Sneak preview: 2024 Winnebago Access 30BH bunkhouse—a more affordable Winnie

Today’s RV review is another sneak peek into the future as we look at the Winnebago Access 30BH travel trailer. While this trailer is, probably, the most traditional form of travel trailer you can buy, it also is a harbinger of what we’re going to be seeing more and more of. What’s that and what’s the Access? 

Winnebago Access

Access is a new line of travel trailers from Winnebago and, in some ways, you could say one that harkens back to the early days of the company. That’s because this is a trailer that is traditionally built using wood framing and corrugated aluminum skin. 

But the aluminum skins on these are thicker than average in the industry. Also, the interior build is going to follow how Winnebago does things with their more up-level models in terms of cabinet construction and materials. 

There are also some things that are upgrades you might not expect such as 200 watts of solar and power stabilizer jacks. The trailers are also pre-wired for an inverter, should you want to go that way. That means some of the plugs can work on battery reserves if you install an inverter. 

More affordable rigs

The thinking behind the Access line is something you’re going to see much more of in the immediate future of the RV space: more affordable rigs. 

Wood-framed, aluminum-skinned trailers are less expensive to build than laminated models for a variety of reasons. This is Winnebago’s first foray into this type of construction in many, many years. But there are other signs of accommodating price tags in here. 

For example, there’s no propane oven, but they did put in a convection microwave with air fryer functionality. I actually think this was a good decision. It’s better than those worthless small ovens in so many RVs that nobody ever uses anyway. 

The space where the oven used to be is now reserved for drawers, which I bet more travelers will find more useful anyway. 

There are thoughtful features and a nice feel to the interior. So, while this is a more affordable range of trailers, it’s by no means cheap. Another example of this is the fact that Winnebago includes a shade on the entry door whereas most RV companies make this an option. Details. 

This might also be popular with taller travelers, with an interior ceiling height of 6’8”—that’s above average. 

Winnebago 30BH - 2024 preview

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What’s inside the Winnebago Access 30BH

You could look at this floor plan and think that you’ve seen it before and, quite frankly, the floor plan itself is not groundbreaking. But it is one that’s popular. 

This features double-over-double bunks in the back that have a 300-pound load capacity. That’s certainly decent. 

The bottom bunk will flip up in production models, and there’s a half-height door at the rear so this becomes a cargo area large enough even for bikes. 

A big surprise in the bedroom is the door—the bunk room is actually closed off from the rest of the interior by a door. So you could use this for older travelers who might want more privacy. There’s even a little shelf in here. 

Quite spacious bathroom in the Access

The bathroom is also quite spacious with a large shower that will feature a curtain rather than a glass door—I like this. The toilet is a porcelain model, again nicer than you’ll find in many stick-and-tin trailers. 

The kitchen is a corner model with a raised section of the counter that sports hooks that, to me, are ideal for junior travelers to hang their coats or whatever. There are also hooks placed higher on the opposing wall by the entry door for their parents to do the same. 

As with many RVs with similar floor plans, there’s a couch and a dinette. You can also specify theater seats that have a flip-up center armrest to accommodate three sitters. 

Counter space in the kitchen is somewhat limited. However, putting the cover on the sink, which is included, does improve that situation. 

The table in the dinette is a knee-knocker pole mount situation. But what I would really like to see is the same table they use in the Grand Design Momentum 25G, which has adjustable legs. And, guess who owns Grand Design? Yeppers—Winnebago! So, maybe the left hand can talk to the right hand before all the commitments are made to produce these. 

That would also help alleviate the lack of counter space in the kitchen if you used the dining table for this purpose. You could also use the dining table at the theater seats. Solves a bunch of problems all at once. 

I’m crossing my fingers!

As it is, the placement of the TV makes it pretty challenging to watch from most of the seating positions. It’s all the way at the front of this unit on the wall that separates the main living room from the bedroom. 

Bedroom antics

I really like the way the bedroom is configured in this series. The bed is a true queen-sized bed, which you don’t always see at this price point, for example. 

The way the cabinets are designed, you get hanging storage in them but they also don’t extend all the way to the back of the front wall. So there’s a good amount of space, and a shelf, behind them for things like CPAP machines or all those electronics or whatnot. 

There is also a shelf above the drawer that’s below the hanging storage. There are both household and USB outlets, with the household outlets being wired to accommodate the inverter if you put one in. 

Below the mattress is a clever U-shaped cabinet arrangement that could accommodate your stuff—or a pet kennel, if that’s something you use. 

This bedroom also features a door, so it’s a private space much like the bunks in the back. 

Boondocking and travel access

Many of the trailers that share this floor plan also are not very travel-friendly, so I’m not surprised that this Winnebago Access one isn’t either. Essentially, the back bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen are blocked by the slide. 

As for boondocking, I suspect that with a lot of travelers the 60 gallons of fresh water might go quickly. There is a 200-watt solar panel on the roof, which may compensate for the standard 12-volt fridge. I really like that Winnebago put a faring ahead of it to prevent the wind from pulling it off. Again, a nice touch that’s unexpected. 

Conclusions

Once again this is a sneak preview and some of the specifics aren’t fully dialed in. That’s why I think there might be an opportunity with that table, for example. Please? 

I also saw that there were two sewer connection points. One was under the slide so far I would have to close the slide room to connect the sewer. There’s no way my old girthy self is going to wiggle under the slide to join, and activate, the sewer dump. I really hope this moves as it’s in a genuinely horrible position. 

So how much are these going to retail for? Even Winnebago doesn’t have that dialed in yet. They will occupy the lower end of the company’s offerings, but they won’t be super cheap, either. 

But looking at something comparable in market position like the Keystone Springdale 282BH, which carries a $42,855 MSRP, you can figure it’ll live somewhere in this neighborhood. That, too, has 200 watts of solar standard and carries a similar floor plan, size, and feature set. 

As we see the RV industry shift from focusing on the most feature-laden rigs they could build to more “everyday” offerings, it’s interesting, to me, to see how they’re starting to accommodate price sensitivity. I like the idea of dropping the oven if a company would otherwise use the 17” oven, as long as they do something like this where they put a convection microwave in its place. 

What do you think of this offering from Winnebago. Do you like the decisions they made? What about my table idea? 

More about these RV reviews

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

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