trailers lighter than ever these days, and you may be surprised at how heavy some of these rigs actually are. Your tow vehicle may be able to handle the RV model you’re looking at, no problem.
Budget for a New Travel Trailer
Finally, the last thing that you should consider when shopping for a new travel trailer, bunkhouse or otherwise, is your budget. Travel trailers can vary widely in their cost, depending on the amount of amenities you would like and the overall luxury of the rig.
You can easily create a budget and anticipated spending, but be sure to take a look at any non-standard features or options that you can install on your new travel trailer. Many optional features are considered necessary by RVers, such as auto leveling and solar panels.
Benefits of a Bunkhouse Travel Trailer
Curious to learn more about bunkhouse travel trailers? Here is a list of potential benefits of owning a travel trailer with this feature inside of it.
Many Different Layouts
After years of looking at different RV layouts and setups, bunkhouse travel trailers have some of the most unique ones I’ve ever seen. This is likely due to the creativity involved when adding an additional sleeping area.
You can expect a lot of unique features while shopping for bunkhouse travel trailers, and it may make these rigs appealing to you when you hadn’t considered this style of travel trailer before. It’s definitely worth looking at for this reason alone!
Room for the Whole Family
One of the main reasons that many people choose a bunkhouse travel trailer is because they have room for the whole family, or perhaps room for your whole group of friends. These travel trailers maximize sleeping arrangements so that you can bring as many people as possible.
Again, this may not be ideal for a group of adults, especially adults expecting not to share a room. However, that’s partially what camping is about, and bunkhouse travel trailers still ensure that everyone is comfortable, even if they are sharing a bunk bed.
Space Saving Bunks
Speaking of sleeping arrangements, bunkhouses are designed with space saving bunk beds so that you can maximize both your guest sleeping arrangements and your overall storage space and cargo holding.
Even if you don’t plan on feeling every single bunk bed onboard your new travel trailer, you still have ample bunks to use for storage or other purposes. You won’t have to worry about leaving anything at home if you buy one of these rigs!
Ample Storage for Cargo
Whether you plan on using the bunk beds for storage or require storage elsewhere, bunkhouse travel trailers give you tons of storage, both inside and out. This can be especially beneficial, especially when traveling with large groups of people.
While a bunkhouse style travel trailer may not be your first choice if you plan on living full time in your rig, you may find that this layout works well for you in terms of having enough room for all of your clothes, personal effects, food storage, and more.
Many Extra RV Amenities
Even the most basic of bunkhouse travel trailers has a decent amount of RV amenities that you wouldn’t expect. If you are able to purchase a more luxury travel trailer, then expect even more amenities than a more basic model.
For example, you can expect plush mattresses, additional entertainment centers, at least a 50 amp RV service, and much more with just about any bunkhouse trailer purchase. The main living area may have theater seating, and your dining area may also be upgraded to accommodate more people.
The list doesn’t stop there, but it will depend on the individual travel trailer that you are looking at for what sort of amenities you will receive. If you have something specific in mind, the RV manufacturer will no doubt tell you whether or not it’s possible.
Privacy from the Kids
Many RVers purchase bunkhouse travel trailers so that they have ample space for their kids to hang out in. This allows the adults some privacy, and some separation from their children while everyone is hanging out inside of the rig.
While you can always just send the kids outside, this isn’t always an option, especially if you are camping in inclement weather. A bunkhouse travel trailer can make camping trips all the more restful and peaceful with a dedicated space for the kids!
The 7 Best Bunkhouse Travel Trailers
Ready to take a look at some of the best bunkhouse travel trailers available on the market today? Here are our top seven choices, full of information for you so that you can make an informed decision.
Best Overall: Forest River Heritage Glen
Forest River makes some fantastic rigs, and the Heritage Glen is no exception. Available in four unique travel trailer models, with two of those being bunkhouses, you can expect to bring just about everyone and everything along with you.
Forest River builds quality rigs chock full of features, some of which include high-quality herringbone style vinyl flooring, hardwood cabinetry, and an actual porcelain toilet. You can also expect other residential finishes, such as sinks, fridges, and window coverings.
This travel trailer is built with luxury in mind from start to finish. The bunkhouse models on this rig have double bed stackable bunks, which means you can sleep up to four people in a single bunk unit- and some of these models have two sets of bunk beds!
This particular rig is built wider to accommodate the extra bunks, as well as equipped with extra large pass through storage compartments. Not only is it built with many finishing touches and convenient features- it comes complete with luxury interior finishes too.
You can expect an electric fireplace in the main living area, a peninsula kitchen with ample counter space and storage, and panoramic windows so that you can enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of your theater seating. But the amenities don’t stop there.
You’ll also get a family sized dinette and convertible furniture for more sleeping arrangements, a half bath attached to the bunkhouse areas for convenience, and an outdoor dog hitching station complete with safety mechanisms.
