Pacific Northwest Travels with Your Dog
In Washington: Visit the rainforest and wild beaches of the Olympic peninsula. If you have never been here, you will be blown away by the size of the trees, how green it is, and how pristine and wild the beaches are. And your dogs will be in heaven with all the great stuff to sniff in the air and on the ground, the cool weather, and the fresh, fresh air. Near the coast, try the Manitou Lodge, in Mora (west of Forks). This is a B&B, and dogs are allowed only in certain rooms, $10 per night extra charge. Unbelievably quiet, and very close to Rialto Beach, which is one of only two of the Olympic National Park beaches where dogs are allowed (on leash) (the other is Kalaloch). Unfortunately, U.S. National Parks are notoriously UNfriendly to dogs--don't get me started. As for the rainforest, trails in the National Park itself are off-limits to dogs (grrrr) but there are lots of great places to hike and stroll in the Olympic National Forest, where dogs on leash ARE allowed. Further inland, check out the Lake Quinault Lodge. Dogs are allowed in the Boathouse rooms. There are lots of beautiful National Forest trails to enjoy, and at the lodge itself you can enjoy horseshoes and all sorts of lake activities (as long as someone watches the pooch). It does rain a lot, but that's why they invented Gore-tex! Be sure and pack extra towels for the dogs! Here are the websites: www.manitoulodge.com and www.visitlakequinault.com. Both of these places are on the rustic side, but great for outdoor recreation. Seattle and Environs: We live here, so we've never stayed at one of the dog-friendly hotels in town, but there are several very nice ones that welcome dogs, including the Hotel Monaco and the W. But nearby, we enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the Alderbrook Resort, on the Hood Canal. A pleasant ferry ride across the Puget Sound and a reasonably short drive, the Alderbrook is a great spot. This place is pretty swanky in a lodge sort of way, and there's something for everyone--kayaking, a heated enclosed pool, a full-service spa, soaking tubs in every room, really nice towels and sheets, a golf course nearby, and quite pleasant for strolling around with a sniffer. They charge an extra $10 per day, and require a $200 refundable damage deposit. We just employed our usual dog-travel strategies and had no problem getting a full refund. www.alderbrookresort.com Methow Valley: East of the Cascades, where the sun shines much of the time and it gets downright hot, there is a great place called the Methow Valley. In summer, you get there via the North Cascades Highway, which is an absolutely gorgeous drive, with many places to stop for a picnic or hike (National Forest, so for the most part dogs on leash are allowed). Once you get to the valley, you can enjoy hiking, mountain and road biking, river rafting, horseback riding, golf, and in the winter, fabulous snow-shoeing, cross-country and alpine skiing. We have been in winter and spring, but tend to avoid the height of the summer because Otto (and we) don't really like the heat much. Our favorite place to stay is the Wolf Ridge Resort. They have a bunch of duplex-style log cabins with kitchens that aren't fancy, but are very comfortable. There is a small but decent grocery in the town of Winthrop for provisions. Wolf Ridge has a hot tub and game room on the property (dogs not allowed, but if you have kids or can have a designated dog-sitter, you're set). There are volleyball nets set up in the summer, and lots of great space to roam around right on the property. We brought Otto's cart once and did a lot of practicing with that. Deer all over the place at dawn and dusk--Otto was mostly just interested in watching them, but with Sheepies you might have to make sure they don't try to herd the deer! Wolf Ridge charges $10 per night extra for a pet, and a $25 non-refundable cleaning fee. www.wolfridgeresort.com Canada: Aaah, Canada! I know this is a sweeping generalization (especially since my experience dog-wise is limited to BC and Alberta), but Canada is so much more dog-friendly than the U.S. We love to visit Canada with Otto. The only down side is that we have to have a current rabies vaccination to go there (that's a topic for another thread). Even the national parks in Canada are dog-friendly. We have taken many absolutely wonderful hikes with Otto in the Canadian Rockies--the only rule is that the dogs be on leash, which is just fine with me--given that there are grizzlies out there, I'd just as soon keep my dog close at hand! Anyway, these recommendations are just BC, but WELL worth checking out. IMHO, Vancouver is a fabulous city with about a zillion