Often times, when traveling with pets by vehicle, the easiest part of the planning process is deciding where to go. But, if the drive to your final destination is more than a day trip, where should you stop along the way? How do you know which exit to choose to insure that you find a pet friendly hotel? Will there be grass or a suitable area to walk your dog(s)? Is the area safe? Will the hotel grounds be well lit if you arrive after dark? Is there an elevator? Are the rooms accessed from interior corridors or exterior corridors? Is there easy access on and off the highway? Will there be a gas station should I need to refuel? Will there be a decent restaurant off of the exit?
These (and more) are all of the questions I ask myself when I travel across the country with my dogs. Knowing the answers to these questions can make traveling with pets far more rewarding, relaxing, and fun. Since I hit the road with my canine companions in 2004 (nearly 13 years ago!), I've stayed in hundreds of pet-friendly hotels on the way to my final destinations. Some of them have been hits and some of them have been misses. In the coming weeks and months, I will compile a list of the hits to help you seek out highway havens instead of highway haunts as you travel our country's interstates on the way to your pet-friendly destinations.