Best of all, this rig comes backed by Forest River’s comprehensive warranty. You can feel safe on the road with them as your rig’s manufacturer, and you can sleep just about a whole army inside of one of their luxury bunkhouse travel trailers! Definitely check this model out.
Best for Large Families: Jayco Eagle HT
Towable by most half ton trucks and SUVs, the Jayco Eagle HT has a few fantastic bunkhouse style floor plans. While Jayco is a popular name in the RV world, there is a reason for that. One of those reasons is their quality of building and building materials.
You can expect a decent lifetime out of your new Jayco rig. It has a lot to offer your family, both structurally and in terms of a warranty. Plus, Jayco is constantly thinking about ways they can make your life a bit easier, and it’s obvious once you take a look inside their rigs.
The Eagle HT for example, has multiple bunkhouse floor plan options. All of their travel trailers are around 35 to 40 feet in length, making them large enough for the entire family but still not so long as to make parking too difficult in many RV parks.
The interior design is where Jayco shines. They offer all wood cabinetry, specialty laminate flooring, many windows to flood the space with natural light, and quality convertible furniture which can be used to sleep up to ten people in a bunkhouse style floor plan!
Jayco makes their rigs on a lightweight but sturdy aluminum frame, with fiberglass molded walls and roof. This forms a quality piece to protect the interior of your rig, but that doesn’t mean the exterior isn’t fantastic too.
The bunkhouse floor plans have exterior kitchens so that you can enjoy the great outdoors for the entirety of your camping trip. While there’s ample living space inside of your travel trailer, don’t feel like you have to spend it all inside!
The perks found in this travel trailer are too many to list, from a second ducted AC to a power and auto leveling jack system. Plus, Jayco offers comprehensive warranties and fantastic customer service, whether you’re a novice or a pro.
Lightest Weight: Coachmen Apex Ultra-Lite
If you want a bunkhouse that still maintains a light weight, you’ll want to check out the Coachmen Apex Ultra-Lite. This particular model of travel trailer is fantastic for many reasons. Let’s dive in and learn more now.
With twelve floor plans that range widely in length, you may be wondering how many of those are bunkhouses. Well, just about seven of them have bunk beds onboard and plenty of room for the whole family while still maintaining a light weight. The largest bunkhouse floor plan weighs less than 8000 pounds!
While the interior design seems a bit beige, all of the cabinetry and countertops are made from quality materials. You can bet these fixtures will last the lifetime of your rig, even if they may need a bit of help to have any personality.
Coachmen is a division of Forest River, which means you can expect the construction of your bunkhouse travel trailer to be solid. All of the walls are made from well-insulated Azdel and bonded fiberglass so that you don’t have to worry about what season it is.
This rig also comes complete with double or full sized bunk beds so that you can sleep a large group of people onboard your rig. Some of these floor plans also have exclusive master suites with walk around queen beds for the grown ups to sleep in.
There are solar panels and solar prep that come as standard features, though you may be equally interested in the nonstandard features as well. Some of those include dark and frameless tinted windows, additional amps and a second AC unit, and theater seating.
Coachmen will also back your purchase with a fantastic warranty and owner’s club. If you are worried about being able to tow a bunkhouse travel trailer, you don’t have to worry anymore with this lightweight model!
Travel Trailer With Multiple Bunk Beds: Dutchmen Astoria
Speaking of multiple bunk beds, the Dutchman Astoria is another fantastic model for all of your sleeping needs. If you’re looking for a bunkhouse or floor plan that can sleep up to eight to ten people, then take a look at this setup.
The Astoria offers two or three different bunkhouse models, and all of them offer a multiple bunk bed scenario. This means that you can sleep all of the kiddos or your friends all in one place, and there’s even a closing door on most of these models.
These bunkhouse floor plans are both under 40 feet in length and under 10000 pounds so that you can tow them with ease. Plus, Dutchmen has loaded their rigs with safety features, including quality steel frames, a power tongue jack, and heavy duty tires, all with warranties.
The interior of these rigs is lovely, with many homey features, including an electric fireplace and pantry storage in the kitchen. Speaking of the kitchen, you can expect stainless steel appliances and quality backsplash to make clean up even easier than ever before.
This is a 50 amp service rig as a standard feature, by the way, so you should have plenty of power for everyone. This can be even more beneficial, considering whether or not you want a second air conditioner or a microwave.
The interior is visually appealing given its arched ceiling and overall design. It is contemporary, and all of the furniture is very comfortable, including the many bunk beds. The kitchen is clean and white, while the living room can be outfitted with theater seating.
It’s easy to see why you might be interested in the Astoria for your bunkhouse travel trailer. Dutchmen offers many different warranty options as well as a comprehensive customer service line so that you can get all of your questions answered with ease.