wonderful things to see and explore and the best Indian food in North America (and yes, I'm including New York--check out Maurya Restaurant--not to be missed). Anyway, my favorite thing about Vancouver is how dog-friendly it is. There are a bunch of dog-friendly hotels, but we stay at the Pacific Palisades on Robson Street. (In fact, we're staying there the first weekend of May, when we go to Vancouver to run the half-marathon--some friends are coming with us to watch Otto (and we hope our rescue Sheepie!) while we run.) This place is not just dog-tolerant, it's dog-WELCOMING. They have no size limits, no number limits, and no extra charges. The rooms have little kitchenettes, so if you feed any supplements that need refrigeration (or for you BARFers), you'll like that. They give you treats, a little frisbee, and have a picture gallery of their four-footed guests. All they ask is that you tell them in advance that you are bringing a pet. We need to support such places so they survive and keep welcoming pets! www.pacificpalisadeshotel.com Finally, perhaps my favorite vacation of all ... Tofino, BC. Tofino is on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and it's a haul from Seattle, because there's a couple of hours drive north, plus a long (but pretty) ferry ride from Vancouver to Nanaimo, and then a long drive across the island. But oh my--so worth it. We have been twice and stayed both times at the Long Beach Lodge Resort. Dogs are allowed in several of the Rainforest Cottages, which are two-bedroom, two-bath duplex units in the forest. There is a t.v. and dvd player, a gas fireplace, a nicely equipped little kitchen, a soaking tub and double shower in the downstairs bath, and a small private hot tub on the patio out back. Great sheets and towels, and fluffy robes. Doggy guests get a personalized note, treats and dishes and towels to use during their stay. Humans get rain slickers (and most times of year, you'll need them). The lodge itself has a very nice restaurant, but with the kitchen, you can save a lot of money by fixing most meals yourself. The best part is that the lodge is right on a beautiful beach, where dogs can romp OFF LEASH. No cars anywhere near, so the biggest risk is rogue waves (if you have a swimmer, do be careful--Otto hates to swim, so not a worry for us; and watch the tides). The beach is just wonderful for walking, and believe me, your dog will have a total blast sniffing and exploring this wild coast. Our visits here have consisted of a lot of walking, reading, watching movies, playing Cranium and other games with our friends, eating good food and drinking good wine, and snuggling with our dog. Heaven! We actually like to go in the winter, because it's so peaceful and it's fun to watch the storms roll in across the Pacific. Yes, you get pretty wet out there (we go out in Gore-tex head-to-toe!), and yes, you have to towel and brush the pooch--but it really is doggy heaven. Oh, and there is a washer and dryer in each unit, so you can keep up with the sand and wet. We absolutely love this place. It is expensive--but if you can travel with another couple (we do) it's not too, too bad--and it really is a great place for a quiet and relaxing vacation for humans, and a really fun time for dogs. www.longbeachlodgeresort.com I hope these tips get you thinking about your next vacation with your four-legged family members! If anyone has follow up questions, please feel free to email me. You folks have a great community here--thanks for welcoming a wayward BMD-and-hopefully-soon-to-be-Sheepie person! Marjorie |
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| Great post, thanks! And I LOVE Otto! My friend just got a BMD puppy - she's so adorable. And growing like a weed! |
| Beau's best friend in obedience classes was a BMD bitch that was about his age. She was the only one there who could match his size and energy. They're a great breed! |
| Hi,
Wow! Impressive! Thanks for taking the time to write this really informative post!! 
Of course I'm biased since I live just outside of Vancouver in the burbs and love it here. MSN once featured the top 10 dog friendly cities in the world and Vancouver was one of them. You just be sure to pm me when you guys are up visiting this way! Marianne and the boys |
| Thanks Marianne! I can certainly believe that Vancouver was found to be among the top 10 dog-friendliest cities. It's a great place. And I will definitely be in touch when we're next up there.
Meanwhile, wish us luck--tomorrow Otto meets Five for the first time! If all goes well, Five will be coming home with us at the beginning of April. Fingers crossed! Marjorie |
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