There are not too many roads of Arizona that we have not traveled down over the past 40 years. But our way of traveling changed drastically in late January 2012 when a loveable, 1.5 pound Yorkie puppy, named Gypsy, began riding along in the concocted center seat of our trustworthy SUV. This small, furry bundle of love and licks has made us look at traveling around Arizona in a whole new way, and we have been pleased with the pet-welcoming environment that we have found across the state.
Not every hotel and/or restaurant welcome pets with open arms, but many do. Some hotels charge an extra fee for your the pet to spend the night; others do not.
Pets are welcome in hotels in every major town and city across Arizona. Want to go to Sedona? The “whole” family is welcome at the Hilton Sedona Resort and Spa. So too can all the family stay at the El Portal Sedona, winner of the 2011 Conde’ Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award.
In our first months of traveling with Ms. Gypsy we have learned that there are many restaurants across Arizona who would welcome her for some fine, patio dining. Scottsdale has a predominance of such eateries, but so too does Seligman, Sedona, Superior and Surprise.
Tucson is a dog lover’s paradise for both hotels and restaurants. From one of our personal favorite place to stay, the Lodge on the Desert, to the famous Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, the Old Pueblo loves dogs!
In this time of instant information, we have found that most everything we wanted to know as to where Gypsy was or was not welcome could be found over our iPad or iPhone. The Arizona Dog Travel Guide can be found at DogFriendly.com. We think DogFriendly is one of the best sites with an enormous amount of pet traveling information.
Many of America’s hotel chains are also dog friendly. Those include such common chains as Motel 6, Comfort Suites, Best Western, Econo Lodge, Hilton, La Quinta, etc. We have also discovered that many resort and hotels only have a few rooms that are pet friendly, so be sure to make reservations well in advance.
As summer arrives once again, get out and discover the Arizona you have yet to see and this time, take your best, four-legged friend along. Ms. Gypsy is just beginning her Arizona grand adventure and we are so looking forward to traveling with her.
Some suggestions when traveling with your pet.
1. Be sure to make your reservations in advance. Not all rooms of a “pet-friendly” hotel are available for pets.
2. Please, clean up after your pet. Take the necessary wipes and bags and leave your room and grounds clean, sanitized and spotless.
3. Stop every 2-3 hours to give everyone riding in the car an opportunity to stretch their legs (all 4 of them)
4. Never, never leave your pet alone in your car while you are out exploring. It is against Arizona law to do so (14 states have such laws) and you will have put your furry friend in great jeopardy due to our Arizona climate.
5. Just like us humans, pets need fresh water and some snacks while they travel to hold them over between meals.
Some great places to eat with your pet while traveling Arizona.
1. Old Town Tavern, Scottsdale - http://oldtowntavernaz.com/index.php
2. Duck and Decanter, Phoenix - http://www.duckanddecanter.com/
3. Dakota Café, Tucson - http://www.dakotacafetucson.com/index.html
4. Ken’s Creekside Café, Sedona - http://www.kenscreekside.com/
5. NiMarcos Pizza, Flagstaff - http://nimarcospizza.com/
Some great places to stay with your best friend…
1. La Posada, Winslow - http://www.laposada.org/
2. Hilton Sedona Resort - http://www.hiltonsedonaresort.com/
3. El Portal Sedona - http://www.elportalsedona.com/
4. Lodge on the Desert, Tucson - http://www.lodgeonthedesert.com/
5. Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson - http://www.loewshotels.com/Ventana-Canyon-Resort
6. Kohl’s Ranch, Mogollon Rim - https://www.diamondresorts.com/Kohls-Ranch-Lodge
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| Our Ms Gypsy |
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| Cute - huh? |
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| Lodge on the Desert, Tucson |
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| La Posada, Winslow |
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