The average Class C RV measures 21 to 41 feet long. Larger than Class Bs but never outsizing Class As, a Class C is a great in-between option. However, with 20 feet of difference between the smallest and largest Class C motorhomes, which is the ideal length?
A Class C RV that’s about 30 feet long is the best length for these reasons:
- On the bigger side of Class Cs but not too large
- Ideal size to fit into most national and state parks
- Easy to drive and maneuver
- Takes up less room in storage
- Might have more parking options
This guide will expound on why selecting a 30-foot Class C RV is so advantageous. If you’re in the market for a new Class C motorhome, I’ll also recommend some of my favorite 30-footers, so make sure you don’t miss it!
5 Reasons Why a 30-Foot Class C Is the Ideal Size
Let’s jump right in with the points from the intro about why a Class C measuring 30 feet long is just the right size!
1. Big But Not Too Large
If you’re contemplating a Class C motorhome, I assume you’ve looked at all the RV classes by now. Perhaps you found a Class B a little too small for your tastes. You might have also thought a Class A–while very nice–was far too large for what you’re looking for.
The humble Class C is more of what you need. At 30 feet long, you can bring your favorite people and pets without feeling too cramped. You’ll have ample sleeping quarters so everyone can get some cozy, high-quality sleep at night.
Further, a larger vehicle affords more privacy. Oh, and have I talked about the amenities yet? Smaller Class Cs can’t always fit everything you’re looking for, but one that’s in the sweet spot of 30 feet can.
You shouldn’t have to think twice about whether your motorhome will have a full bathroom, as it most certainly should. You should also enjoy a spacious kitchen, convertible seating, a living area, and a bedroom nook that’s not a small corner.
2. An Ideal Size for Most of Your Travel Adventures
Did you read my guide on acceptable RV dimensions for national parks? If you did, you’ll recall that 30 to 40 feet long is the cutoff point for a lot of national parks. Oh, and if you happened to miss that post and you travel to national parks often, make sure you read it!
It’s always very disheartening to plan your trip around visiting a specific national park only to find out once you get there that the park doesn’t accept RVs of your size. You’ll have to turn back around and come up with a Plan B on the fly.
That kind of scenario will play out a lot less often with a Class C motorhome of about 30 feet long. You’ll also find that you can get around far easier than if you were driving a bulky RV, driving under overpasses and bridges without difficulty.
3. Easier to Drive and Maneuver
I’m not trying to say it’s easy to drive any motorhome beyond Class Bs, especially if you have no prior RV driving experience.
It’s going to take practice no matter what, but a 30-foot Class C is a good vehicle to graduate to if you want to learn what it takes to drive an RV.
The vehicle is sizable, as established, but not so humongously large that you can’t fathom how you’ll ever drive it. Plus, once you learn how to drive a Class C, you’ve essentially driven ‘em all.
Upgrading to a Class A–should you ever decide to do that–won’t be that big of a jump, just as downsizing to a Class B wouldn’t take much getting used to. If you hop behind the wheel of a pickup truck to haul a travel trailer, you’d find that rather familiar too.
4. Takes Up Less Room in Storage
For those of us lucky enough to live somewhere warm, RV season never has to end. For the rest of us, we have to put our vehicles in storage for a couple of months until the temperatures warm up enough to plan fresh adventures.
The larger your motorhome, the harder it is to find storage options. You might have to settle exclusively for outdoor storage if that’s all that’s available for a vehicle of your size. It’s not like you can keep an RV that big at home in your driveway or on the curb!
A Class C motorhome isn’t so large that finding a place to store it is a pain. Most storage facilities should have the space for a vehicle of your size, giving you the option to keep it indoors or out (always opt for indoor storage if you can, especially heated storage!).
You might even pay less to keep your motorhome at a facility since it’s not so large.
5. Gives You Great Parking Options
The last reason I recommend a 30-foot Class C is that you can park it more easily.
I’ve already established that you can learn how to drive an RV of this size with less struggle than a mighty Class A. You should find it easier to side into parking spots, especially considering your motorhome isn’t terribly large.
You might find more parking spots available to a vehicle of your size than if you were driving a Super Class C or a Class A!
30-Foot Class C RVs That Are a Cut Above
Have you decided that a 30-foot Class C motorhome is the right choice for you? The following selection of RVs will be right up your alley, as they all meet your size requirements.
1. Coachmen Leprechaun 298KB
We’ll start with the Coachmen Leprechaun, an exquisite Class C motorhome. The 298KB model features a Ford 450 chassis that measures 30 feet, 5 inches long. The exterior width is 100 feet, and the exterior height is 10 feet, 11 inches.
This model also affords you a 21-foot awning, 34-gallon graywater tank, 31-gallon blackwater tank, and 55-gallon fuel tank. The gross vehicle weight rating is 14,500 pounds.
You’ll settle in nicely, as this Class C RV features a 57-inch by 96-inch bunk with a swing-arm TV on one side.
The living room is large and comfy with a 62-inch sofa and overhead cabinet storage, a 44-inch by 76-inch J-lounge with a TV, overhead storage, and overhead cabinets. The J-lounge table features an 18-inch extender.
The kitchen stands out for its microwave, overhead cabinetry, and countertop extension. The counter is already large enough for a dual sink and three-burner microwave.
Where will you sleep? In the 72-inch by 80-inch king-sized bed, complete with overhead cabinetry! You’re steps away from the full bathroom with a toilet, linen closet and pantry, medicine cabinet, shower, and sink.
