Let me tell you about this magical land called Flamingo Springs… It’s a place that has made all of my retro travel dreams come true. And located off the back roads of Prairie Grove, Arkansas this 1950s inspired trailer resort is a one of a kind – all just about a half hour from my house in Fayetteville.

Vintage (anything and everything) has a special place in my heart. As some of you may know, in the mid-2000s I sold vintage clothes on eBay while I was in college (just one of many interesting career choices). It was so successful I was able to quit my coffee shop gig to focus solely on shopping at thrift stores (and, sometimes, focusing on my classes). At one point Todd even quit his job at an ad agency because the sales were so incredible and the more help I had, the more I could sell. I used living in Arkansas to my advantage and scoured barely picked over estate sales and flea markets for hidden treasure, but I knew that this old-school goldmine wouldn’t last forever. After graduation, I got a “real” job (the one I have now, in fact) and closed up shop. But what does this have to do with my recent visit to Flamingo Springs? I guess that it was nostalgic for me, but not in the obvious sense. After all, I wasn’t around in the 1950s when these trailers were new. I just loved being in that vintage world again, surrounded by the amazingly kitchy details, if only for one night.

The owners, Zack and Laura, have truly made this a unique place to visits. And ten years ago I never would have imagined such a thing would be nestled in the hills I once drove through, searching for vintage goods. I was so amazed by their attention to detail and, while almost everything is indeed authentically old, we still had the modern comforts of home (new mattress in our trailer, Keurig coffee pot in the game room, huge community refrigerator, etc.). We are so lucky to have a spot like this in Northwest Arkansas.

Todd was out of town when we visited, so it was just Iris and I who shared one of the six themed trailers. It’s worth noting that we went on a family-friendly night, which they have from time to time, but usually it’s a grown-ups only venue. We had a few pals come out to stay as well, so thankfully we had the chance to peek into each one. I chose the Friends theme, “The One With the Trailer,” but Iris’ clear favorite was the Lisa Frank inspired “Pink Fuzzy Unicorn.” I’m glad that we paid our first visit before the summer was over because the pool was where we spent most of our time. However, I really would like to go back this fall or even in the winter, to roast marshmallows around the fire pit and spend even more time in the game room. It rained on us just a little during our stay, but the game room was the perfect spot to hang out. With an old timey jukebox, pool table, ping pong, retro board games, old movies on VHS, and a community kitchen, we were never bored.

You might have heard me say that, due to a lot of travel, I’m a self-admitted hotel snob – and this is far from a fancy schmancy resort. But I certainly appreciate the charm of places like Flamingo Springs and went with the mentality that it’s like camping, but only a million times cuter and more comfortable. You bring your own food and drinks, and with no wi-fi and poor cell service, you’ll find yourself focusing on where you are and who you’re with. And that alone is worth the trip.

I can’t wait to book another trip, but next time I’m going to make one change – stay longer than just one night.