by Nancy Hassel, ThisFurryLife.com
Have you ever dreamed of taking a road trip with your dog? And having your dog be part of the adventures of your vacation? We know that more and more people bring their dogs with them on road trips and my dog has come on a few overnight trips and of course many local day trips – but I wanted to take a longer road trip and bring Cody along. Finding pet-friendly accommodations, (hotels, B&B’s, Inns, etc.), that allow your dog to stay with you, no matter what breed or size is definitely much better than just a few years ago, I am happy to report.
On Sunday, July 21, 2019, I packed up my car with all the essentials for a road trip with my dog, and we hit the road! We left early, 6:45 am to head to the Orient Point Ferry out of Orient Point, NY, (the North Fork of Long Island), and embarked on our fun-filled dog-friendly road trip! Even though it was early in the morning, once on the ferry, Cody was getting a ton of attention as we walked around and enjoyed the beautiful view on our way to New London, Connecticut.
Once across the sound, we headed up to Boston to meet with a fellow pet professional on Tremont street – and there were a ton of people walking their dogs, dining at outdoor cafes and enjoying the beautiful day.
From there we headed to New Hampshire to visit one of our members of American Pet Professionals at The Whole Pet Grooming Academy.
After that, we headed to our first destination in Kennebunkport, Maine to The Waldo Emerson Inn, located just a couple miles from downtown Kennebunkport, a beautiful and historic inn that was built in 1753. We were greeted by the most adorable pipsqueak, Sloan, who was just too cute – we chose the Waldo Emerson Inn because it was dog-friendly and because it was a B&B. Hana Pevny, the owner and Innkeeper, and her staff could not have been more welcoming, accommodating and so so sweet to Cody!
They have six guest rooms are uniquely decorated with historical details and personal touches and four of the rooms have fireplaces, and all have their own bath. Two fo the rooms there that are dedicated for anyone that wants to bring their dog with them, and a private cottage that also allows dogs as well.
We arrived around 5:30 pm and Hana gave us a tour of the Inn, and it’s history, and then led us to the beautiful room we were to stay in for a few nights, and they welcome for Cody, was a sweet note from Sloan, a dog bed, lobster toy, dog blanket, dog treat and water dish as well.
After that, Hana said, “Oh if Cody likes the beach, you should bring him to Gooch’s Beach – it is dog-friendly” and she gave me a beach pass for my car and simple directions down to the beach. We did just that – Cody was in his happy place by the Atlantic and having a blast after a long car ride and many stops along the way. All of the dogs were having a blast at this beach, and so well-behaved too. (To all those towns and cities that don’t allow dogs on the beach after 5 pm, shame on you!)
After the beach, I took Cody for a short stroll around Kennebunkport Village and stopped for some chowder. The entire town is beautiful, clean and nearly every single person that met Cody told me they had (or their friend/family) a Pit Bull or used to have one, and mentioned Best Dogs in the world. You have to love that!
Back at the Waldo Emerson Inn to settle in for the night. The next morning, after a short walk for the pup, Hana prepared all the guests staying at the inn a gourmet two-course breakfast – which was delicious, did I mention Hana was a chef?
Later in the day, I took Cody for a walk around the Kennebunkport, it’s literally like walking a celebrity on a leash because everyone wants to stop and pet him. We did go into a few dog-friendly stores like, Scalawags, Digs, Divots and Dogs, and Beach and House for some shopping.
After that, a bit of sightseeing and then to meet a friend for dinner at the dog-friendly Baston River Brewery on Maine Street and they immediately offered Cody a bowl of water and a ton of attention! The food and drinks for us mere humans was delicious – a must go to if you are visiting.
The next morning, I took Cody back to Gooch’s beach for a romp in the water and walk along the shore. Being that it was quite early in the morning, there were a lot of people doing the same. After another delicious breakfast back at the Inn, we packed up and said our goodbyes, but knowing we will definitely be back at The Waldo Emerson inn for a longer stay. Kennebunkport was absolutely gorgeous and there is a lot to do – that I didn’t get to, like hiking trails, places to kayak and bike ride and so I can’t wait to go back. The Waldo Emerson Inn also had bikes that you could use to go for that bike ride and Hana told me a bunch of places that we should go to that was dog-friendly, the perks of staying at a B&B – getting insider information.
Our next stop was more sightseeing around Kennebunkport, of course stopping at the overlook to see the Bush Family Compound and then we headed out up to Portland, Maine.
This entire trip, one new item I had in my car that was such a peace of mind, was the RV PetSafety Monitor. So if you’re traveling alone with your pup or even with family – and you need to make a pit stop (see what I did there?) and have to leave your car locked and running with the AC on – the monitor will alert you if the temperature gets too hot or too cold based on the settings you put into it. You will get a text alert and email to your phone. Genius.
Now, I would never ever advocate for leaving your pets in a car unattended for more than a few minutes, but knowing that I could run inside at a rest stop – and have that peace of mind that I would get a text if the temperature changed – while waiting for a coffee on the oh so long line – made my trip so much better. They also provide you with a cute sign that shows your car is being monitored. Again, I don’t leave Cody for more than a couple minutes in my locked, AC on in the car – but having this with me along our road trip was wonderful. To get your own RV PetSafety Monitor click here, share this article and let pet parents that travel know about this!
For the next leg of our trip throughout Maine, where we went and stayed, check back to ThisFurryLife.com for our next article very soon!
#CodysSummerRoadTrip
For more on The Waldo Emerson Inn or to book your trip with them go to www.waldoemerson.com and let Hana know Cody sent ya! (See more pictures below!)
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
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