10 Reasons to Retire in an RV

A 20-foot camper trailer in Central City was destroyed by fire Saturday morning. Centralia Fire Protection District firefighters responded to 137 North Morrison after Central City police officer Brody Meigs found the camper burning behind the residence. The fire is believed to have started from a nearby brush pile fire that had spread and went unnoticed. The owner, Perry Hixenbaugh, planned to scrap the camper, although he said it had new tires he wanted to save. No one was injured.

There is no official industry standard for four-season RVs, but they can be purchased or retrofitted. Cold-weather capability requires heavy-duty insulation, HVAC and plumbing protection, and double-pane windows. In 2025, 8.1 million U.S. households owned an RV, with 16.9 million more interested in buying within five years; 28 million Americans planned holiday-season RV trips in 2025. Median annual use is 30 days, so a standard three-season RV suffices for most.

The Hunker Pod is a slide-in camper module that fits into a cargo van, converting it into a full-size camper. It costs $32,995 and is compatible exclusively with 159-inch wheelbase Ram ProMaster vans from model year 2014 or newer. Installation takes about an hour at the company's facility in Denver, Colorado, and requires no permanent modifications. The Pod is secured with bolts to the van's factory inserts, allowing it to be removed and the van returned to cargo use. Hunker says versions for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Ford Transit are in development.

Paradigm Van Conversions, based in Denver, Colorado, has unveiled the Longhorn, a camper van conversion built on an extended-wheelbase Ford Transit. The rear living area can be transformed: two aircraft-grade aluminum Code 7 platforms on vertical tracks fold down into two beds with 4-inch (10 cm) memory foam mattresses or are removed to create cargo space, including room for a motorcycle. Each platform supports up to 400 lb (181 kg) while weighing 39 lb (17 kg). The electrical system includes a 400 Ah battery bank, a 3,000 W inverter, and a 500 W solar panel; the Dometic RTX 200 A/C can run for up to 16 hours. An Espar air heater draws fuel from the vehicle's tank. The kitchen has an 85-liter fridge and two 5-gallon (19-liter) water canisters.

On Sunday morning, rapid flooding at O’Connell’s RV Campground in Amboy, Illinois, led to the evacuation of 250 to 270 people. Water levels in low-lying areas reached about 1.2 meters.

Aliner has announced the return of the Alite travel trailer, originally launched in the late 1990s and discontinued in 2017. The decision follows customer requests. With a dry weight of 672 lbs (304 kg) and a GVWR of 1,100 lbs (499 kg), it is the brand's lightest and most compact model. The expected dealer price is just under $18,000. The Alite features an all-aluminum, wood-free body, a 30-second setup, and a minimalist interior with a convertible bed and kitchen area, but no heating, air conditioning, or water systems.