Travel trailers come in all shapes and sizes, but destination trailers are some of the biggest around. In short, these massive mobile homes are suitable for entire extended families, all the while placing countless luxuries at your fingertips.
Ladies and gents, boys and girls of all ages, the object of our fascination today is nothing other than the Puma Destination Model travel trailer from none other than Palomino. Yes, the same Palomino that's been around since 1968, running alongside industry giants such as Winnebago and Airstream. If you don't know much about this crew, the Puma should set things straight for you.
Now, I could sit here and bore you with all the details about how this thing is built, but I'm going to take a different approach to the Puma. Considering this unit is all about the lifestyle you can access while out in the middle of nowhere, on a beach, or mountainside, I'm going to paint a picture as to the sort of life you can live in one of these. Just remember, "Destination Trailers," as they're often called, are considered the original mobile homes, some even being suitable for park living. In short, they're packed with everything you'd ever need. With an idea of what we're up against here, let's keep going.
If you ever make it to Palomino's website, one thing you'll notice is that there are several options for a Puma, eight, to be precise, and each one is tuned to meet the different needs of different people. Some units, like the 37PFL, include a massive island kitchen, while others, like the 39DBT, are all about sleeping accommodations, coming in with two separate bedrooms and more sleeping options in between.
I want you to imagine that you've done the driving and finally reached your destination. After stretching your legs a bit, you'll want to stabilize your unit and unhitch your tired ponies. Here's where things start to really get wild. Each of these units is filled with several slide-outs to further expand your mobile mansion.
Some floorplans include at least two such features; others include up to four. The result is a habitat that's nearly three times as wide as when driving down the road, and in that space, your mobile haven. As for what's hidden among those slide-outs, just take a look in the image gallery. After you do, pick some images and picture yourself in the middle of all the action.
Since you're probably tired from driving and setting up your campsite, you may find yourself kicking back in a dinette or lounge, watching the TV. Heck, maybe you've even turned on the fireplace for good vibes. If you're like me, the only fire will be found outside, with wood crackling through the night. Why not pitch a tent or two and even get rid of the kids for the night?
As you hang out, you can't help but notice your family scurrying around like ants. The adults are working on whipping up a three-course meal, made possible by the massive kitchens I mentioned, while the kids are busy unloading your camper and readying for tomorrow's activities. Go ahead, put on your favorite music, mess around with the lights, and wait for dinner.
After the dinner table is set and everyone has filled their bellies, it's time to relax for the evening. Now, all this depends on who you are in the family and even your age. For example, some of the middle-aged humans among you may want to take a stroll in the local woods. The kids will probably start running around outside, and the older folks may be found just hanging out by the fire.
As the evening drags on, the younger members start to come back from their outdoor activities and take a seat by the fire. With the whole gang back together, it's time to tell stories until eyelids get heavy. Once they do, it'll all depends on the floorplan you've chosen. However, most of the units offer modular sofas and dinettes, so the bedrooms aren't the only place where you'll find sleeping souls. Lights out.
The next morning, members of the group start to rise one by one, led by the smell of coffee, bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Instead of using the dinette for this meal, I recommend heading outside and enjoying the fresh morning air. After all, you should take advantage of the lack of cars in your area, wherever that may be. With bellies fed, it's time to seize the first full day of the next outdoor living week.
It's at this point that you'll start to dig out all the gear you brought along for things like mountain climbing, kayaking, and even e-biking. Maybe you have a little putt-putt course. With the countless storage options found inside and out, you can be sure everyone is taken care of. While you're out there living it up, your Puma will be waiting for you with a chilly interior, hot running water, and all the lighting you need to carry on through the night. If you want to take things further, be sure to discuss things with your local dealer or Palomino themselves.
But how much is something like this going to cost us? Well, it all depends on who your source may be. But, on average, we're looking at a price of around $50K (€45K at current exchange rates) for new 2023 Puma units. In short, sign me up! Something to think about if you've got a large family and want to hit the road with all of them at once.
Now, I could sit here and bore you with all the details about how this thing is built, but I'm going to take a different approach to the Puma. Considering this unit is all about the lifestyle you can access while out in the middle of nowhere, on a beach, or mountainside, I'm going to paint a picture as to the sort of life you can live in one of these. Just remember, "Destination Trailers," as they're often called, are considered the original mobile homes, some even being suitable for park living. In short, they're packed with everything you'd ever need. With an idea of what we're up against here, let's keep going.
If you ever make it to Palomino's website, one thing you'll notice is that there are several options for a Puma, eight, to be precise, and each one is tuned to meet the different needs of different people. Some units, like the 37PFL, include a massive island kitchen, while others, like the 39DBT, are all about sleeping accommodations, coming in with two separate bedrooms and more sleeping options in between.
I want you to imagine that you've done the driving and finally reached your destination. After stretching your legs a bit, you'll want to stabilize your unit and unhitch your tired ponies. Here's where things start to really get wild. Each of these units is filled with several slide-outs to further expand your mobile mansion.
Since you're probably tired from driving and setting up your campsite, you may find yourself kicking back in a dinette or lounge, watching the TV. Heck, maybe you've even turned on the fireplace for good vibes. If you're like me, the only fire will be found outside, with wood crackling through the night. Why not pitch a tent or two and even get rid of the kids for the night?
As you hang out, you can't help but notice your family scurrying around like ants. The adults are working on whipping up a three-course meal, made possible by the massive kitchens I mentioned, while the kids are busy unloading your camper and readying for tomorrow's activities. Go ahead, put on your favorite music, mess around with the lights, and wait for dinner.
After the dinner table is set and everyone has filled their bellies, it's time to relax for the evening. Now, all this depends on who you are in the family and even your age. For example, some of the middle-aged humans among you may want to take a stroll in the local woods. The kids will probably start running around outside, and the older folks may be found just hanging out by the fire.
The next morning, members of the group start to rise one by one, led by the smell of coffee, bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Instead of using the dinette for this meal, I recommend heading outside and enjoying the fresh morning air. After all, you should take advantage of the lack of cars in your area, wherever that may be. With bellies fed, it's time to seize the first full day of the next outdoor living week.
It's at this point that you'll start to dig out all the gear you brought along for things like mountain climbing, kayaking, and even e-biking. Maybe you have a little putt-putt course. With the countless storage options found inside and out, you can be sure everyone is taken care of. While you're out there living it up, your Puma will be waiting for you with a chilly interior, hot running water, and all the lighting you need to carry on through the night. If you want to take things further, be sure to discuss things with your local dealer or Palomino themselves.
But how much is something like this going to cost us? Well, it all depends on who your source may be. But, on average, we're looking at a price of around $50K (€45K at current exchange rates) for new 2023 Puma units. In short, sign me up! Something to think about if you've got a large family and want to hit the road with all of them at once.