2. Thor Four Winds 28A
For under $140,000, the Thor Four Winds 28A is affordable and ultra-appealing. This 29-foot, 9-inch RV offers 108.8 cubic feet of storage, sleeping space for six, a high-durability Ford chassis, an 11-foot height, and a GVWR of 14,500 pounds.
The 28A model features a 40-gallon LPG tank, a 40-gallon freshwater tank, a 25-gallon wastewater tank, and a 22-gallon graywater tank.
You’ll feel like you’re living large in this Thor Class C motorhome. The cab-over bunk features a swiveling TV and a 52-inch by 96-inch sleeping area.
The living room includes a 68-inch sofa for the family to relax on and a huge 70-inch Dream dinette. The dinette is right by the kitchen, which boasts a fridge, a large sink, a microwave, and a three-burner stove.
Wash away the day’s stresses in a 24-inch by 32-inch shower. The rest of the bathroom includes a countertop, toilet, and sink.
The bedroom nook is what dreams are made of it. It features a 60-inch by 74-inch queen-sized bed, dual closets on either side and a television.
3. Jayco Redhawk SE 27N
Are you a Jayco fan? If so, you can’t miss the manufacturer’s Redhawk SE 27N. This Class C with a Chevrolet chassis is approximately 30 feet, 3 inches long. Its exterior width is 8 feet, 4 inches, and its exterior height with the air conditioner is 11 feet, 6 inches.
The 27N model includes a 13-foot awning, a 39-gallon freshwater tank, a 41-gallon graywater tank, a 31-gallon blackwater tank, and a 32-gallon fuel tank. It can sleep up to five people and weighs 12,300 pounds.
Walk inside this Class C motorhome, and you’ll discover wonder after wonder. The cab-over bunk helps the 27N provide sleeping space for five, as does the 60-inch jackknife sofa in the living room area.
The living area also includes a 42-inch by 70-inch dinette and overhead storage. Continue into the kitchen and cook meals for the family with love, as the space includes overhead storage, a dual sink, a microwave, and a burner. The 8-cubic-foot fridge will be spacious enough for all your ingredients.
The bathroom boasts a medicine cabinet, a 27-inch by 36-inch shower, a sink with a countertop, and a toilet.
You’ll rest easy in the 60-inch by 74-inch queen-sized bed with overhead storage and a bedside wardrobe.
4. Coachmen Freelander 27QB
Here’s another Class C RV for all you Coachmen lovers out there, the Freelander 27QB. This motorhome measures 29 feet, 6 inches long. Its exterior height is 10 feet, 11 inches, and its exterior width is 100 inches.
The 27QB includes a 31-gallon blackwater tank, a 31-gallon graywater tank, a 40-gallon freshwater tank, a 55-gallon fuel tank, and a 20-foot awning. It weighs 14,500 pounds.
The front bunk is 57 inches by 95 inches and has a swing-arm TV for entertaining. The living area is another perfect spot for entertaining, as it comes complete with a 62-inch sofa, overhead cabinet storage, and a 42-inch by 71-inch dinette.
Adjacent to the living area is the sizable kitchen nook. You can cook on a three-burner stove or a microwave, wash up in the dual sink, and keep all your plates and cups in an overhead cabinet.
The bathroom is a stone’s throw away. It’s surprisingly large, with a shower, toilet, sink, bathroom counter, medicine cabinet, and linen closet.
Finally, there’s the bedroom. You won’t fight for space with a partner, as the queen-sized bed is 60 inches by 90 inches. A bedside nightstand and overhead cabinet give you room to store your wardrobe.
5. Gulf Stream Coach Conquest 6280LE
The Gulf Stream Coach Conquest 6280LE is approximately 30 inches long, so it’s exactly what you’re looking for. It’s 100 inches wide and 11 feet, 3 inches tall. The motorhome features a 37-gallon freshwater tank, a 38-gallon graywater tank, a 31-gallon blackwater tank, and a 42-gallon gas tank.
What will you find inside? The overhead bunk area has a bunk insert, an optional TV with a swing arm, and a shelf. It leads to the living room area, which features overhead storage and a jackknife sofa.
The kitchen area includes a refrigerator, countertop space with a sink, a three-burner stove, a microwave, and overhead storage.
A private ensuite bathroom door leads to the toilet and sink, but there is no shower. You’ll have pleasant dreams in a 60-inch by 74-inch bed with two shirt closets, a TV mount, and overhead storage.
6. Entegra Coach Esteem 27U
A 30-amp Class C motorhome, the Entegra Coach Esteem 27U measures 29 feet, 11 inches. Its exterior width is 100 inches, and its exterior height with the satellite and air conditioner is 11 feet, 8 inches.
This 14,500-pound RV has a 42.5-gallon freshwater tank, a 41-gallon graywater tank, a 31-gallon blackwater tank, and a 55-gallon fuel tank.
Inside, the 27U includes a cab-over bunk and swivel chairs in the cab area. The living room area has a 68-inch jackknife sofa for sleeping and two overhead storage compartments. Across from that is the 42-inch by 70-inch dinette.
The elegant kitchen includes a fridge, pantry, overhead storage, microwave, three-burner stove, dual sink with countertop space, and a countertop extension.
Take care of all your hygiene needs in a bathroom with a 30-inch by 36-inch shower, a toilet, a medicine cabinet, and a sink.
The large bedroom includes a 66-inch by 76-inch king-sized bed, optional TV, a huge wardrobe, and overhead storage.
Conclusion
Of all the available sizes, a 30-foot Class C motorhome is the perfect choice. It’s large enough to afford full amenities yet not so large that you can’t park it where you need to. You also won’t have to worry about being turned down at national parks in most cases.
You’re ready to go forth and explore the planet!