Road trip!
Just mutter roadtrip and it makes one shudder with xanax laden anticipation, or squeal with glee. Some people seem to love the idea of torpedoing down the roadway in the company of other roadies, giant truckers, and really old people in RVs. Some people like going to the dentist, too.
It all begins with planning. Try visiting the various websites to map out the trip - using the buggy software to figure out the mileage, stopping points, and lodging. Really. Try it.
There is not one software package online that does not have some idiotic quirk that lands you in Omaha if say, you are planning a western coastal trip to Seattle beginning and ending in San Francisco. The route ought to seem rather simple if you specify, um, coastal roads, for example. But for some reason, each website seems to think it knows better. That you really want to detour to Omaha, or Reno, or even Spokane.
Now add the pleasure of bringing princesses Lulu and Phoebe along for the fun of it. Dog friendly, pet friendly, dogs allowed, pets allowed, dog travel, pet travel, ferrets in pocket. All those search terms yield you some really fine choices. Motel 6, Super 8, Buddies Crazy Motel, and Ralph's Drive-in Scary Motor Lodge.
Research those gems on TripAdvisor or YELP. The reviews alone are enough to send you off to the airlines. But since they started charging for bags, the cost for little dogs in bags has gone up almost 5x. To get to France, once upon a time, L&P in carry bags under the seat cost $90 for the two.
Today, to get to Seattle from San Francisco, L&P in bags under the seat will now cost $400. A ticket for the humans? $125 round trip.
Back to the road, again.
This is what counts for dog friendly in some necks of the wood on the coast of some States, like the one above California, but below Washington:
- dogs allowed: but they must sleep in the car and do not walk them on the property on or off leash. $25 fee for dogs.
- we love dogs! there are rags in the closets for dogs to sleep on. you may get more rags at the front desk. do not let your dog sleep on anything but the rags provided.
- dogs allowed! one dog per room only! dogs must be walked in designated dog potty area only. any dog relieving itself on our manicured lawns or gardens will be fined $100 and evicted. we do love dogs!
- dogs allowed. $125 deposit fee for dogs. $50 per night per dog. rate for humans? $49.50
- we welcome pets! pets allowed in rooms 104 and 206 only. these rooms have linoleum floors and were last renovated in 1962. the sheets were changed in 1980!
RV, anyone?
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Steve Klingaman
Julie Tarp
Fudo Myoö
Jeff Brawer
Will Someone Feed The Cat?
tricia booker
Salon.com
Comments
You might want to look into that. Or not.
Rated.
rice - sincerely, yes.
Ash - it would! yikes. just imagining the search terms - horse friendly motel...
Harvey - being able to pee is often underrated for dogs and people. especially the older I get.....
Ablonde - I've just reached that conclusion writing this. At least you know when the sheets were last washed!
Good luck to everyone!
There aren't a ton of these hotels, but they're in most of the major cities. And bonus - if you don't have a pet, you can borrow a goldfish for your stay! You don't even have to worry about feeding it - housekeeping handles that during their daily cleaning!
I want to say that Westin hotels have some dog-friendly programs too, but I'm not positive.
You want to know anything, gimme a pm....
And your pup? A total cutie patutie.
at least your two are small enough to fit under a seat on an airplane. My guy would require an entire row to himself.
Got curious and found these on the AKC website. They might be helpful...
•Traveling with your Pet: The AAA Petbook: The AAA Guide to More Than 10,000 Pet-friendly AAA Rated Lodgings Across the United States and Canada, by Greg Weekes, American Association of Automobiles
Hotels have become tricky - we've found a few Comfort Inns will accept dogs under 35 pounds, and will allow us to declare two under-ten pounders as one dog. We take their crate to sleep in in the hotel, and they do well.
AAA does have resources - we had them plan us a route with pet friendly hotels, and they did so and were very helpful.
Enjoy it - nothing like meeting new people by having an adorable lump of love begging to play. :-)
jane - that is Phoebe's best stink-eye. She thought we were supposed to be landing at the park, but we did not, thus the stink-eye. not sure she forgives me.
Reader - I love Kimpton hotels and will stay there when we are in a Kimpton city. The coast has none, sadly. Westin is good too. Thanks for the tips.
Lorraine - thank you. P knows it, too. Am seriously considering the RV experience if I can get past Uncle Bob in his boxer shorts driving an 80 foot long RV in that captain's chair.....my eyes.....
skele - thank you! I love big dogs too.
Steve - !!!!!! no kennels for L&P. they would need years of therapy.
Donna - not quite soon, but I will remember to PM you before we go there for sure. Thank you!
Nelly - yes, some places are still arcane like that, sadly. thank you for the tips. We do use AAA for some info and the dog friendly, and pet friendly sites are usually ok, but sadly outdated or have links to advertisers. Those are where some of the gems I mentioned turned up....I wish there was a stellar pet travel website but I've yet to find it - doesn't mean it isn't there though. Thank you again for doing all that - was very sweet.
Teddy - sorry, no, not Portland this time. Actually not going anywhere right now. And yes, so much easier to have them not in bags on the plane, but L&P aren't therapy dogs (yet). After this though, I might have to get them certified. Lulu is ready for the test, but not Phoebe. Hugs back.
Sheepy - yep. I know. I'd stay at a four seasons if they were on the coastal route, but it is pretty much undeveloped (a good thing) but sadly, in that area devoid of nicer dog friendly places to stay. Cities are always pretty good for finding good places, but not so much the rural areas. Marriot has been a good choice many times.
Cassiopia - you are so right. it is an adventure and we always meet new people (nice ones usually) with L&P in tow. I was frustrated because the choices were dismal for a chunk of the route where we would have to stop. I have an aversion to moldy bathrooms, creepy crawlers and sheets that are made from matzoh. But that is just me. I am starting to think the RV or camper idea is a good one! Comfort Inn is a good one, but the newer ones are best. Am using AAA. Their website is terrible. I admit that I am picky picky picky.
Lea - yes, indeed. The really fine hotels do not mind the dogs at all and they take very good care of them. And most do not charge extra for them. In fact, they get more attention than humans most of the time.
There is a hole in the travel industry for putting together personal style travel packages, whether for road trips or flying trips, for people with dogs.