If you’re looking for one of the best small travel trailers with bathrooms, you may be surprised by how many choices look perfect—until you discover the catch.
I’ve toured more than 100 small travel trailers with bathrooms and showers, and honestly, I wouldn’t want to live in most of them for a weekend, let alone full-time. My husband, Tom, and I plan to sell almost everything we own and live in a travel trailer, so this decision is becoming very real for us.
You might wonder why we still want a small trailer if we’re going to live in it full-time. We want something our Ford F-150 can comfortably tow and something that will still fit into the wooded, waterfront and more secluded campsites we love. At the same time, it must be comfortable enough for two adults to live in every day.
That balance is harder to find than it sounds.
I narrowed my search to seven small travel trailers I would genuinely consider. Each one comes close to perfect, but each also has a catch involving its bathroom, holding tanks, storage, sleeping arrangement, price or overall livability.
One of the seven is the Little Guy Max I’ve trusted for the past eight years. The big question is whether any of the other six is good enough to make me trade it in.
Best Small Travel Trailers With Bathrooms: Quick Comparison
| Small travel trailer | Length | Approx. dry weight | Bathroom | Holding tanks: fresh/gray/black | My biggest concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| nuCamp Haven 220 | 23’1″ | 3,969 lbs | Dry bath | 35/35/25 gal | Small refrigerator and freezer |
| Airstream World Traveler 22RB | 22’2″ | 3,700 lbs | Compact dry bath | 19/24/12 gal | Small black tank |
| inTech Aucta Magnolia | 22’6″ | 5,150–5,450 lbs | Wet bath | 45/34/26 gal | Limited exterior storage |
| Oliver Legacy Elite II | About 24′ | About 4,900 lbs | Wet bath | 32/32/15 gal | Small black tank and no front window |
| Awaken RV MorningStar | 23’11” | About 5,320 lbs | Large dry bath | 39/32/18 gal | Exterior storage and price |
| ATC Plā 450 2011 Front Bunk | 24’11” | About 4,930 lbs | Wet bath | 50/45/45 gal | Sleeping arrangement |
| Little Guy Max | 21′ | About 3,140 lbs | Wet bath | 20/30/9 gal | Space for two and tiny black tank |
Specifications, prices and available features can change by model year and configuration. Confirm current details with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
1. nuCamp Haven 220: Closest to Checking Every Box
The nuCamp Haven 220 may come the closest—at least on paper—to providing everything I think we need.
The first thing I noticed was the build quality. From the handcrafted cabinetry and solid doors to the soft-close hardware, the Haven feels more like a small home than a basic camping trailer.
Its roomy rear dry bath has a separate shower, which would be a major upgrade from the small wet bath in my current camper. If you specifically want a small travel trailer with a bathroom and separate shower, this is one of the more livable options on my list.
Three additional features stood out to me.
First, it has a walk-around queen bed. After eight years of crawling across a mattress because three sides are against the walls, I looked at that walk-around bed as if it belonged in a luxury suite.
Second, the Haven is 8 feet 2 inches wide—more than a foot wider than my Little Guy Max. Fourteen extra inches may not sound life-changing until two people try passing each other in a tiny trailer.
Third, it has plenty of windows. My Little Guy Max feels open because of its windows, and the Haven gives me that same bright, airy feeling.
The 25-gallon black tank is another major advantage. It is almost three times the size of my current tank and would make boondocking much easier.
The Haven 220 catch
The refrigerator is only about 4.6 cubic feet, the freezer barely has room for a few ice trays, and the refrigerator sits below the counter.
That would not ruin a weekend camping trip. But if I had to bend down and plan meals around that tiny freezer every day, it could get old. For full-time RV living, refrigerator and freezer space become much more important than they are on a short vacation.
2. Airstream World Traveler 22RB: My Dream With a Deal-Breaking Tank
The Airstream World Traveler has been an emotional contender for me.
Years ago, Tom and I walked into an Airstream dealership, and I remember thinking that owning one someday would be a dream come true. When I stepped inside the lighter and comparatively more budget-friendly World Traveler 22RB, I hoped this might finally be the one.
Of course, “budget-friendly” and “Airstream” may still be two words that have never officially met—but at least they’re getting closer.
I love the clean, minimalist interior and twin-bed layout. It feels surprisingly livable for its size. It also has a dry bath with a separate shower and toilet, although the entire bathroom—and especially its tiny sink—feels compact.
The Airstream World Traveler catch
The holding tanks are approximately 19 gallons fresh, 24 gallons gray and only 12 gallons black.
I cannot believe I’m saying this about an Airstream, but that black tank is a deal-breaker for me.
We want to boondock more, and my Little Guy Max has already taught me how quickly a small black tank controls where you can camp and how long you can stay. If I’m spending that much to replace my current trailer, I don’t want to end up with almost the same problem I’m trying to solve.
Unfortunately, my Airstream dream may end with that 12-gallon black tank.
