Animals, Animals, Anywhere!
By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
April 2007
Though it may sound like a Doctor Seuss book it's not--I'm reporting on pet friendly hotels and destinations. Why? Because 25% of Travelocity's travelers say they take their pets away with them. That's the same number as travelers who go to a family reunion each year, and about 20% more than those who plan to travel to go to a college reunion, charitable cause, or attend a religious conference, gathering, or event. In a nutshell, traveling with pets boils down to a multi-billion industry generating upwards of 30 billion dollars annually, so it's no wonder travel is catering to the pet set. But where should you take your pet? I've got the details and I'm calling it the bow-wow pow wow.
Nationwide hotel chains are cashing in by catering (quite literally) to our four-legged friends. Kimpton, Fairmont, and W come to mind immediately, but they're not the only ones. Monaco hotels have a list of pet paw-licies, while others have individual programs. I've selected a group of hotels and destinations across North America that is particularly pet friendly. From special menus to a kitty or pup concierge, many visitors expect the red-carpet treatment for their best pals.
In the meantime, here's to woofing it up around North America:
San Diego tops the list as a year-round pet lover's paradise and animal experience extravaganza. There are a number of pet friendly hotels, from the new and trendy boutique Hotel Solamar, which caters to pets as part of the Kimpton hotels pet-friendly program, to the W San Diego, which is part of the chain's PAW (pets always welcome) practices and has special events like occasional doggie happy hours and a 4-legger menu. But it's not just the hotels that embrace animals--Sea World, with the legendary Shamu shows, swimming with Dolphins, shark encounters and even programs where visitors can "be a trainer for a day", tops the list for animal interaction. Also special to San Diego is the famous Zoo's animal park, which in the summer months has a Roar N' Snore overnight program where you get to sleep in the park and get extra access to the animals. Plus, San Diego sports numerous pet-friendly beaches, great dog-runs, pet salons, and restaurants–and the city's baseball park is sponsored by PETCO. You get the picture: this is one town where our furry friends are welcome to roam.
Boston: Beantown is friendly to pets, as it has a reputation for making way for our furry and feathered friends with the book Make Way for Duckings, which takes place there. You can even take a walk by the statue and visit Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings who are captured in bronze in the Public Gardens. There' are the swan boat tours and the Boston Duck Tours which guarantee riders a view of some of the area's more active feathery friends. Beyond the gardens and the commons, Boston has pet friendly hotels such as the Fairmont Copley plaza with a canine companion named Catie, who was originally trained as a guide dog. You can even take a tour of the city with her! Or, take your own dog and rollerblade along the Charles esplanade. For more animal sightings visit the Franklin Park Zoo with gorillas, warthogs, Cotswald sheep, Pilgrim geese, and more. Zoo details: http://www.zoonewengland.com/
Chicago: Is home to the famous Shedd Aquarium, which is the world's largest indoor aquarium. It opened in 1930 and added the Oceanarium in 1991, which nearly doubled its size. It's home to amazing fish like Beluga Whales, Black Piranha, and Leafy Dragons. If you're big into fish, why not stay at the Hotel Monaco and enjoy the chain's Guppy Love program, which makes a Goldfish will be your companion for the duration of your stay. The best part is that the staff will do all the care and feeding for you. But if you are taking your dog with you, consider a Canine cruise just for dogs and their people, which operate on Sunday mornings June to September through Mercury skyline cruises at www.mercuryskylinecruiseline.com. Or go for a walk along Chicago's magnificent mile, Lakefront Trail, or through the Riverwalk Gateway where you can learn the city's history. Now who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
Denver & The Mountains: Though the mile high city and surrounding mountains are welcoming to visitors of all kinds, remember it's important to keep your pet hydrated when you're at altitude too. In Denver the Hotel Teatro and the Monaco are particularly pet friendly. The Monaco hotels have a line of pet paw-licies that detail their special pet services from gourmet canine cuisine and doggy-dog tags for travel to massage and pet-sitting. The Teatro will serve your pet food in a personally monogrammed dish and walk them as needed. Up in the mountains you can have a great animal experience by hiking. Try spotting elk, moose, deer, coyotes, cougars, black bear, hawks and more. At Keystone, you can take your dog in a chairlift (pups ride free) and let them roam at your side. If you can't take your own pet with you, stay at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch where you can borrow their mascot and take him out for a hike.
Miami / Ft. Lauderdale: Miami's SoBe catwalk is full of pooch pride. Where else do you feel more out of place when you don't have a pup in-tow? Dine at the News Café with your furry friend or window shop. The Ritz-Carlton, Royal Palm and the Aqua all welcomes pets but don't stop there. Broward county, the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, boasts over 70 pet-friendly hotels and numerous parks and recreation areas, even restaurants that cater to your furry friends. Should your pet need some R&R you may want to check them into the Camp Canine Country Club & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale or the Tail End Pet resort & Spa in Davie. They can dine on gourmet fare from Bone Appetit in Ft. Lauderdale or Three Dog Bakery in Plantation. There is canine couture found at Tea Cups in Hollywood because every dog deserves to look his best.
