10 essential travel experiences to have with your dog

They say that every dog has its day, and that sentiment certainly rings true on August 26, National Dog Day. According to the 2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, 89.7 million dogs call 60.2 million U.S. households home. What’s more, the survey shows that 37% of dog owners take their furry friends with them in the car when traveling for at least two nights; 1% fly with their pups.

RELATED: Check out these 7 incredible pet-friendly hotels

Find inspiration for your next pup-in-tow trip with these 10 fun dog-friendly experiences.

1. Relax together at a dog-friendly resort

New on Florida’s dog-friendly resort scene is Zota Beach Resort on Longboat Key, near Sarasota. When you and your pal with paws check in, he’ll be treated to a luxury bed, treats, toys, and a gourmet pet room service menu of goodies he can enjoy en suite. Dog walkers and sitters are at-the-ready, too, should his parents decide to go hit the town for a night.

Photo courtesy of Postcard Inn Beach Resort

2. Enjoy a nice dinner out

As the name implies, Ciao Hound (at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina) in Islamorada (Florida Keys) welcomes people but prefers dogs in its Ciao Pound, an outdoor space complete with toys, water bowls and dog beds for lounging. While owners dine on classic Italian comfort food, hounds (and other types of dogs!) can chow on the Half-Hounder Burger and lap up the restaurant’s Bowser Beer, a non-alcoholic puppy brew.

Photo courtesy of Frolick Dogs

3. Get a cross-species workout session in

When you’re ready to hit the gym, you and your pup can get quite the workout together at Frolick Dogs in Alexandria, Virginia. The 4,800-square-foot year-round doggy gym includes an agility ring and fun obstacles, as well as a sun-lit mezzanine for a refreshing bowl of water. Afterwards, take your four-legged friend on a Canine Cruise with Potomac Riverboat Company: Your pup rides for free on this 45-minute tour of the local seaport, wind blowing through his fur.

Photo courtesy of Topnotch Resort

4. Challenge your pet to some tennis

It’s serve, fetch, love when you and your canine companion hit the courts and perfect your game of fetch at Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont. While you take a private tennis lesson with the resort’s pros, your pup serves as the perfect ball boy or girl, fetching those wayward tennis balls.

The Hotel Boulderado’s Rolls Royce

5. Take on the great outdoors together

For pups who hike—and their people—the Hotel Boulderado will load its four- and two-legged guests into its customized Rolls Royce and chauffeur them from the historic hotel to nearby hiking trails. Upon pick-up post-hike, the driver will have dog treats, water and towels for freshening up en route back to the hotel. More outdoor adventure is found on the summertime slopes of Lake Tahoe, where dogs take center stage at the Annual Peaks and Paws Festival at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Over two days of fun, people can join their pups on on a dog-friendly hike up the mountain to a hidden, dog-approved swimming hole, and make a splash in the Splash Dogs Dock Jumping Competition. Afterwards, you can both relax and recover in one of the dog-friendly rooms within walking distance at The Village at Squaw Valley. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe.

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Photo courtesy of the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel

6. Party with your pet, for a cause

It’s party time when The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Orange County, California, hosts its annual Yappy Howl-O-Ween and Yappy Howl-iday Celebration, in addition to its monthly Yappy Hours for pups and their people. Why not join in the festive fun with a glass of Merlot Over and Play Dead or Chateau d’Og Cabernet Sauvignon for you and a bowl of bacon-, chicken-, or beef-infused water for your pup? Proceeds from all of the Yappy Hours benefit The Veterans Initiative™ – Canine Companions for Independence.

Photo courtesy of Helen Woodward Animal Center

7. Hang ten at a doggy surf competition

Your pup can hang 10, or rather 20, when the Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon hits Dog Beach in Del Mar, California (just north of San Diego) on September 10. Whether she wants to try her, um, paws at surfing, or watch from a blanket on the beach, everyone’s welcome. What’s more, all of the proceeds from this fun in the sun event benefit the animals and programs at the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

Photo courtesy of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts

8. Plan a luxe dog-focused beach getaway

Speaking of beaches in Southern California, Dog Beach is less than a mile—or just a few frisbee throws—from super-dog-friendly Hotel del Coronado, on Coronado Island outside of downtown San Diego. And when you’re ready to hit the pool or the beach at Las Ventanas al Paraíso in Los Cabos, Mexico, a portable Pet Cabana is available to keep your pup’s paws in the shade. While chillin’, she can enjoy a poolside spa treatment while you order from the resort’s Canine Delights menu filled with special chef-prepared and made-to-order dishes.

Photo courtesy of The Don CeSar

9. Rejuvenate with a canine-human spa day

All of this fun can certainly be exhausting, so it’s a good thing that your pup can join you for spa services and some rest (or ruff) and relaxation! The certified canine massage therapists at Spa Oceana at The Don CeSar on Florida’s St. Pete Beach are ready to pamper your four-legged, furry friend with an in-room, hour-long treatment. Across the country, Hotel deLuxe in Portland, Oregon, offers Pet Acupuncture as part of its pampered pet resources.

Photo courtesy of Inn by the Sea

10. Stay with adoptable dogs at an East Coast inn

The Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine (outside of Portland), takes its dog-friendliness a bit further by partnering with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. Through its adoption program, the inn offers a temporary home to one shelter or foster dog at a time. The inn’s staff care for and love on the dogs, and guests are invited to get in on the fun—and even adopt the pups looking for their forever homes. Since the program’s inception two years ago, 96 dogs have been adopted through this dog-tastic partnership!

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