3. inTech Aucta Magnolia: Huge Tanks but Limited Exterior Storage
The inTech Aucta Magnolia solves the small-tank problem but creates a completely different concern.
Its fully welded aluminum cage frame and fiberglass-over-Azdel walls mean there is no wood in those walls to rot. That matters because our future trailer will not merely be a recreational toy—it will be our home. I want to reduce the risk of major construction problems as much as possible.
Inside, the Magnolia feels huge for a small travel trailer. It is 8 feet 4 inches wide and has a gigantic dinette where we could eat, play games, relax and give me a spacious place to edit videos.
The panoramic front windshield is gorgeous, but I wish it opened. I apparently have very strong feelings about windows! My Little Guy Max has taught me how much fresh air from a large front window can change the entire feeling inside a small camper.
The Magnolia has a decent-sized wet bath, meaning the shower, toilet and sink share one waterproof space. A wet bath saves valuable room, but I’m still undecided about getting the toilet and everything else wet whenever I shower.
Its tanks—45 gallons fresh, 34 gray and 26 black—are impressive and could keep us off-grid much longer.
The inTech Magnolia catch
My biggest concern is exterior storage.
We will need room for camping chairs, leveling gear, hoses, electrical cords and all the other glamorous necessities that come with RV life. The Magnolia has two exterior compartments, but neither appears large enough for bulky camping chairs.
Every Magnolia I’ve toured has also included the optional slide-out outdoor kitchen. Some campers will love it. I would rather trade it for a larger storage compartment.
All I can picture is cooking several greasy meals and sliding the residue back inside, although that may say more about my cleaning habits than the kitchen.
Outdoor kitchen or outdoor storage? I’m choosing storage every time.
4. Oliver Legacy Elite II: Exceptional Construction With Two Compromises
If build quality were my only consideration, the Oliver Legacy Elite II would be hard to beat.
Its wood-free, double-hull fiberglass body, aluminum frame and marine-grade components give it the kind of construction that people say could outlive its owner—which, at its price, I would certainly hope so.
The interior almost feels like a small yacht. It is bright, clean and minimalist, with a surprising amount of storage. I also like its available twin-bed layout.
The four-season design is another major advantage. I would love the freedom to camp in colder weather without treating every freezing night like a plumbing emergency.
The Oliver uses a wet bath, but it feels fairly spacious for a compact bathroom.
The Oliver Legacy Elite II catch
I have two concerns.
First, its 15-gallon black tank is still smaller than I want for extended boondocking.
Second, there is no front window.
Here I go with the windows again! But the front window is often the largest one in a small camper. If we’re going to live in a tiny space, the last thing I want is to feel closed in.
Would it make sense to spend approximately $85,000 or more and give up one of my favorite features in the trailer I already own? Maybe I place too much importance on windows, but after eight years of camping with them, I know how much they affect my enjoyment of the space.
5. Awaken RV MorningStar: The Most Residential Interior
The Awaken RV MorningStar is another molded-fiberglass travel trailer designed for durability, and I liked it as soon as I stepped inside.
Its bright fiberglass walls and warm wood cabinetry create an interior that feels sleek and elegant. It also has the largest refrigerator on my list, with a genuine separate freezer.
Add a hanging closet, plenty of windows and a large dry bath that feels almost residential, and this is an interior I could comfortably live in.
The MorningStar can also be equipped with serious off-grid power. Adding lithium batteries, solar panels and an inverter to my Little Guy Max completely changed how and where I camp. After years of rarely worrying about electrical hookups, I would not want to give up that freedom.
The Awaken MorningStar catch
Once again, exterior storage concerns me. It doesn’t have the kind of large pass-through compartment that makes storing bulky gear easy.
The second catch is its price. The MorningStar starts around $88,900, and equipped models can reach into the mid-$90,000 range.
That is about triple what I paid for my Little Guy Max in 2018. I know prices have changed, and you often get what you pay for. Still, spending nearly $100,000 to gain a few extra feet and larger tanks is difficult for me to justify.
6. ATC Plā 450 2011 Front Bunk: Best Tanks and Most Flexible Space
The ATC Plā 450 2011 Front Bunk is completely different from every other small travel trailer on this list.
It is an all-aluminum, wood-free toy hauler featuring the LifeTrac system, which lets you move and rearrange furniture along tracks inside the trailer. The result is the most open and flexible living space of these seven trailers.
Because it is a toy hauler, the rear ramp can also become a deck. I can imagine how much fun that would be at a lakefront campsite.
Its tank capacities grabbed my attention even more: approximately 50 gallons fresh, 45 gray and 45 black. That black tank is five times the size of the one in my Little Guy Max. We could finally stop planning our lives around the next dump station.
The standard bathroom is a small wet bath. Considering this trailer is nearly four feet longer than my Little Guy Max, I expected its bathroom to be a little larger.
The ATC Plā 450 catch
My real concern is the sleeping arrangement.
