One of the many perks of camping in the Willamette Valley. This is at the Springhill Winery.
Why camp here? This was one of three stops during our trip through Oregon. We visited places that were new to us and chose Albany because it’s close to my cousin and his family. Boy, did we luck out. It’s smack dab in the Willamette River Valley!
The Blue Ox RV Park is located close enough to I-5 to be really convenient, but not close enough to hear the traffic. There are lots of stores, services and restaurants nearby, plus the Timber Linn Park with paved walking trails, bike lanes and the nicest dog park I’ve ever seen.
The Blue Ox RV Park
The site that we were originally booked for was not big enough for our fiver, but they were able to find a 30-amp site at the end of a row that worked out really well. Another lucky break since we arrived the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. Our site had a large pine tree for shade, but it was trimmed so that it didn’t encroach on the pad. The managers and office staff are helpful and friendly, and you can stop in for coffee, cookies and doughnuts there.
Other amenities: There are 149 paved sites here, all with full hookups, plus an indoor pool and spa tub, although the latter was out of service during our stay. The dog walk area is just a few feet wide beside the rec hall, but there are lots of places to go for a walk outside the RV park. Two laundry rooms, each with several washers and dryers, made this chore easy.
The Timber Linn Park
Connectivity: We had pretty strong AT&T coverage here. The park’s website advertises wifi, although we were warned upon check-in that there’s not enough bandwidth to support the whole park. We were able to use it sometimes, and relied on our own sources when necessary.
Fun fact: Albany is located at the confluence of the Willamette River and the Calapooia River in the heart of the Willamette Valley.
Would we camp here again? Yes. Only negatives that we found are that the pool is a little dated and the wifi needs to be upgraded. One pet peeve: There are lamp posts at each site, and apparently many of them have been nudged over the years. I would like for someone to straighten them for me.
Whale watching at Depoe Bay
What’s nearby? The location makes this one of our favorites. There are so many things to do and see in Albany and nearby Corvallis. Wineries and breweries and cider houses, oh my! We toured three wineries, visited two brewpubs and one cider house, ate a fancy dinner for our anniversary and had a delicious meal at an English pub.
There’s a fun day trip in every direction. The coast is just a little more than an hour away. Eugene is 44 miles south, Portland is 70 miles north and Bend is 120 miles east. It’s easy to understand why there are so many people who stay for the season. We could easily spend a month here.
Getting there: The Blue Ox RV Park is located about a mile east of where Highway 20 meets Interstate 5.
Helpful links
Albany: www.albanyvisitors.com
Blue Ox RV Park: www.theblueoxrvpark.com
Corvallis: www.visitcorvallis.com
Williamette Valley wines: www.oregonwinecountry.org
Tales From the Empty Nest 