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Tips For RVing In National Parks During The Shoulder Season
Here’s why you should consider visiting national parks during the shoulder and off seasons.
When looking for the perfect RV for our family, we wanted a travel trailer that we could haul with our diesel Ford Excursion, had a 4-bed bunkroom, a kitchen with an island, and a living space that felt open and inviting. After spending months looking at hundreds of RV floor plans we came across the Jayco Jay Flight 33RBTS and knew it was just what we needed.
Click around to discover some of our favorite features.
We didn’t just want to travel in our RV— we wanted to homeschool our kids out of it, make home-cooked meals in its kitchen, have family movie nights and epic Lego-building competitions, and create lasting family memories within its walls. In short, we wanted a space that felt like a home. A usable and inviting living area was of utmost importance for our home-on-wheels, and the opposing slide-outs in the kitchen and living areas of the Jay Flight created just that.
The double slides also make room for one of our favorite features of the RV; a large kitchen island. This kitchen proves you don’t need a large kitchen, only a well-laid-out kitchen. It isn’t unusual for cookies to be prepared on one end of the island, potatoes being chopped on the other, and a kid working on math problems in between.
All this cooking and eating can’t happen without someplace to store the food, and this RV layout comes in clutch with one of the biggest pantries we’ve ever seen. With over 24 cubic feet of storage, this pantry makes keeping our large crew fed and happy so much easier. We can also shop at our favorite bulk stores, saving us money and time.
When the dream of roadschooling and the reality of educating five kids on the road collide, it's necessary to have a space that creates structure. The open living space of the Jay Flight provides many areas to sit, curl up, or lounge while completing the day's educational pursuits. It also offers enough storage to hold the myriad of items a homeschooling family accumulates.
Past the kitchen and the living space is the bunkroom with three beds and a jackknife sofa which can easily sleep four people. With a wardrobe, underbed drawers, and cabinets above and below the entertainment center, there’s even enough space to store all the items needed for four people as well. This bunkroom checked every box for us and has become a cozy and personalized space for our children.
Heading toward the primary bathroom on the other end of the living room is the bathroom. The corner shower and angled vanity maximize the usability of the space and are big enough for multiple children to brush their teeth and hose off sandy feet at the same time. The six-gallon water does a good job of keeping up with our staggered shower rotation, and with a bit of planning, keeps all of us as clean as we want to be. With an 80-gallon fresh water tank, a 70-gallon gray water tank, and a 40-gallon black water tank, we can dry-camp (boondock) for multiple days.
While outdoor adventure is our main game, we do enjoy a competitive round of Mario Kart or a few episodes of The Amazing Race curled up on the couch. The angled entertainment center allows everyone to see whatever antics are playing on the TV. Whether they are popping popcorn in the kitchen, sketching at the table, or even lounging on one of the bunks in the back bedroom, everyone has a good view of our entertainment of choice. The Jayco Jay Flight 33RBTS also comes with a fireplace underneath the entertainment center, and we may have to go with that option when we upgrade!
Since we aren’t only fair-weather RVers, the ducted furnace and the 50-amp service that comes standard on this model allow us to run both of our air conditioners, keeping us comfortable no matter the weather.
When the weather is agreeable, the outside kitchen can turn your outdoor camp area into an alfresco experience. Fully equipped with a dual-burner cooktop, sink, and a mini refrigerator, this versatile space allows you to stay immersed in nature, even while you prep the evening meal or whip up a refreshing drink.
With so many great features and amenities, one might think the 33RBTS must be massive and heavy. It isn’t! Measuring in at just under 38 feet total length, and with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of under 11,000 pounds, this trailer can be pulled by a variety of modern pickup trucks and heavy-duty Sport Utility Vehicles.
We have traveled coast to coast multiple times, hauling it with a diesel Excursion and a Dodge Ram 2500, logging many thousands of miles and even more memories.
Whether you're new to the world of RVing or you're ready to narrow your search, we're here to help you sort through it all and find the RV that's right for you. Explore RVs based off of your lifestyle and the features important to you.