Why We Chose the New Winnebago Access Travel Trailer!

Why We Chose the New Winnebago Access Travel Trailer!
How we decided on this towable and why we want a second RV.

By: Kenny & Sabrina Phillips

That’s right, Sabrina and I are shopping for a new travel trailer. But don’t fear, our Winnebago Vista is not going anywhere, we will be keeping it for most of our travels. Sabrina likes to say we are purchasing a new towable to add to our RV fleet!

Why We Are Shopping for a Travel Trailer

So why a towable, and why now? You may have read in our past posts that we like to travel to Mexico—Sabrina more so, since she travels to Mexico about six times a year. Our goal with the travel trailer is to tow it south of the border and place it in a long-term spot. This way, a drive to Mexico will be a quick and easy drive in our car and Sabrina could even do solo trips. We have already found an RV park that is a reasonable price and right on the beach. It is one of our dog Belle’s favorite campgrounds as she gets to run off leash on the beach, chase the birds, and play with the seashells that wash up on shore. 

We hope that by having a home away from home in Mexico that we will be able to increase the number of trips we take down there. Sabrina is so excited about this idea that she has applied and received her temporary residency for Mexico. I have not done that yet, but plan to do so as well.

Narrowing Down Our Towable RV Options

The last time we shopped for an RV was in 2016. I remember that being stressful and fun all at once. This time around it feels much different, and I would say this time it’s just fun! Before, we were looking at a lot of different RV manufacturers and learned that not all are created equally. It took us a while before we found the Winnebago brand at the 2016 Hershey RV Show in Pennsylvania. Shortly after that show, we drove to Iowa for a factory tour, and that is where we fell in love with Winnebago. 

Now, seven years later, we enjoy our Winnebago Vista just as much as we did when we first got it. So, this time around we knew we wanted our new towable RV to be a Winnebago too, but which one?

Winnebago makes a variety of towables with several floorplans—ranging from off-grid adventure trailers, such as the Winnebago HIKE 100, to towables that provide the feeling of coming home, like the Winnebago Voyage. Like most people shopping for an RV, we have a list of must-haves. And with so many great options, it was tough for us to narrow it down to just one RV. (Read our top tips for RV shopping in this article.)

I would say our problem is often liking too many models and floorplans. But at our most recent trip to the 2024 Hershey RV Show, I think we found our winner: the Winnebago Access 18RK. This travel trailer is under 23 feet long but packs in a ton of amenities and comfort. The 18RK is a brand-new floorplan that debuted at this year’s Hershey RV Show!

Why is the Winnebago Access 18RK Travel Trailer Right for Us? 

Here are some of the highlights of the Winnebago Access 18RK floorplan that made it stand out to us …

Large Kitchen for Food Prep

When shopping for an RV, the kitchen space is usually the highest on our list because we make most of our meals in the RV. We want to have plenty of space for food prep, and the kitchen in the Winnebago Access 18RK is in the rear corner of the RV which gives it a wrap-around feel with plenty of space to prepare a meal. It also offers a 10-cubic-foot refrigerator, which would mean less trips to the grocery store. 

Ideal Seating & Sleeping Options

Of course, since we make most of our meals in the RV, we wanted a dinette, if given the choice. We were even willing to have a dinette instead of a sofa. Luckily, with this Winnebago Access floorplan, we do not have to choose as it is equipped with both. Right across from the sofa is a large TV, and I think the TV and sofa are going to be a fan favorite for Belle. She is going to love to snuggle up and relax between Sabrina and I while watching some shows after a day on the beach. 

Also, the sofa turns into a bed, so if our niece comes to stay with us, she has a place to sleep without disturbing our dinner table, which can also turn into a bed. These sleeping options make the 18RK capable of sleeping four people.

Queen-Sized Bed & Wardrobe Closet

When it comes to sleeping, our Winnebago Vista has spoiled us with its residential queen-sized bed, but the 18RK has one as well. It even has a wardrobe closet; in fact, we were impressed with how many cabinets and drawers were available throughout the RV. We have always had the impression that there is not a lot of storage in a bumper-pull RV, but the Winnebago Access 18RK has lots of storage on the inside and even heated pass-through storage in the cargo bay area.

Large Shower

As far as the interior goes, I have saved the bathroom for last as it is typically our lowest priority. I know this is not the norm for most RV shoppers and large showers are high on most people’s shopping lists, but Sabrina and I feel like we spend the least amount of time in the bathroom. Saying all this probably has you thinking the RV has a small bathroom or small shower, but when we opened the bathroom door, we said “wow” out loud as we were surprised to find a 30”x 36” shower. The 18RK has a larger shower than our Class A Winnebago Vista, and that shower is great!

The other surprise in the bathroom is that there is a sink in there. We found while shopping other short towables that usually the kitchen sink doubles as the bathroom sink, so we were impressed to see Winnebago allowed space in the bathroom for the additional sink. 

Durable Siding & Protected Plumbing

Now moving to the outside of the RV, I had mentioned there being cargo space and even pass-through storage, but what really stood out to us was the siding used for this RV. This thick side-wall material is also coated with a UV protectant which we felt would be perfect for the harsh sun while down in Mexico. We believe this siding is going to hold up very well to the sun and salty air from the beach. 

We also like that the underbelly of the RV is completely enclosed, keeping plumbing and tanks protected from the winter when we are not around. As a bonus, the 18RK also has a power awning and power stabilizing jacks. 

Lightweight & Affordable

Two things might be coming to your mind right now, you might be thinking that all these features would make this RV expensive and heavy and, of course, these are two very important details when it comes to shopping for a towable RV. I have good news on both counts, the dry weight of this RV is only 3,900 pounds. This low weight means we will be able to bring it down to Mexico with our Winnebago Vista, which tows up to 5,000 pounds. 

Now for the moment you are waiting for … the price! The price for the Winnebago Access 18RK is currently starting at $23,000. This is a price that we would expect from an RV with much less to offer! We walked around the Hershey RV Show and found other campers with a similar pricing from different manufacturers, but they did not have nearly the same level of quality that went into the Winnebago Access. (Note: Did you know many major RV shows have special show pricing? It is something to keep in mind when shopping for your next RV!)

Closing Thoughts

When we walk into the Winnebago Access and open the cabinets, sit on the sofa, or lay on the bed, we can feel that everything is solid and well thought out. It’s comfortable, well-made, has features that make sense for us, and we are excited to start making new memories in our home away from home. 

It will still be a little while until we purchase the Winnebago Access 18RK, but in the meantime, I would love to hear from you. What amenities or features are most important to you? Do you like RV shopping or do you find it stressful? Any tips to share for a first-time buyer?

Take care all and safe travels!