New York City: Home to the most notorious of Dog Shows, the city is over-run with dog lovers and their owners each winter for Westminster. But the big apple welcomes pets every day of the year. From Central Park to Battery Park, Hudson River Park to Washington Square Park dog runs are as common as play grounds in Manhattan. Visit www.urbanhound.com for the low-down on playing with your pet in the city. From spas to day care there pets are big business in the Big Apple. Plus there's the famous Central Park zoo featured in Madagascar and the bigger Bronx Zoo as well. Hotels like 70 Park, the Muse, the Affinia 50 (and all other 8 Affinia properties in Manhattan) as well as the five W hotels all welcome pets. The Affinia hotels run a Jet Set Pet program with a special welcome and extensive list of services and providers where as the W's offer signature programs including robes (for you and your pet), pet-treats, plus a where-to-Woof guide of dog parks, groomers and pet boutiques.
San Francisco: It's a city filled with dogs and cats, but if you want to make the most out of your pet's visit get them ready to scale the hills. Take your pet to one of these great spots: the Golden Gate Park Dog Run, Mountain Lake Park or the Presidio. Even enjoy a jog on the beach at Baker Beach, Fort Funston or Ocean Beach – just be aware of the various leash laws which are strictly enforced. Hop on and off the public transport with your pet while seeing the sites. San Francisco is pet friendly as are numerous hotels such as the W San Francisco and all the Kimpton hotels. Perhaps the most notable treatment is at the Fairmont where you can sign up for the Doggy translator which enhances communicating with your pet.
Puerto Rico & Vieques: These destinations are a diver’s delight -- for lovers of the deep blue ocean and all of the creatures beneath the surface of the water. Consider this, not only does the Caribbean offer coral reefs and brilliant fish they have bioluminescent bays which are for nighttime dives. Bays can be brimming with phosphorescent single-cell animals that will glow in the water when they are agitated or moved. It can be as gentle as the motion from a kayak paddle or fish swimming by. See if you can create a bioluminescent snow-angel at sea. To witness the phenomenon for yourself, in Puerto Rico there are two bays: Fajardo and Guarnica. In Vieques, the healthiest of the bio bays in the Caribbean, is found at Mosquito Bay. Stay at the Normandie House.
Washington, DC: Our nation's capital welcomes pets. Even the White House has a history with pets and animals from Calvin Coolidge's pet raccoon who was purportedly walked on a leash to Woodrow Wilson's herd of sheep. There have been gifts as outlandish as a herd of elephants and tiger cubs. But most pets have been cats and dogs from the Clinton's cat Sox and dog named Buddy to W's terrier named Barney and springer spaniel named Spot. So it should come as no surprise that the Mall is a two-mile long playground for your pet (please note though, no pets allowed IN the monuments!) The city's National Zoo is a great place to visit over 2,400 kinds of animals. Perhaps most famous for their royal family, the prize-possession Pandas, but visitors can also enjoy Cheetahs, Kangaroos, Prairie Dogs, Wolves, Eagles… and even learn about protecting the animals and conservation. The city has numerous pet-friendly hotels including the Fairmont, Hotel Palomar, The Topaz, The Rouge, the Monaco and more.
Vancouver: Rover can roam the stunning city of Vancouver and enjoy many of the parks – even off leash! The city is pro-pet and dog owners have united and put together the Vancouver Dog Owners' Association website with useful information, including where and when you can take your pet to the park and let Fido go off-leash. But the bow-wow bliss doesn't end there. If you're visiting you'll want to check out the Doggy Style Deli on Denman Street which specializes in a dog food diet that is akin to the human "raw food" diet, the liver brownies are baked fresh everyday. Dine in or take out, meals range from $2.50 - $6. There are a plethora of pet friendly hotels including the Fairmont, The Delta Vancouver, The Sutton, the Metroplitan and more. At the Pacific Palisades Hotel the V.I.Pets program welcomes dogs for free and offer biscuits, a Frisbee, pick-up bags, dog bowls and mats and plenty of places to take your pooch.
While you may not be bringing your pet along some great Animal sightings, experiences, and festivals include:
- Bear Country, Rapid City, SD
- Ostrich Festival, Chandler, AZ
- Camel Racing, Virginia City, NV
- Sting Ray City, Grand Cayman Cayman Islands
- Sail with your pet on Cunard's Queen Mary 2
As for Tips on traveling with your pets:
• Rule number one is to check with your vet before traveling with your pet. Travel can be stressful to your furry friend, so you'll want to make sure it's OK and they have what they needed (including a letter that documents that they are up-to-date on their shots and vaccinations.)
• Be aware that while many hotels welcome pets, they also may charge for them. The Fairmont has a fees ranging from $25-$40 and the W has a $25 fee as well as a non-refundable $100 cleaning fee.
• Traveling with your pet can be stressful. Take care to acclimate your pet. Bring items from home to comfort them. Consider Comfort Zone's spray & diffusers, for more information visit www.petcomfortzone.com
• Make a reservation in advance if you are flying with your pet. Also be sure that you're flying your pet in an airline approved container.
• For dog parks across the US visit http://animal.discovery.com/features/dogpark/map/map.html
• For a pet forecast, including the best time to walk your dog, visit www.weather.com and look for pets.
This list isn't just pooch-tolerant; they're places to visit that are pro pet. So why not put your best paw forward when you travel this year?
For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's monthly column, Travel Trends & Advice from A to Z, at www.travelocity.com/atoz. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.
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