The Willamette Valley is replete with the stuff that wine and foodie dreams are made of. When the stars come out and a soft pillow calls your name, what could be more welcoming than a neighborhood of vintage trailers authentic enough to make you pinch yourself?
The Vintages opened in the heart of the valley in July 2014 and, in just three seasons, has grown from five to 31 retro campers.
Bend-based trailer renovator FlyteCamp has meticulously restored the majority of the trailers, keeping as much of the original interior as possible while adding modern conveniences such as air conditioning, flat-screen TVs and individual high speed internet.
From mini propane barbecues to vintage-style patio furniture and the use of two vintage bikes per trailer, The Vintages prove that plush can be a good bedfellow to a bygone era, with robes, high-end linens, towels and toiletries awaiting every guest. If it’s furniture of a bygone era that you’re after, no place has a better selection of tables, seating and storage than antiques world.
The Willamette Wine Country General Store is conveniently located onsite for anything else you might need. Chock-full of award-winning Willamette Valley wines, salty snacks, sweets, charcuterie and a fabulous selection of books on glamping, teardrop trailers and the like, there may be no reason to leave.
But, if you do feel like exploring, you don’t have to travel far and you can leave your motorized horse and buggy tied up at the trailer. Less than a half mile walk — via a foot bridge over the Yamhill River — takes you to downtown Dayton which general manager Therese Straight affectionately describes as a “Mayberry town.”
Make a mental note to come back next year because June through August, the town hosts Dayton Friday Nights at Courthouse Square Park with a cruise-in, live music, food and vendors. There’s still plenty of reason to venture to this blast from the past including The Block House Cafe, Seufert Winery Tasting Room, The Barlow Room, Lonestar BBQ and Archie’s Ice Cream & Eatery, which boasts an old time soda fountain ambience.
Just a bit further from the square is The Joel Palmer House, a restaurant regaled for the effortless way its pairs three Oregon favorites: locally-harvested mushrooms, truffles and Pinot Noir. At less than a two-mile walk from The Vintages, it’s the perfect excuse for a passeggiata after an inspired three-or five-course meal.
Still feeling nostalgic? Return to The Vintages and soak in its magical, nighttime transformation. Every tree in the neighborhood is strung with twinkling lights courtesy of the same company that decorates the downtown McMinnville trees. Heighten the experience with The Vintages S’mores package, complete with a s’mores kit from sweet-maker Nineteen27, a Seufert Winery bottle of white or red Pinot Noir, “The Little Red Campfire” fire pit, propane and fire forks.
Retro charm and upscale elegance awaits you at The Vintages and adjacent town of Dayton. Travel back to 1947 with a stay in a Spartan Manor, Westwood or Airstream Globester trailers and balance it with a leisurely meal at an award-winning restaurant, some wine tasting and plenty of campfire meditation.
