You’re driving down a highway between some place and the place. A family in another car drives by, staring at your car and … laughing? Another carload of people goes by, laughing and pointing. Bewildered, you look to the car behind you. You see nothing amusing. Then yet another car whizzes by full of laughing, waving occupants. But, they are not waving at you. You peek in your side view mirror and you too begin to laugh. There she is, your 3 year-old spaniel, ears riding the wind like a seagull on an updraft, lips flapping, entire set of teeth exposed in the silliest smile you have ever seen. Any fatigue you may have been experiencing from the last hour of driving immediately lifts. Shaking your head, you speak to that dog in the mirror and tell her how silly she is. Undaunted, her eyelids continue to flutter. You nod at the passenger in the next car who is taking a phone video of your smiling pup. As you speed up to pass a truck ahead, the smiling passenger gives you a thumbs up. You wish you could safely get a shot of it yourself.
Why do we crave hitting the road for a few days? Is it our Nomadic origins? What is it about a road trip that stimulates our sense of adventure? Why is it that dogs and road trips just go together? Do we go for the journey or the destination?
It’s About Both Journey And Destination But Really, It’s About Being With Our Dogs
If you are longing to have the road trip experience, but don’t really have time for a long drive, there are plenty of scenic routes right here in San Diego county, and it’s easy to put together a pup-friendly staycation in or near our home territory. Not only can you enjoy the views of our coast, desert or mountains, whether accompanied by a smiling spaniel or a mellow Great Dane, your experience will be limited only by imagination. You might even have trouble making a choice, so, consider just going with the flow, in true road trip fashion. San Diego’s weather makes it a great place to get away any time of the year. Some options for your consideration…
A Place To Stay:
If you, as many dog lovers do, have more than one canine family member, Blue Heron Cottages allows multiple dogs and, with its vicinity to local attractions, makes the perfect place to set up base camp. They provide a nice sized, fenced courtyard with grass for pre-excursion games of fetch, as well as ample poop bags. Also available for your use is a nice choice of boards and bikes. Grab your coffee, your pup and your water toys and pedal down to nearby Dog Beach.
A Place to Play:
Less than half a mile from Blue Heron Cottages, Ocean Beach’s Dog Beach offers something for every dog and their human companions. Water lovers will get hours of fun playing with their water toys, boarding with their humans, or splashing in the surf. If a relaxing walk on the sand is more your pup’s style, Dog Beach is a beautiful place for a morning or sunset walk or run. Or, if it’s a paws-up, nap kind of day, it’s a lovely spot to plant your beach blanket for a while.
A Place to Chill:
Famous for their milk stout, Belching Beaver Breweries welcome humans and their dogs. Tucked in one of their dog-friendly tasting rooms, choose from a long list of house brews available year-round and a menu of delicious things to nosh on.
A Place to Give:
Hornblower Cruises & Events opens its champagne brunch up to people and their fur-kids on October 22, 2017. The 9th Annual Bow Wow Brunch Cruise to raise awareness about animals in need, is sponsored by Petco, and will launch from Hornblower Cruises & Events, 1800 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. Reserve a spot and bring your pup(s). A portion of your reservation fee will help the Helen Woodward Animal Center.
All Good Things …..
Before you hit the road for home, get your pup relaxed for the ride with a soothing treatment from Awesome Doggies. Contact us to set up an appointment with one of our mobile salons.
San Diego has so much year-round fun to offer dogs and their people, you’ll be coming back for more.