Recently Gave Up RV'n But Still Have The Urge To Travel (park, membership)
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First off we have a Small well behaved 4yr Dog. Who is our companion and is a Service Dog able to notify my wife who is Diabetic if her sugars are low. Although not recognized formally. I know that does not matter.
We sold our Motor Home just recently.
We want to travel using our Pick-Up and staying with friends and Hotels along the way. We live in the Central Valley of California and plan on traveling all the way to Maine at some point. (We have close friends who live in New Hampshire).
I guess what I am looking for is advice and Tips anyone may have.
Join wyndom. and choice hotels as a member.
These two have the majority of budget and higher hotels along travel routes. After time you will get enough points for free nights (and faster if you sign up for their credit cards)
Have fun and keep on travelin.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Bringfido.com
Ez search as you travel.
Guest and farm homes list if they are available for pets. (Free to $20/ night worldwide). Btdt for 30+ yrs, often with RV.
Harvest hosts (if you have a camper)
Join wyndom. and choice hotels as a member.
These two have the majority of budget and higher hotels along travel routes. After time you will get enough points for free nights (and faster if you sign up for their credit cards)
Have fun and keep on travelin.
Great Tip.. Thanks I already joined Best Western I'll add Wyndom and Choice to my list.. Thanks again
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
Bringfido.com
Ez search as you travel.
Guest and farm homes list if they are available for pets. (Free to $20/ night worldwide). Btdt for 30+ yrs, often with RV.
Harvest hosts (if you have a camper)
Haha Told my wife about Bringfido.com and see already has it (Yay). We no longer will be traveling by RV. I have found over the years that Harvest Host is being to pushy and not worth membership anymore. But thanks. LeeB
We travel in a pick up with a well behaved large (70 pound) lab-husky mix. We do 2-3 extended (3,000 miles plus) trips a year with her.
We have found La Quinta Inns to be particularly accommodating (they are under choice brand). We realize that many people aren't thrilled to see dogs tromping through hotel public areas, so we request a first floor room close to a back entrance. This also means we don't have to take our dog up and down on elevators. La Quinta Inn almost always meets our request (we call to confirm). Their dog friendly rooms also do not have carpet, which is a plus. Many (but not all) of their hotels also have small grassy areas for dogs, and the front desk can usually tell you where a local park nearby is that is suitable for dogs.
We have a small "dog suitcase" (basically a small duffel bag) that contains pre-packed single serving baggies of dog food for each day of travel, her food and water bowls from home, a roll of paper towels and a couple of her favorite toys. This way we don't have to haul a bag of dog food into the hotel each night and we can easily get into the room without having to worry that we have what she needs. She actually recognizes "her suitcase" and gets excited when she sees it.
When we're going to be staying in an area for more two nights, we either use VRBO or check with the local chamber of commerce to find vacation homes with fenced yards that accept dogs. (We have had less success with ABNB stays...) Our dog really enjoys these breaks from hotel stays on long trips as it gives her a more familiar surrounding and room to run around more freely. We like it because it also gives us a break from road food -- nice to have a kitchen and room to spread out for a few days.
We do make sure that she is up to date on her flea meds before we take her traveling -- you never know when you're staying in places where other dogs have stayed.
We have a backseat in the truck that we outfit with her favorite blanket and a pillow from home that she likes to lay her head on. She also gets a few surprise toys/treats to break up long stretches.
A tip you probably already know: On google maps, you can search for local dog parks along your route so that you can give your dog a chance to get out and run (and potty). Dog parks in small towns are usually pretty empty so even if you're not a fan of dog parks, they are worth checking out on road trips. We also look for municipal/local and state parks that have bathrooms and allow dogs on leash -- good places for all of us to stretch our legs and use the bathroom.
If you're a member of AAA, their guidebooks to each state/region identify hotels and some restaurants which allow dogs with a small icon. In some cases, we've found that more reliable than Bring Fido (which is definitely worth checking out however!).
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Take your time and do the research, rather than depend on one source. I'm staying overnight tomorrow about 3 hours away, and since my wife is not going I wanted cheap. Where we usually stay is a Quality Inn and is now at $222-251 depending on the website used, but $264 if you deal with them directly. I selected a small independent "no frills" and found that it was $110 on every site, and also directly with them. Also look for AAA, and senior discounts. When traveling we like to see free breakfast, that saves some money every day. We now avoid the really old historic hotels after a couple of "unexplained" experiences at one in Port Townsend, WA and another in Eureka, CA. Beautiful places, but no AC, and somewhat creepy at night.
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