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After more than 20 years as a nurse, Dana was ready to retire early, get rid of her mortgage, and simplify. She spent about two years researching tiny homes, but when a tiny home community opened in the Southern California desert, she walked into a Forest River PUMA destination trailer and stopped looking. It had high ceilings, a bigger kitchen than any tiny house she’d toured, and room for a full dining table, sofa, and recliner, for about $70,000 less. Tiny Home Tours takes a look inside.
Why She Chose a Destination Trailer
Dana moved from a 1,700-square-foot, three-bedroom home in Portland, Oregon. Places to park a tiny house near Portland were almost nonexistent, so she looked south. The new community accepted both tiny homes and destination trailers. The tiny homes she toured were around $150,000. The PUMA cost about $80,000 out the door, including a warranty, and she figured the savings would cover any repairs down the road. She moved in in September 2025.
It Looks Like an RV Outside, But Not Inside
From the outside, the trailer looks like any RV. It’s 43 feet long and 8 feet wide, but slide-outs expand the living areas to 14 feet wide. Inside, the space feels more like a small apartment, with a bright kitchen featuring white shaker cabinets, a white island with a sink, and plenty of counter space. A full gas range, a microwave, and glass-front upper cabinets make it feel like a regular apartment kitchen.
A Living Room With Real Furniture
The high ceiling is one of the first things Dana noticed. Dark beams, a ceiling fan, and high clerestory windows make the living area feel tall and open. There’s room for a reclining leather sofa, a dining table with chairs, and a built-in electric fireplace with a soundbar.
A Main-Floor King Bedroom and a Guest Loft
The main-floor bedroom fits a king bed, with a full closet and a washer and dryer, so there’s no ladder to climb at night. A loft above it holds two twin beds. When guests visit, Dana gives them the king bed and sleeps in the loft herself, which she says is more comfortable than she expected.
Since the slides don’t sit on the floor and the loft is vertical space, neither counts toward the official square footage, so the home stays technically under 400 square feet.
What It Costs
Dana paid about $80,000 out the door for the trailer, including a warranty. She financed it through the dealer before her Portland house sold, then paid it off about six months later. In the video, her lot rent is about $495 a month, and lots with mountain views ran up to about $695. Add a flat $300 a month for utilities, and her total housing cost comes to about $800 a month.
Prices have gone up for new residents. Paradise Tiny Home Community now lists lot leases from $695 to $895 a month, plus the same $300 utility fee for electricity, water, sewer, and trash, for $995 to $1,195 a month before insurance, internet, or a home loan (checked October 24, 2026). The community also sells its own model tiny homes, priced from about $68,000 to $125,000.
Watch the Full Tour
Tiny Home Tours walks through Dana’s home and talks about her decision in this video.
Video: Tiny Home Tours, “It Looks Like an RV Outside. Inside Is a Different Story.”
Design Details
- Home: Forest River PUMA destination trailer
- Size: about 400 sq. ft.; 43′ long and 8′ wide, with slides extending to 14′ wide
- Bedroom: main-floor king bedroom
- Loft: above the bedroom, with two twin beds
- Kitchen: white shaker cabinets and an island with a sink
- Location: Paradise Tiny Home Community, Desert Hot Springs area of Greater Palm Springs, California
- Price paid: about $80,000 out the door, with warranty
- Lot rent: about $495 to $695 per month when she moved in (now listed at $695 to $895, checked October 24, 2026); utilities $300 per month flat
What Makes This Home Special
- A destination trailer that cost about $70,000 less than nearby tiny homes.
- Slide-outs that make the living area feel wide and open.
- A main-floor king bedroom plus a guest loft.
- A paid-off home with about $800 in monthly housing costs.
Looking for a place to park? See our guide to tiny home communities and land across the U.S.. For more downsizing stories, read her journey from 7,000 to 399 square feet and 11 tiny homes that inspired big life changes.
Learn More
Dana’s Destination Trailer
Trailer: Forest River PUMA
Community: Paradise Tiny Home Community
Video tour: Tiny Home Tours · tinyhometours.com · @tinyhometours
Video stills: Tiny Home Tours. Dana’s costs as shared in the video; current community costs as listed on paradisetinyhomecommunity.com, checked October 24, 2026.
Highlights
- A retired nurse’s Forest River PUMA destination trailer
- About 400 sq. ft. with slide-outs and a guest loft
- Main-floor king bedroom and a big kitchen
- About $70,000 less than nearby tiny homes
- About $800 a month in a Southern California desert community
Explore More
- Mollie’s No-Loft Cottage
- Where to Park Your Tiny Home
- From Mansion to Minimalism
- 11 Tiny Homes That Inspired Big Life Changes
- Video Tours
Would you choose a destination trailer over a tiny house to save money? Tell us in the comments.
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More Like This: Travel Trailers | Communities | Tiny House Living | Tiny House Interiors | Video Tours
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
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