A limited-edition 30-foot motorhome that makes it easy to tour national parks in style.
By Bruce W. Smith
May 2024
Five years ago, Winnebago Industries made a multiyear commitment to promote travel in and awareness of the vast U.S. national park system through a partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service.
At that time, Winnebago Industries president and CEO Michael Happe said, “We firmly believe that America’s national parks offer unparalleled opportunities to experience the beauty of nature and the depth of our shared heritage at some of the most scenic and historic locations in the United States. It is an honor to support the work of the National Park Foundation in pursuit of our shared goal, to connect more people with transformative outdoor experiences.”
That same year, Winnebago introduced the NPF Travato camper van, outfitted with the latest solar-power technology and other features that allowed RVers to explore and camp off the grid for longer periods of time compared to traditional Winnebago van offerings.
The Vista 29NPF sports a 39-inch exterior TV.
This year, Winnebago continues to give a big nod to their NPF partner with the 2024 Vista 29NPF limited-edition Class A motorhome. It’s the same model that debuted in 2023, and its popularity spurred a second production run for 2024.
This 30-foot coach sports distinctive mountain graphics along the sides and the National Park Foundation logo above the driver and passenger windows. Two exterior full-body paint color schemes are offered: Glacier and Canyonlands. It comes with a number of other exclusive features that make touring the country via motorhome — and visiting some of the 400-plus U.S. national parks — safe and comfortable.
PUSH FOR SAFER DRIVING
One of the many new features incorporated in the Vista 29NPF focuses on Winnebago’s goal of enhanced driver and passenger safety and comfort. This is done via the implementation of the Driver Confidence Package, which debuted last year in Winnebago’s Vista, Sunstar, and Adventurer Class A gas motorhomes. This package is a cumulation of nine advanced technologies that have become almost standard in the automotive industry.
The Driver Confidence Package includes intelligent adaptive cruise control, distance alert, precollision assist with active braking support, lane keeping system, electronic stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, automatic high-beam control, and transmission range indicator. When these are bundled together, as they are in the Winnebago Vista NPF, it takes a load of stress off the driver while significantly boosting the safety of those along for the ride.
“It’s really important for RVers to understand how nice this is,” said Leon Carlson Sr., sales manager at The RV Corral, a Winnebago motorhome dealer in Eugene, Oregon, where I had the pleasure of walking through this new Vista offering.
“I’ve owned motorhomes for 40 years and driven the new coaches built on this Ford chassis with this driver tech package,” Carlson said. “It makes the trip so much more relaxing. . . . The system is constantly being an extra pair of eyes as you drive.”
“Braking assist makes everybody more relaxed. So does the lane keeping system technology that gently reminds you when you drift out of your lane,” he added.
Another feature of note in the Driver Confidence Package is electronic stability control. This system monitors the speed of each wheel to determine the motorhome’s steering angle and direction, and it automatically adjusts wheel speed to help counter over- and understeer, so the coach is more stable and easier to control during dicey driving situations.
Outdoor space is enhanced by an exterior kitchen.
SPECIAL FEATURES
While the standard Class A gas Vista is available in four floor plans between 30 and 35 feet, the NPF version is offered only in the 30-foot chassis length with a king bed in the rear and a full-wall slideout on the street side.
Externally, the NPF edition comes with an armless powered awning and a 270-degree rear batwing awning that is partially overlapped by the side awning. When the two are deployed, they create 310 square feet of wraparound protection for outside living and entertaining space. It’s an appealing feature that caught my eye because the NPF also comes with a nice-sized exterior kitchen called the Tailgate Package. This outside kitchen includes a fridge, a sink, a propane quick connect for a portable stove or grill, and an array of cupboards and cabinets.
Of course, there’s a 39-inch HDTV in a compartment above the black dually wheels, and a half dozen big storage compartments with side-hinged doors are located around the Ford F-53 chassis. The locking exterior storage compartments are well-sealed against moisture intrusion and made of composite materials that should be trouble-free for decades.
POWER OFF THE GRID
Another feature of the Vista 29NPF I found attractive is the way that Winnebago designers set up this gas-powered Class A motorhome for off-grid camping. It comes standard with a 4,000-watt Cummins Onan MicroQuiet gas generator on the street side to provide enough power to run everything in the coach.
In addition, a trio of 115-watt solar panels that feed a 320-amp-hour lithium-ion battery and a 2,000-watt inverter are mounted on the fiberglass roof surrounding the rear A/C unit. This is enough juice to keep the Vista NPF’s electrical needs handled for days of off-grid camping without firing up the genset.
Up top, three 115-watt solar panels provide unplugged power.
Need to hit an RV campground for a few days? No sweat. The Vista NPF comes with all the electrical and plumbing requirements for easy hookups, including 30-amp electrical service, a cable TV connector, and an automatic dual-battery charger.
With the addition of the optional Cooling Upgrade package, the unit comes with two 13,500-Btu A/C units, a 50-amp shore power cord, and a 5,500-watt Cummins Onan MicroQuiet gas-powered generator.
INTERIOR COMFORT
Inside, the Vista 29NPF is very similar to what you’ll find in the other Vista floor plans: heavy-duty vinyl flooring, blackout roller shades, a Hi-Lo dinette, conveniently located Winnebago Control touch-screen panel for access to all major coach systems, and a lot of storage cabinets both overhead and in the galley.
The NPF model comes with what Winnebago calls the Town and Country interior, which features Salinas oak cabinets and trim to provide “a special outdoorsy feel reminiscent of our most iconic national parks,” as its brochure states. It is definitely a warm décor.
