The best way to time travel in the Willamette Valley is at The Vintages Trailer Resort in Dayton, Oregon. Stocked with more than a dozen mid-century trailers, the park is a well-choreographed nod to the travel-hungry baby boomers that took summers by the scruff of the neck several generations ago.
While the glistening metallic units are cool in their own right, the details are just as eye-catching. Retro coffee mugs, campy silverware, vintage fold-out chairs, and themed rooms set you down in time and place. Trailers come with cruiser bikes and spacious patio driveways, many of which are outfitted with gas grills.
WiFi access, built-in USB ports, and flat-screen televisions are about the only modern amenities that really stand out. Most trailers are set up with air conditioning, microwaves, and surprisingly roomy bathroom and shower combos. A stay in one of these trailers will make you want to get a trailer of your own, however, you might want to visit campingfunzone.com first so you know what you’re trailer aspects you need to look for. There is a community pool and general store, fit with local beers and wines, snacks, toiletries, and complimentary coffee in the morning. On my visit, there was homemade coffee cake up for grabs as well.
I stayed in the Portland room, set in an Airstream Bambi trailer, a contemporary take on the company first release, “The Torpedo,” which debuted in 1931. It was spacious and well laid out, with Rose City accents like bike posters, a wooden patio mat, stump-themed pillows and a pour-over coffee station for greeting the day. A pair of robes hung in the closet and L-Occitane bath supplies rounded out the shower.
The hideaway features of trailer life are impressive, from buried sinks to sneaky pantries and sophisticated kitchen booths. These trailers aren’t going anywhere and are probably tricked out a bit more because of that, but it only benefits the tenants. These were anything but dark and stuffy units. In fact, the many windows, skylights and fluid shape of the trailer made the stay feel more like glamorous camping.
Per the location—the epicenter of Oregon wine country—there were corkscrews, wine glasses and a fridge for summertime cellaring. Countless wineries and restaurants are within a short drive, including—per the retro theme—The Eyrie Vineyards (established in 1965) and Nick’s Italian Cafe, which opened its doors to hungry wine tasters in 1977. The coast is less than an hour away, with countless fruit stands and berry farms en route. Those who don’t want to stray far can take the short trip to downtown Dayton, for drinks at The Barlow Room or an earthy dinner at the Joel Palmer House.
While back at the resort, step outside and enjoy the orderly vineyard rows stacked up on the nearby Dundee Hills or rolling Evergreen contour of the Coastal Range to the west. The crickets come out at night, as do the stars, so turn off the TV, crack an IPA and pretend you’re in the great outdoors, even if a relatively lavish trailer is only a few paces away.
