How big a travel trailer should I get?

I'm in the process of selling my house and then plan to RV permanently. I will probably buy a Northwood. My question is: if I get a 34' tt which also requires a 3/4 ton truck, will I find it burdensome to haul all of this across country a couple times a year? In other words, I want a tt big enough to call "home", but I also want to travel! Should I plan to go smaller?

(also ... and I'm whispering now - is there a good dating site for RVers? I'm using online dating sites but not finding men who would want to RV.)

34 foot?  Get a 3500 series truck.  Northwood makes heavy trailers and you will run out of capacity fast with anything less.
Now, is this a TT or a fifth wheel?  There is no way in heck I would ever consider towing a 34 foot TT.  That 34 foot in a fiver will only place around 27 feet on the ground behind the truck. 

BTW the AF 31D has an OAL of over 35 feet not 34.

WELCOME to the forum


our last travel trailer was a Vlite about 35' long. 8800 pounds loaded and I towed it with my 3/4 ton.
went from a 28' to the 35' and pulling was no problem for me. took a few trips to get used to backing it up, after that it was easy. I have several friends with 34 and 35' trailers and they have no issues either.
post about weights and get those questions answered, don't trust the sales people.

(pssst.... check out rvillage and escapees, they have some groups you might be interested in.)

Wow!  34 feet is big.  Towing it will be a burden, depending on how often and where you want to go.

First, what do you want to do?  Do you plan on finding a place and staying there for several months, and then going somewhere else for a few months?  Or do you want to do what I do, which is to keep moving and staying maybe only a few days or a week or two in a spot? 

If you plan on moving a lot, a motorhome might be a better and easier choice because it is easier to set up and move--just back into spot and plug in electric and maybe water.  It is also slightly safer for a single woman, which I am guessing you are, because you can stop at a rest area and use your facilities and fix a sandwich without getting out.  (I am 72 and have driven my Class C 75,000 miles in the past four years I have been full-timing.)  My blog is at http://grandmajjb.blogspot.com/.

There are lots of single women out there living and traveling full-time, but in very different styles.  You  might enjoy the blog of a lady, RV Sue, who full-times in a 17' Casita.  She pulls it with a full-size van which she uses as storage.  http://rvsueandcrew.net/

34' is a BIG travel trailer.  You'll be OK with a MODERN 2500 truck, but a 3500 isn't that much more expensive and leaves you extra payload capacity if you decide you want a fifth wheel later.  At that size/weight I'd recommend a diesel though.....especially pulling it across the Rocky Mountains.

Any less than a big trailer, and you'll probably feel cramped full timing.  I say go big.....they're only minutely more difficult to tow than a smaller one.  The only thing a trailer that size might do is limit where you can take it as far as State Parks are concerned, but any relatively newer RV park will be able to accommodate it with ease. 

A trailer with a 34' box is big, but 34' oal length isn't bad. That gives you a box about 28/29'.

Thanks everyone for your advise. I plan to stay in one place for a few months, then go to the next place. Sounds like some of you are giving me a heads up, and some are giving me a warning. I think I'll try to manage with a 32'. I don't like floorplans where you either have chairs or couches - chairs are necessary for conversation - couches are necessary for friends sleeping over.

Learn the differences between Jackknife sofas, sofa beds and sleeper sofas if you intend to have company more than a few days.

A jackknife sofa is a great way to deter people from overstaying their welcome.

I don't think that is too big to haul around, especially if that is the overall length (LOA) rather than the 'box" (liveable area) size. A travel trailer with a 30 ft living space will have an overall, external length of 34 ft.

The key thing is that you spend a lot more time living in it than towing it, so get whatever you need to be comfortable in it. A few more feet of length while towing is scarcely noticeable as long as the truck is adequately sized for the job. Most late model 2500 or 3500 with a diesel or large gas V8 should handle that size travel trailer comfortably, but always check the towing capacity before buying the truck.

WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

If you have not purchased anything yet, the Class A may be easier for a single RVer to park. It is somewhat easier to set up.  You would want a toad (vehicle TOWED behind the RV) for local travel.  As a general rule, the Class A is better to travel in (down the road) and more convenient if your stops in one location are short.  A 5er is more comfortable to live in if you stay in one place for longer times.  5er generally have more / bigger slides, providing more living space.

For full time comfort, do not go too small!!!  A 5th Wheel (5er) will be easier to tow and to hook up than a TT (Travel Trailer).  In either case, the tow vehicle is your local travel vehicle.

I STRONGLY suggest a F350 / 3500 truck if you do not have the truck yet.  The SRW (single Rear Wheel) 3500 is identical to the 2500 in virtually every detail, i.e. size, inside trim, option packages.  The BIG difference is a heavier suspension, which means higher payload and higher tow capacities.  The GVWR and Payload are about 1500# higher on the 3500, but the price difference is less than $1000.  Remember, the truck carries less than 25% of the weight of a 5er, meaning it can handle 6000# more 5er.  A TT puts only about 12.5% of its' weight on the truck, so the max TT weight just went through the roof.  Nobody ever complained about having too much truck.

The most important factor, regardless of what type of RV you choose is floor plan.  If you do not love the floor plan, you will never like the RV.

ENJOY THE HUNT!!  Come back with all your questions, and spend lots of time here reading threads and educating yourself.

I tow a 34 foot travel trailer with a 2013 F250 diesel, averaging 5K miles a year.  No problems - it tows well.  I wouldn't pull it with a gasser or 1/2 ton though.

I have pulled a 35' with my 2500 and have had no problems.  For your plans, I would want the extra space for living.  A diesel will handle that with  ease were ever you want to go.

I would buy the trailer that made ME happy, then buy a truck to pull it with. I'd bet you can't even tell the difference between pulling a 30 ft or a 34 ft trailer down the road. I went from a 30 ft MH to a 33.6 ft MH and they drive about the same. The longer one does ride better.