The model I walked through was outfitted with the aforementioned Cooling Upgrade package ($3,673 for a second A/C unit, 5.5-kw generator, and 50-amp service), theater seating ($1,631), StudioLoft bed ($2,683), exterior video camera system ($776), and 32-inch TV in the bedroom ($689).
A full-wall slideout in the Vista 29NPF holds the galley and the sofa or theater seating.
I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the cushions felt when I sat down at the dinette and on the theater seats. “Winnebago makes their own furniture through the Stitchcraft [department], which is one of the many things that stand out when comparing motorhomes,” Carlson said. “They use a higher-density foam and a synthetic fabric called Ultraleather that is soft but doesn’t get wet or sticky on hot days.”
The Corian galley countertop has a small extension for the double stainless-steel sink; underneath it, drawers and cabinets help maximize the available work area located in the full-wall slideout. The three-burner gas range in conjunction with a big conventional oven below (optional) and a microwave overhead should be able to handle most cooking needs. And between the galley and hallway to the bedroom is a nice two-door, stainless-steel 10-cubic-foot, 12-volt-DC refrigerator-freezer.
In general, I observed that the furnishings and fixtures in this Vista 29NPF seemed to be more upscale than those often found in coaches within this size and price range.
BATH AND BEDROOM
Across the way from the fridge is the bathroom. It’s small but adequate to handle the needs of most RVers in a coach that’s just 30 feet long. The shower has a textured sliding glass door and an adjustable/flexible shower head to accommodate users of just about any height. The porcelain toilet, thermoformed countertop, and mirrored vanity, plus the quality of the fixtures and handles, give a sense of luxury and attention to detail; the owner won’t have to make any changes or additions to feel at home.
The same goes for the rear bedroom, which is accessible via a sliding pocket door. The king-size bed is set up east to west, with the foot facing the full-wall slideout and a bank of floor-to-ceiling storage cabinets and closets. There’s not much walk-around space between the bed and the narrow shirt closets that bracket it; they include small cubbies that would make good space for a CPAP machine or similar device. Additional cabinets hang above the bed.
The motorhome sleeps five, including the king-size bed in the rear bedroom.
Overall, the 2024 Winnebago Vista NPF is a strong contender in a very competitive 30-foot motorhome arena. The company takes great pride in the build quality and safety technology of their coaches, and this limited-edition model is no exception, in my opinion. It truly is a motorhome that would be an excellent home on wheels while exploring our national parks any time of the year.
The Ford F-53 chassis, powered by the 7.3-liter gas V-8 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission; the SumoSprings suspension upgrade; the wide-open view from the front seats; the great safety features of the Driver Confidence Package; and the exterior galley and awning system place the NPF at the top of the Vista line.
THE WINNEBAGO / NPF CONNECTION
Last year, Winnebago Industries renewed its marketing partnership with the National Park Foundation through 2025. “We believe in investing in programs that eliminate barriers, promote access, and cultivate connections to the social, mental, and physical health benefits of the outdoors,” said Kunal Mehta, vice president of strategy, business development, and marketing for Winnebago Industries’ Winnebago brand.
During the past five years, Winnebago has built limited-edition National Park Foundation Travato, Solis, and Vista/Sunstar motorhomes. The company makes a donation to the NPF with each limited-edition model sold.
SPECIFICATIONS | VISTA NPF
MANUFACTURER
Winnebago Industries Inc., 605 W. Crystal Lake Road, Forest City, IA 50436; (641) 585-3535; winnebago.com
MODEL
2024 Winnebago Vista NPF
FLOOR PLAN
29NPF
CHASSIS
Ford F-53
ENGINE
Ford 7.3-liter PFI gasoline V-8; 350 horsepower; 468 pound-feet torque
TRANSMISSION
Ford TorqShift 6-speed automatic
TIRES
19.5-inch; black-painted wheels with black center cap
WHEELBASE
190 inches
BRAKES
hydraulic with ABS
SUSPENSION
SumoSprings front and rear
ALTERNATOR
210-amp
BATTERIES
chassis — (1) 12-volt;
house — (1) lithium-ion, 320 amp-hours
ELECTRICAL SERVICE
30 amps standard; 50 amps with optional Cooling Upgrade Package
GENERATOR
4,000-watt Cummins Onan MicroQuiet, standard; 5,500-watt MicroQuiet with optional Cooling Upgrade Package
EXTERIOR LENGTH
30 feet
EXTERIOR WIDTH
101.5 inches
EXTERIOR HEIGHT
12 feet 1 inch
INTERIOR HEIGHT
6 feet 8 inches
GROSS COMBINATION WEIGHT RATING (GCWR)
23,000 pounds
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR)
18,000 pounds
GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING (GAWR)
front — 7,000 pounds;
rear — 12,000 pounds
OCCUPANT AND CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY (OCCC)
1,784 pounds (average figure with all available options, ¼-full fuel tank, full propane, no other fluids, no passengers)
HOLDING TANKS
fresh water — 71 gallons;
gray water — 61 gallons;
black water — 40 gallons
FUEL CAPACITY
80 gallons
PROPANE CAPACITY
76.14 pounds
WATER HEATER
6 gallons
HEATING SYSTEM
35,000-Btu furnace
AIR CONDITIONING
(1) 15,000-Btu; (2) 13,500-Btu units with optional Cooling Upgrade Package
REFRIGERATOR
10-cubic-foot 12-volt-DC refrigerator-freezer
WARRANTY
chassis — 3 years/36,000 miles;
coach — 12 months/15,000 miles basic limited; 36 months/36,000 miles structure limited; 10 years limited parts and labor on fiberglass roof skin
MANUFACTURER’S BASE SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE
$229,437