I would like to get a camper for the family vacations.  What things do I need to be aware of when buying one?

Top considerations for a camper would be budget, size, weight, & payload required by the tow vehicle.  Payload is usually the most overlooked factor as many times trailers can go well over the payload shown by the manufacturer.  It is usually best to have a tow vehicle that has a buffer of payload over so that you can safely tow a trailer.  Most car/truck manufacturers share must higher towing capabilities than actual since options can bring down the amount of payload and tow capacity.