Our family would need a luxury RV to travel with all our pets, but we have made forays with one elite dog traveler, Buddy, who thinks he should be part of any family trip.
More and more hotels and resorts -- from budget to luxury-- agree with him. The Grand Traverse Resort, for example, on Lake Michigan, has a "resort caliber" Dog House on-property; and some upscale resorts offer an outrageous amount of doggie pampering.
A number of sites such as PetsWelcome.com and Dogfriendly.com can help you find dog-friendly accommodation.
Life's not all beer and kibbles, though, when traveling with a pet, and lodgings are only part of the picture. Here's a few words of experience -- and an invitation for you to share your tips about travel with dogs.
Find Restaurants Where Dogs Are Welcome
These dog-friendly havens do exist,in some locales, and what a nice find they are, for anyone traveling with a dog.
My son and I once stayed at the Sonesta Coconut Grove in Miami, and as we strolled to breakfast along an upscale street we were surprised to see several canines enjoying outdoor restaurants (with humans, of course.). Dogfriendly.com indicates that Miami visitors have quite a few options for dining al fresco with a pooch along.
Realistically, in most areas you'll be hard put to find a dog-friendly place to eat. But it's definitely worth checking: try Dogfriendly.com's clickable map of the US states. PetfriendlyTravel.com is another good resource and covers locations in Canada too. And About.com's Guide for Washington DC lists places where you can bring your dog for Happy Hours.
If you can't find a dog-friendly restaurant... You're stuck with some not very good options. Fido probably can't be left alone in a hotel room; doggie day-care is inconvenient and expensive for just a lunch, and probably unavailable at dinner-time; locking Fifi in the car gets old very fast for both canines and humans, and may be impossible on a hot sunny day. Options tend to be: get take-out or drive-through food, or have a family member stay in a hotel room with the dog.
If you have tips about such travel with dog challenges, share them now!
Think Through Your Logistics
Likewise, logistics get tricky if you want to enjoy some activities on your getaway, but have a pooch with you. We once did a ski weekend with Buddy along and thought we were all set, once we booked him into a doggy daycare. Turns out the hours of operation and location were not a good fit.
So do some detailed planning, along with the regular due diligence:
- contact the daycare early, cover health requirements, fill in background forms
- book a guaranteed spot
- make sure the hours of the daycare fit your activities
- figure out exactly how the dog will be dropped off and picked up
- be prepared for hefty pricing, in a resort area.
Do Advance Planning About Where Dogs are Welcome
Dogs are definitely not welcome everywhere: we've had some surprises with public parks where dogs are verboten. Get the scoop (pardon the pun) in advance: a site such as Dogfriendly.com has city guides that identify dog-friendly parks, beaches, outdoor restaurants, public transit, and more, in hundreds of towns.
Also check out hiking trails in advance, if you want to take a hike with Fido: again, you might find that dogs are not allowed on particular trails.
Dog Travel and Safety
Dogs can't sweat through their skin, so they quickly overheat in hot cars; read about Heat Stroke and learn fear. Letting your dog stick her head out the car window is a no-no, too; see more tips about dog travel in cars. Also, don't leave your dog unattended: in some places (the UK, most notably) dog-napping is a risk and owners are forced to pay high ransoms to get back their pets.
I hope you'll share your own Dog Travel Tips!
