I just got my copy of the August 2009 Sunset Magazine, and was delighted to see that it includes a great article listing “Our 10 favorite dog-friendly spots for canine quality time.” Some I already knew about — we live near Orcas Island, and used to live near Carmel, CA — but even in those two locations, Sunset found a couple of beaches and a resort that we need to try.… Read the rest
This post started as an idle stroll down memory lane: My college roommate has family on Block Island and took me there on a couple of day trips, and then I took my parents there on longer visits, so when I bought my first dog-oriented New England guidebook I turned to the entry for Block Island and found…well, very little.… Read the rest
It was a rainy, windy day today in Chicago, but Chloe needed a walk, so off we went to the park at Promontory Point — and had a great time. It’s easy to get to, has plenty of lawns and stunning lake views (city views too, just not today), and is well-equipped with trash cans and water fountains — including the charming 1939 David Wallach Memorial Fountain, topped with a resting bronze fawn and designed to provide drinking water for humans and animals, that greets you as you emerge from the pedestrian tunnel entrance at 55th and Lake Shore Drive.… Read the rest
We were staying in Pickwick Landing, TN this past weekend, which happens to be an easy drive away from the famous Shiloh battlefield. In April 1862, Union and Confederate forces fought a fierce two-day battle near Shiloh Church. At issue was the vital rail center of Corinth, MS, only a few miles away.… Read the rest
It’s time once again for the nearly-annual reunion of my husband’s family, and this year it is being held at Pickwick Landing State Park. Every Tennessee state park sets aside a limited number of inn rooms, and one cabin per park, where you may stay with a pet, and we reserved a room a couple of months ago (the park service suggests making your reservations “several weeks in advance”).… Read the rest
Yes, it’s a shame that the Japanese Garden in Seattle’s Arboretum doesn’t allow dogs in the park. It turns out, however, that Seattle has two Japanese gardens, and the lesser-known one (Kubota Garden) is larger, equally beautiful, free, and welcomes leashed dogs.… Read the rest
It was gorgeous in NYC today, and friends took Chloe and me to the Hudson River Park. We walked from Washington Square to Pier 51 by way of some great streets in the West Village, then turned south. The river sparkled on our right, there was a narrow but well-kept strip of lawn on the left for sunbathing and picnicking, and we had a view of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.… Read the rest
It’s good to know that the LIRR allows small dogs in carriers on board, but it’s even better to learn about a fun day trip from NYC to the beaches on Fire Island using the LIRR. Gotham Unleashed, a blog I just found about having a pet in NYC, suggests taking the LIRR to Bay Shore (on the Babylon Branch) and walking to the ferry to Fire Island (three ferries leave for Fire Island; the one you want from Bay Shore is Fire Island Ferries — leashed dogs are allowed on board, for a round-trip fee of $7.50).… Read the rest
I hadn’t visited Colonial Williamsburg since I worked there for a summer in college, so when I returned last fall to drop my niece off at school, I feared the magic might have worn off. How wrong I was! We had a great time, even in the heat and humidity, and I long to go back.… Read the rest
The Staten Island Ferry is a delightful way to get a harbor cruise view of lower Manhattan, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty — for free! And dogs are allowed on board (click on “Rules of Conduct”), as long as they are in a carrier or muzzled.… Read the rest
