Let’s face it: a full-size travel trailer or RV is a big commitment.
Not just in terms of cost, but also in terms of your tow vehicle, maintenance, and maneuverability.
But what about those of us who love to travel but aren’t interested in the huge commitment of a full-size trailer?
In this case, small travel trailers are a great option. Compared to full-size trailers, smaller trailers offer up a lot of perks. Let’s take a look at just a few of them…
Benefits of Small Travel Trailers
- Benefit #1: They aren’t going to break the bank. Their smaller footprint means fewer materials and lower manufacturing cost. Thus, small travel trailers are often much cheaper than their full-size counterparts.
- Benefit #2: Upkeep is easier! With fewer moving parts, there’s much less maintenance work to be done. And with less interior space, cleaning won’t take nearly as long. Convenience!
- Benefit #3: They’re easier to tow. Lighter weight means more tow vehicle options. In many cases you can tow these trailers with the car you currently own. This way, you have your living space and your car together.
- Benefit #4: They’re much more mobile! Like I said above — small trailers win when it comes to maneuverability. Campgrounds will be easier to come in and out of, and you’ll be able to get a trailer of this class on some much more rugged terrain than a large trailer could handle.
Pretty sweet, right? So we’ve put together a list of our 10 favorite small travel trailers to help guide you in your hunt!
1. The Happier Camper
With a catchy name and a sleek design, this is one of our favorite small travel trailers. Just from the outside, you will fall in love with this little camper. It has a fresh but retro design and spacious windows to let a healthy amount of light into your living space.
The great thing about this retro looking camper, though, is that its interior is super-modern. It has a modular design, which allows for a large amount of customization. The inside has 2 AC outlets that include USB ports and 4 DC-powered cigarette lighter ports.
Watch this video and see how cool this modular design thing is:
It can even function as a toy hauler:
The sleeping area offers a bed big enough for two, which can easily be converted into a seating area with a table. The modular design means you can add a wide range of options into your camper to supplement this area.
If you’re looking to go green, this camper scores points there too. Included in the roof of the rig are solar panels to help you generate some additional power while minimizing your carbon footprint.
We definitely recommend checking out The Happier Camper’s website, where you can find more info and plenty of photos and videos.
2. The American Dream Trailer
With a name like this, it better be good. Fortunately, it is! This small and compact trailer rocks a funky design and a cozy interior. It’s on the smaller side of our list, but still comfortably sleeps two. This trailer is very light, coming in at less than 1000 pounds, so it will easily be towable by most vehicles.
The interior of the camper includes a great double bed, shelf space for storage, and a galley that opens up to a 2’ by 3’ table. As an added bonus, the top of the camper pops off into a two-person rowboat!
This small trailer also offers a lot in the way of customizing the exterior. You can select from a range of paint colors to make the outside of your camper really pop, or more subtle colors for the low-key travelers out there.
Check out American Dream Trailers’ website to learn more and request an estimate.
3. Taxa TigerMoth
Would you like an ex-NASA engineer to design your camper? If you said yes, this is the camper for you. Garrett Finney applied the knowledge he gained working for one of the most intelligent organizations in the States to create this travel trailer.
It has a great compact design but opens up to provide a spacious interior. The camper is incredibly versatile and has a towing weight under 900 pounds. The large side hatch provides easy access to the interior, which includes a double bed and stow away kitchen set.
The intelligent design also provides plenty of options for exterior storage while you’re on the road. This camper has mounting racks on the roof, various other attach points externally, and hooks for maximum transporting ability.
The Tigermoth also has optional solar panels so you can spend time off the grid if you desire.
For more information on the Taxa Tigermoth, check out the company website here.
4. Taxa Cricket
We loved the TigerMoth so much we decided to include one more great design from the team over at Taxa. This model is a bit larger than the TigerMoth, and includes additional space to relax without adding too much extra weight. This trailer is 15’ and weighs in at just under 1500 pounds.
The camper has windows on four sides, providing great ventilation and a cool breeze when the weather is nice. It includes a convenient rear hatch that allows for easy loading and unloading.