The front bunk layout would require one of us to climb into the upper bunk. I can do that today, but after two hip replacements, I know something can quickly change from “no big deal” to “there is no way I’m getting up there.”
An optional queen bed raises and lowers using the LifeTrac system, but I don’t want to move the bed every morning and every night just to use the living room. Maybe I’m stubborn, but I don’t want my bed to become a daily chore.
The reason we’re taking this leap now is that we’re both healthy enough to enjoy it. The layout can’t merely work today—it should still work five or, fingers crossed, ten years from now.
7. Little Guy Max: The Small Travel Trailer They All Have to Beat
The seventh camper is the one every other trailer on this list has been competing against: my Little Guy Max.
For eight years, I’ve hauled it down highways, back forest-service roads, into boondocking sites and even—accidentally—to the top of a mountain. That trip wasn’t intentional, but wow, did we find a gorgeous campsite!
After more than 500 nights, this trailer has become my second home.
It no longer looks exactly as it did when I bought it. It has some rust, the front of the refrigerator looks rough, the tank sensors stopped working years ago, and I’ve repaired or replaced several things.
But there is no rot or sagging. The cabinetry remains solid, and after eight years of real camping, it keeps going. I know how it was built, what has been repaired and what still works.
That reliability became my number-one filter for this entire list. My Little Guy Max set the bar every other small travel trailer had to match or beat.
I’ve also spent eight years making it mine. I added a Froli sleep system, an upgraded mattress, keyless entry, lithium batteries, solar panels, an inverter and dozens of smaller improvements. These upgrades have made such a difference that I wouldn’t want to camp without them.
I would have to repeat most of those upgrades if I bought another trailer.
The Little Guy Max catch
Its black tank holds only 9 gallons—the smallest on this list.
For ordinary camping trips, I know how to make nine gallons work. I’ve also made peace with the small wet bath. But with two of us living in here full-time, both could become much bigger compromises, especially when we’re boondocking and the tiny tank requires frequent dump runs.
This trailer works beautifully for my solo trips and extended getaways with Tom. Living together full-time in 21 feet, however, could feel completely different.
Those additional two or three feet in another small travel trailer might mean the difference between cozy and “Tom, could you please move again?”
Which Small Travel Trailer With a Bathroom Would I Choose?
I’m still undecided.
Every alternative would cost us a substantial amount of money to gain a few feet and larger tanks. Every one would also introduce a new compromise:
- The nuCamp Haven 220 comes closest overall, but its refrigerator and freezer are small.
- The Airstream World Traveler is my longtime dream, but its black tank is a deal-breaker.
- The inTech Magnolia has excellent construction and tanks, but I need more exterior storage.
- The Oliver Legacy Elite II offers outstanding build quality, but its black tank and lack of a front window concern me.
- The Awaken MorningStar feels the most residential, but it can approach $100,000.
- The ATC Plā 450 has unbeatable tank capacities and open space, but its sleeping options may not work as we age.
- My Little Guy Max is reliable, paid for and customized for me—but may be too small for two people living and boondocking full-time.
Is gaining a few feet, a larger bathroom and bigger tanks worth replacing the small travel trailer I already know and love? Honestly, I still don’t know.
Which of these seven small travel trailers could you realistically see yourself living in? Would you spend the extra money for more room and larger tanks, or find a way to make the camper you already own work? Tell me in the comments—I have a feeling one of you will point out something I haven’t considered.
Frequently Asked Questions About Small Travel Trailers With Bathrooms
What is the best small travel trailer with a bathroom and shower?
The best model depends on how you camp. The nuCamp Haven 220 offers a roomy dry bath and strong all-around livability. The Awaken MorningStar has one of the most residential-feeling bathrooms and interiors. For boondocking, the ATC Plā 450 stands out because of its extremely large holding tanks.
What is the difference between a wet bath and a dry bath in a travel trailer?
A wet bath combines the toilet, sink and shower in one waterproof compartment, so most of the room can get wet when you shower. A dry bath separates the shower from the toilet and sink. Wet baths save space, while dry baths usually feel more like a residential bathroom.
Can two people live full-time in a small travel trailer?
Yes, but layout matters as much as length. Look for comfortable sleeping arrangements, enough room to pass each other, usable storage, adequate holding tanks and a bathroom you won’t dread using every day. A trailer that works for occasional camping may feel very different when it becomes your full-time home.
What size holding tanks are best for boondocking?
Larger tanks generally allow you to remain off-grid longer, but water use and the number of campers make a major difference. Based on my experience, a 9-gallon black tank can work for camping trips but requires more frequent dumping with two people. The ATC Plā 450’s 45-gallon black tank offers far more flexibility for extended stays.
Is a small travel trailer better than a large one for full-time living?
Not necessarily, but a small travel trailer is easier to tow and can fit into more campsites. The challenge is finding one with enough storage, tank capacity and living space for your daily needs. For Tom and me, staying small would help preserve the kind of camping and travel freedom we love.
