Choosing the right RV

Once we made the decision to buy an RV, the next step was obvious—and overwhelming:

Which one?

We spent months researching, virtually touring models, watching endless YouTube walk-throughs, reading Facebook groups, and mentally measuring our cats against floorplans. The options were endless—and honestly, a little intimidating.

But eventually, we landed on the one that felt just right for us:
The 2025 Winnebago 29NP.

Here’s why.

It Fits Our Life—and the National Parks

Size matters when you’re planning to visit all the U.S. National Parks, and the 29NP is perfectly sized for that mission. At just under 30 feet, it’s compact enough to fit into most National Park and forest service campgrounds, but still roomy enough for two people (and two cats) to live and work full time without going stir-crazy.

The Cat-Containment Door (aka the Back Bedroom)

Our two feline copilots—Dinkelsbühl and Ærøskøbing—are wonderful, curious, chaos agents. The fact that this model has a separate back bedroom with a real closing door sealed the deal. It gives us a way to safely contain the cats when needed, whether we’re setting up camp, letting in a repair tech, or just need a few minutes of cat-free peace.

The Outdoor Kitchen

We both love the idea of cooking outdoors (and not filling the inside with bacon smoke), so the outdoor kitchen felt like a dream feature. Grilling dinner as the sun sets over a canyon or redwood grove? Yes, please.

Modern Conveniences for Two Non-Mechanics

We’ll be the first to admit it: neither of us is mechanically inclined. We can write a government memo or troubleshoot a Teams outage in our sleep—but don’t ask us to rebuild a carburetor.

So we chose something new, with self-leveling, integrated cameras, and just enough tech to keep Brandon happy without overwhelming Juanita. We wanted something user-friendly, reliable, and as foolproof as possible for our first year on the road.

Gratitude, Front and Center

We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to make this dream happen. Being able to purchase this RV using military retirement pay is something we don’t take for granted. That check represents decades of service, sacrifice, and moving 20+ times around the globe.

Now, it’s giving us the freedom to move on our own terms.

Choosing the right RV is kind of like choosing a new home and a new car—at the same time. We know this one won’t be perfect. We’ll learn its quirks, break a few things, and probably say a few words we haven’t used since we were in the service. But this Winnebago feels like the right fit for this next chapter, and we can’t wait to take it on the road.

Next stop: doing our walk through with the technician and getting to know our new ‘home’.

Next
Next

Why We’re Doing This