Best for the Pets: Coachmen Northern Spirit
The Coachmen Northern Spirit is a fantastic rig for the entire family, including your furry friends. They have many classy and exclusive features available onboard this rig, especially in the bunkhouse models. Let’s take a look now.
With roughly five different bunkhouse options to choose from, the Northern Spirit wants you to ask for exactly what you want. Not only do some models have bathtubs and double bunks set up in the square footage. You can expect a dedicated pet area as well.
This will include built in food dishes, an outdoor hitching post for your dog leash, and an outdoor shower complete with doggy bath area. The exterior of this rig continues to impress, with powered awnings and exterior LED lighting.
But let’s take a look at the interior now. Depending on the floor plan, you can expect a spacious kitchen, a bar style breakfast nook, and theater seating. The interior will also feature multiple bunk beds as well as a master bedroom so that you can enjoy some privacy.
The Northern Spirit also has a lot of features that wouldn’t normally come standard. For the exterior, you can expect a detachable power cord, a solar panel with room to spare, and exterior speakers so that you can bring the party outside if you need to.
The good news is, you can add a 50 amp electrical service and add a secondary air conditioning unit to your master suite. No matter how hot it gets outside, you can keep your entire travel trailer cool using this simple add on.
Like the other Coachmen model on this list, you can’t expect much in the way of interior design. It seems to remain pretty black and white and beige, to be honest. However, Coachmen makes up for that with its special touches and fantastic warranty program.
Best for Entertaining: Palomino Puma
Palomino claims to offer the most bunkhouse travel trailer options in the industry, and I’m starting to see why. The Puma has almost 23 different layouts and floor plans, while at least ten of them feature bunk beds in some capacity!
What else does this rig have to offer? Let’s learn more. The Puma is a beauty from inside and out, offering ample pass thru storage, sturdy fiberglass exterior walls, and power awnings with LED lighting. The safety step and exterior speakers are perfect for entertaining guests of all ages.
Speaking of all ages, the bunkhouse interior is perfect for the whole family. With so many floor plans, you may even find a bunkhouse option with two master suites, making it a perfect fit for the kiddos, the parents, and perhaps even the grandparents!
The Puma is great for entertaining given that it has open floor plans and living room layouts. You can find kitchens with islands and large countertop areas, or even a living room complete with comfortable theater seating and electric fireplaces.
This rig is built for adventure as well as connection, as it is prewired for solar and wifi. It has interior Bluetooth speakers and an entertainment center so that you can keep everyone happy and entertained while on the road.
Once you get to your destination, the power jack and built in stabilizers will help you get set up quickly. You can also expect tons of storage, both inside and out, so that you can both unpack when you arrive and re-pack everything with ease.
The Puma offers so many floor plans and layouts across a wide variety of travel trailer lengths that it feels like there is one for just about everybody. And the interior is finished in such a way that it’s perfect for entertaining, even if the party makes its way outside!
Best Indoor/Outdoor Bunkhouse: Keystone Outback Ultra Lite
Speaking of indoor/outdoor partying, let’s check out the Keystone Outback Ultra Lite for your indoor/outdoor living needs. This bunkhouse model has a lot to offer, and not only because it’s all housed on a super sturdy and lightweight aluminum frame.
With nine floor plans and four of them serving as bunkhouses, you can expect a lot from this semi-luxurious travel trailer. Keystone makes quality rigs too, especially four season capable options. If you want to camp year round, check out Keystone for sure.
The largest model available under the Outback Ultra Lite name includes an outdoor kitchen, a rear bunkhouse, and a large electric fireplace. The master bedroom features a walk around queen bed and a built in pet kennel underneath with ample storage.
The living areas on this particular travel trailer are spacious and accommodating, with open kitchens and dining nooks. The u-shaped dinettes can seat the whole family on some models, which is great considering some of these floor plans can sleep up to 10!
One of the biggest perks of this travel trailer is the abundance of outdoor kitchen accessories. You can expect a stove, sink, and mini fridge outside of your RV, while an entire residential kitchen awaits you indoors should the weather turn.
Keystone offers multiple comprehensive warranties for their rigs, and you can also expect a high quality build with all of their travel trailers. They have also built each of the Outback Ultra Lites with 4G LTE and wifi prep, as well as ducted heating and cooling.
There’s a lot that this rig has to offer, especially those of you enjoying both the inside of your RV and the great outdoors. Power awnings and exterior speakers make outdoor living more enjoyable, and don’t forget to bring the barbeque along with you in this bunkhouse!
Final Thoughts
Bunkhouse travel trailers are some of the most spacious and unique RV options on the market today. You can expect many different sleeping arrangements and amenities, so that you can hit the road both in style and comfort!