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Photos Courtesy Bridal Falls RV Resort
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Photos Courtesy Bridal Falls RV Resort
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Photos Courtesy Bridal Falls RV Resort
By Perry Mack - Photos Courtesy Bridal Falls RV Resort
The general population has differing opinions about permanent living style parks – and it really depends on your exposure. My introduction was my grandparents unit (Oma & Opa’s) in Englewood, FL. This park, with it’s manicured lawns, tropical gardens and canals that flowed to the Gulf of Mexico, was as perfect a vacation destination that I could imagine – it was my second home.
For over a decade, Mom & Dad would load my brother and I into the car and begin our annual Christmas migration, a two-week holiday, usually leaving in a blinding Ontario snowstorm. By the time we got to Georgia you could roll down the windows and almost smell the palm trees. Eventually I got old enough to drive myself with friends; and the two-day, 30-hour driving trip became a single 24-hour marathon race to the Sunshine State.
Which is why I am not surprised to learn of the rising popularity of RV Park Models and the new Destination Trailer models, only surprised that it has taken this long. Today’s units can take the shape of a small cottage or cabin with features like a peaked roof, floor to ceiling windows, covered porches, log siding and lofts. And in an age where the high cost of homes permeates the media like an infestation of termites, Park Models and Destination Trailers provide an immune counterpoint – a safe haven to affordably enjoy a great lifestyle.
The Destination Trailer is a relatively new concept – a blend between the traditional RV Park model and an RV. Typically 8’6” wide, they come with power slides, grey and black water holding tanks and are easily prepared for moving. An RV Park Model is usually 12’ wide, a maximum of 538’ with a more residential construction. It has no holding tanks and you need a highway transport truck to move it.
So who buys these units? Tom Wood, of Quality Manufactured Homes & RV’s Ltd in Chilliwack explains, “The main reason for the Park Model and Destination Resort living came about from the aging population. People had been life-long RVers and were tired of hauling the large 5th wheel or travel trailer but loved the life style. They knew where they wished to stay to enjoy the their time. The cost of the RV, truck and fuel made it easy for them to convert to destination resort living. They just have to jump into their car and drive to the Park Model.”
For destination trailers, the demographics are right across the board from retirees with grandchildren to young families looking for that urban escape. It’s camping with the luxuries of the home. And while many people choose to purchase a property to put their unit on, many are signing on to seasonal leases. If you desire a change of scenery you pick up and move – just like an RV.
Since weight isn’t as much of a concern in Park Models and Destination Trailers, compared to a traditional RV, luxury features like ceramic tile, hardwood cabinets and marble countertops can be built in, along with load bearing roofs and tons of insulation. When you walk through a unit it’s hard to believe you’re in an RV and not a traditionally built cottage or cabin.
Depending on the property you choose to put your new home on, it’s likely you’ll also have Wi-Fi and satellite to go along with ‘old-time’ living where the kids can go fishing in the morning, swim in the afternoon and play safely after-dark. Newer resorts often include resort style amenities with pools, clubhouses, entertainment and golf courses - often within a few hours from your home, so you can enjoy them every weekend (not just two weeks at Christmas).
Taking advantage of the rising tide, many RV Parks are using models as rental units. The trend is called destination RVing. RV park models are roughly the same size as a hotel room but there’s no one above you or below and there’s the unbeatable camping experience. It exposes the great outdoors to people who may not yet have the desire or ability to invest in an RV.
Canadians enjoy a distinct advantage when it comes to RV Park Models. In the US, federal and state laws decree that the unit must be under 400 sq ft or it becomes classified as a manufactured home and is subject to different taxes and regulations; where as our units can be up to 538 sq ft. and the CSA now allowing units to be built 16’ wide. “We are building units for Bridal Falls Cottage Resort at 16’x 36’,” Wood explains.
How do you decide which unit is right for you? With a little research you’ll discover there are almost too many choices. Wood provides some guidance here. “In the 25 plus years that we have been in the Park Model business we have carried almost every manufacturer that exists in the industry. At present we have decided to stay with Moduline and Woodland Park manufacturers. People really need to determine the use that they expect from their model. I tell the consumer that units are built in two, three or four-season construction. The old story that you only get what you pay for is very true. If the use is only May to September, then a two-season unit is fine. If there is a possibility three or year round use then a four season product is required.”
This is how and where memories like mine are born. Although my family moved into a different home every three or four years, and I changed schools every two or three years, our tent trailer and Oma & Opa’s park model were constants in my life for decades. For a family of immigrants without a lot of money, RV’ing and park models contributed to a great life. I highly recommend it for everyone.