A few days ago I attended the annual RV and Camping show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is a fairly large show with well over 100 exhibitors and a exhibit space of over 200,000 square feet which makes a lot of room to showcase those beautiful campers and RV’s from the more economically priced tent campers and a-liner’s to various models of travel trailers, hybrid travel trailers, sport utility travel trailers and fifth wheels, convential fifth wheels, class B motorhomes, class C motorhomes, and class A motorhomes from several manufacturers as well as many different dealers.

It is a RV and camper enthusiast’s dream. I had to be careful to keep myself from drooling over the new 2007 models. It seems to be the year of the sport utility camper. There were many to see at the show and one dealer even had the sport utility or toy haulers as they are often called, as their theme for the RV show with all the personnel from the dealership wearing sports themed clothing.

If you own a camper or RV and want to see what’s new, are seriously shopping for one, are still in the dreaming stages, or even if you aren’t sure if you want one, attend a RV and camping show. It’s the best way to see all the different types available in one place and have the opportunity to talk with current owners because most RV and camper dealerships do not have enough employees to staff an entire show. So they ask their current customers to work at the show and talk to people. It is a great way to get an honest opinion about a particular type, brand, or model of camper or RV. Plus, RV and camper people are some of the most open, honest, and friendly people you will ever meet so it’s just plain fun to talk to them.

One of the owners I met at the show was helping out the Airstream dealership that was exhibiting there. I found out he and his wife had, after many years of looking and planning, purchased an Airstream travel trailer last fall. He told me about the trips they’ve taken so far with it, how much they love it, and why they love it. I learned more from him in the 10 minutes I talked to him than I would have from reading all the literature Airstream had to offer.

It was a fun way to spend the day and has gotten me anxious for warmer weather to arrive so I can take out my popup and go camping. Someday I’ll have one of those RV’s I see at the RV show in my yard. It won’t be this year and probably not next year, but it will happen someday. Until then, I’ll attend the RV and camping show, learn all that I can, continue to drool over the RV’s, and happily dream.