The R/T will definitely be the most fun. As far as room, I have a tray that goes in the hitch. I put a car topper (soft) on it and it works great.

 

I have had three SUV's, well four if you count my Expedition since I owned it twice. Lol.
1997 Expedition. Leased it 3 years, Sold it locally and bought it back 3 years later with 60k. Drove it another 2 years and sold it again. sucked on gas but what a great truck until doors were rotting out.
2007 Tahoe, bought used in 07 11k miles drove it 6 years 44k miles never had an issue. Traded in for the Durango. Love the DD only miss the tahoes big cargo area with lots of plastic so I didnt worry about what I tossed back there. The Durango is too nice to throw stuff in even with the husky liner . Have to drop the second row seat to slide my snowboard in which i didnt have to do with the Tahoe or Expo.

Excursion too big and horrible on gas. Plus old looking.

Suburban. Played out no design changes in 7 years. Which could be ok because nobody knows if its an 07 or 2014. Lol

Durango. One year so far and love my truck. wouldnt trade it for anything out right now. Now that being said, 2015 Tahoes, escallade new body style is promising.

 

If gas mileage is no issue I would go for the biggest thing that you're comfortable with. I only have two kids and have owned two Dodge Caravans. A 96 and then an 06. Just picked up the 14 Durango last week. I kept the 06 caravan to be the junk hauler for a while. My kids are 17 and 13 so one will be gone soon but the wife took both of them with a friend each skiing and snowboarding. I packed the van and it was filled to the brim and that's with under floor storage. With the amount of junk you need to drag around for kids your age, I think you'll be tight for anything more than a weekend trip.

 

Granted I have a Crew so this won't apply to RT owners, 4 adults and one teenager with a large storage pod on top, had no problem packing for all 5 of us for a week in a cabin in NY. Got 22mpg.

Recently we had a Town&Country while ours was in the shop and that felt like it had less room than the Durango and my 6'3" son didn't fit in the second row. He fits great in the D.

Chris

 

Go with Durango R/T, Power, Ride, Looks
I pay $31,000. out the Door for 2011 R/T Fully loaded, One Owner, 2 Year Lease return, Very Clean., 29,000. miles
I have owned for 7 Months, Love it and Yes Rides like a Mercedes.

Scottsdale,AZ.

 

And it is pretty good for the empty-nesters, too. I've gotten old, fat, and slow (6'2", 275#, who wudda thunk?) and it was a PITA to bend down to get into my '06 Pacifica so I moved up to the DD. Big, roomy, carries the 100-pound Shepard plus wife and two others. Plus I don't have to bend down to get into it. Added running boards for the wife (5'1") and 10-year-old grandson. Lastly, the V6 delivers 20-22 mpg at 75-80mph. I likey.
But why the DD and not something else? Wife didn't like the Ford and I didn't like the Chevy. Simple process of elimination.

 

Ran into a buddy of mine on the force, he just picked up a 11 Tahoe in pearl white. Looked real nice, however their was no room in the third row it looked like. Does the durangos third row have more room?

 

Yes there is plenty of room. The rear seats are stadium style and sit higher, which not only allows the 3rd row passengers to see over the 2nd row, but because the butt is higher, the legs can sit lower and thus be more comfortable.

In the Tahoe/Suburban since it is a truck chassis the 3rd row passengers essentially sit with their knees around their ears. The floor is only the depth of the seat cushion away.