There are a lot of RV companies who claim what they’re doing is truly innovative but today’s review of the forthcoming Salem Cruise Lite 24 View travel trailer might legitimize that claim for Forest River’s Salem division.

What the 24 View Cruise Lite is is a mid-sized travel trailer that can sleep up to 6 people including two in a unique separate bedroom but one that also offers a full 18 feet of counter space and a number of flexible use situations that are unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Know also that both Salem and Wildwood are the exact same product with different names so if you like this floor plan you can choose which one to get based on your local dealership.

Why do RV companies have two names for the same RV? Here’s the answer.

The View in View

The reason this model includes the word “View” in the name is in response to a complaint I’ve had about some recent RV designs. Actually, it’s not just me. Of course.

What Salem and Wildwood have done is dramatically increased the number of windows in their “View” series. Even better, the windows on the camp side are much larger than what I’ve seen in almost all other offerings.

In this particular model there is a very large window above the Versalounge sofa on the camp side. The bedroom, too, has very large windows on each side. But the big daddy rabbit in the world of glass is there on the back surrounding what has to be one of the most unique dining/seating areas I’ve seen in any RV.

Putting the view in the Salem Cruise Lite 24 View are huge windows on both the camp and road sides.jpg

Dining and seating magic

Virtually the entire back of this camper features a huge U-shaped counter top that includes the sink and stove top but also serves as a dining table. That table extends the entire width of the camper. Further, it extends down the road side as well.

There are bar stools included in this so you can sit at that table and there are both USB and household outlets so you could use this for meals or as a very large work station. Combine that with huge windows above this area and you have one of the nicest corner offices in the business.

That this flexible space can be used as an office is just another bonus. The prototype I saw has the portion of the counter top along the camp side set-up so that it can also fold down affording a very wide space into the kitchen area.

The kitchen itself is what you’d expect in a mid-size travel trailer with three-burner propane stove with a too-small RV oven and a microwave. Salem does use an 11 cubic foot RV refrigerator which is larger than most and that fridge is in the super slide over on the road side.

More versatility

Another nifty thing is the couch. This is the prime lounging/seating area and is also a “plus” feature.

Bordering the kitchen is a chaise lounge type seating surface and it is directly opposite where the TV would go along with the electric fireplace. This is a good place to kick back and relax. There are three additional normal couch seats here and the whole thing also folds down to become a fairly large bed.

I also like the Salem provides space under this for your stuff such as the bedding that you would use to turn this into a sleeping surface.

Sleeping spaces

The bed that is the couch in the main living area pales in comparison to the one in the main bedroom. That bed is nearly king sized but it has an absolute magic trick up its sleep.

This is a new feature Salem is calling the Versa-Tilt bed system. Essentially the bed can slide up and the top portion can tip up such that it gives you much, much more floor space in the bedroom. This is a power lift mechanism like you may have seen in those adjustable beds that are pretty common nowadays.

When the bed is flat for sleeping you’ll also notice little cubbies on either side of the bed for all those electronics you’re not supposed to look at right before you go to bed. But then how else are you going to read these RV reviews?

Another thing that’s a Salem hallmark are storage totes under the bed. These are nice because you can assign content to various totes and haul them in and out of the camper separately. For example, one could be shoes or dirty laundry or whatever. I like the flexibility of this type of storage.

This really is one of the best travel trailer bedrooms I have seen for a lot of reasons. Another of those reasons are the two very large windows in the bedroom which do open for air flow.

There are thick roller shades here which I have found do a very good job of keeping light out plus they are boxed in on either side to further keep light out. And, another plus, no goofy front windshield.

A entire hidden bunk room in the Salem Cruise Lite 24 view is a welcome surprise

The real surprise feature

While that nifty bed and the lounge and back dining and working space are absolutely pluses, there’s a giant surprise in this rig. Behind the fireplace and TV mount is another secret hidden room!

That’s right. It’s just like those old secret rooms in the horror films you watched on late night TVs only, you know, without creepy monsters in there. Well, I guess that depends on who’s in there, doesn’t it.

I mean, what if your mother-in-law comes camping?

But, seriously, you can open the fireplace wall and there’s an entire room back there. The way it’s configured in the example I saw was with an upper and lower bunk so this legitimately can be a bedroom for two.

Each mattress narrows down where your feet would likely be so it can clear the back of the refrigerator in this RV. But the total length is certainly sufficient even for an adult sleeping here.

Another nice thing is, more totes. There is a vertical space here with four more totes. If this is the kids’ room each of them could take responsibility for their own clothes or supplies and have their own totes. Nice.

There’s even a short desk here and one of those bar stools from the kitchen area can be used with this. So now the kids have a place to do their homework.

And you can close the wall so it’s a completely private space. Heck, you don’t even have to move a candle or a book or anything to open and close the wall. There’s a proper latch here.

More good features

Some of the things that already made this a nifty unit include the fact that Salem tends not to put floor registers in their units. There is one in the bathroom but I’m good with this.

I also like that they use a sectional underbelly so that you can access the underside of this rig without removing the entire underbelly cover. That can make a big difference in how long it takes to solve a problem.

They do not include a TV which I really like as you can bring your own or bring none but the choice is yours. I wish they would do the same with the mattress.

There is also an outdoor kitchen that features a small bar-sized fridge and a flat-top griddle.

What do I think?

I have to admit I am extremely surprised and impressed with what they’ve done here. This has to be one of the most unusual floor plans I’ve ever seen and I can imagine it would work very, very well for some people who want a bunk model but not a traditional one.

While I don’t have final pricing on this I will say it’s a relatively price-focused model so you don’t get all those fancy things like tire pressure monitors or even laminated sidewall construction.

The smooth side of this might imply laminated construction but these are considered “hung walls.” Not really a bad thing but certainly not as fancy a built method as can be had. Essentially these are a fiberglass-skinned Luan wall that’s glued to the studs.

Also, I can get all high and mighty about RV build references but many, many RVs are only used a very few times per year and some factors just won’t matter to some buyers as much as the price may.

I love the versatility that’s incorporated into these campers in terms of the floor plan but also all those totes. The large windows are another big bonus that will make a difference to many owners and this also has a more capable tankless water heater.

Seeing RV builders think this far outside the norm gives me a lot of joy and I think that this is different and will serve owners well. It’s not just change for the sake of change.

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