If you’re going to get stuck on a road trip, Glenwood Springs, Colorado is the place! Vail Pass (10,666′ mountain pass over the Rocky Mountains) was closed due to a snowstorm so we were lucky to enjoy an extra day. We loved it so much, now we always make this a two night minimum stop. *Note- make sure to plan for unpredictable weather when traveling through Colorado in April.
We’ve stayed in a few different hotels in Glenwood Springs and so far Hotel Denver is our favorite dog-friendly hotel. Their service is consistent and above and beyond every time. It’s a super convenient location- walkable in town with an attached brewpub and in-house coffee shop. There’s also great community space which we love to hang out or work.
The rooms are historic (Doc Holliday stayed at The Hotel Denver) and so pretty with beautiful views.
Colorado Hot Springs – Glenwood Springs Resort Hot Springs
The Glenwood Hot Springs are right across the river with a walkable bridge to enjoy all the health benefits of a dip.
It’s so easy to walk around town and enjoy restaurants, shopping, and the Colorado River.
The beautiful views of Hotel Denver.
We loved the food from the Brewpub too. It’s great atmosphere and I appreciate gluten free options. The coffee shop rocks too!
Next time you’re driving through Colorado, make sure to visit Glenwood Springs!
Allen gives Hotel Denver 5 paws up! The cozy bed is his favorite.
We always stop in Glenwood Springs on our way road tripping to Utah. Click HERE for another awesome dog-friendly hotel in Southern Utah. Enjoy the road and keep searching for what stirs your soul. ❤️
Life goes fast, never stop searching for what stirs your soul.
Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile is an awesome dog-friendly hotel in Southern Utah. It’s not your typical dog-friendly hotel, pets are not only welcome but expected. Located in Kanab, Utah, it is the perfect base camp while volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and exploring Southern Utah. The recreation options are endless! Plus, while you’re enjoying Best Friends Roadhouse hospitality, you’re also supporting their life-saving animal work. 🧡
Sunrise at the Roadhouse
We have stayed at the roadhouse multiple times, along with other hotels in Kanab, during our visits over the last 10 years. Here is why we love and recommend Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile (besides being dog-friendly): first-rate customer service, easy online booking, unique and well-appointed guest rooms, a walkable location, and convenient onsite services. Let’s get into the details.
“The only reason we invite people is to open the doors for the pets!” 😉
– JoAnne Rando-Moon, Front Desk, Best Friends Roadhouse
We all love the small touches. Our top two favorite activities at Best Friends Roadhouse are kitty bingo and s’mores by the bonfire. The smell of cedar, pine, and juniper in the evening, surrounded by the red rocks, is the best and warms the soul. Kitty bingo is hilarious- a fun night of community, meeting new people, lots of laughs, and kittens running around the Mercantile. Keep an eye on their calendar because they also offer live music and other events!
Kitty Bingo-
Pet-Friendly Hotel Amenities in Southern Utah
For pets: a fenced, spacious park, a personalized nameplate, a pull-out bed and cubby holes, welcome treats from the staff, a pet-washing station, and their very own drinking fountain. The fenced pet park offers plenty of room to run and a splash zone for hot summer days. There is also a small run area. ALL of this and the pets stay free.
From the cozy beds to the outdoor park, our dog Allen gives the Roadhouse 5 paws up.
For people, shopping and a continental breakfast at the Mercantile, a laundry station with products included, technology (An INTELITY® in-room control and information tablet), and excellent Wi-Fi (which is a priority for us because we work while traveling).
Here is Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile employee, Michael, to tell you more –
Another huge plus for us is being able to walk to the many wonderful restaurants in Kanab. You can read about our favorites HERE.
Best Base Camp to Explore Southern Utah
Location, location, location! Kanab is ideally located close to National Parks and Monuments, Public Lands, State Parks, Geological Attractions, and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. We’ve visited many times, and our “things to do list” is still long. There is so much history and some of the most beautiful areas in the country. Below are a few ideas for your next visit.
Zion National Park. If you want to bring your dog hiking, there is one dog-friendly trail. Read more HERE.
Explore Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.
Hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park Grand Canyon View
Hike to the Sand Caves, Hidden Lake, and around Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
Escape the crowds and take a drive through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. We loved driving and hiking, and we hardly saw anyone. Below is one of the coolest stops at Grosvenor Arch. Incredible!
Camping, Swimming, and House Boating at Lake Powell. There is so much to do in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
And our favorite thing to do is volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary! If you don’t have time to volunteer, we highly recommend scheduling a tour of the sanctuary. You will learn about the inspiration behind Best Friends and meet animals along the way. If you’re interested in volunteering, make sure to schedule ahead of time- they fill up quickly and book out a year ahead of time.
Volunteering with the dogs fills my heart. There are many different jobs to be done, from cleaning to taking them for walks. I don’t like to do my own dishes, but I could wash dog dishes all day long. My volunteer days at the sanctuary are my best days. It’s emotional and hard to put into words- it’s so fulfilling. I love working the morning shift and then grabbing lunch at Angel Village Cafe. Lunch is always vegan, delicious, and is only $5! You can find the menu HERE.
Life can change in a blink; do more of what stirs your soul.
We have visited Sedona, Arizona, for extended stays over the years. One of the best parts about Sedona and the surrounding area is that there are endless adventures and things to do. Our favorite activity is hiking! We love how accessible the hiking trails are and the range of difficultly. Below are highlights from some of the best Sedona hiking trails.
Bell Rock and Courthouse are the first two iconic formations that you see as you drive into Sedona coming north on the Bell Rock Scenic Byway/SR 179. The Courthouse Butte Loop is a moderate 4.3-mile trail. This area is very popular so depending on the time of year, it’s best to go early morning (plus it’s the best time to beat the heat). We normally visit in January when it’s not quite as busy or too hot.
There are pay machines for parking that take credit cards. Parking can sometimes be a challenge but if you wait a few minutes, turnover usually happens quickly. Another option is to purchase a Red Rock Pass to display in your window or America the Beautiful passes are also honored.
Dog-Friendly Sedona Trails
Almost all the trails in Sedona are dog-friendly as long as your dog is on a leash. Please make sure to clean up after your pup. #LeaveNoTrace
If you love climbing rocks, Bell Rock Trail is the hike for you! Look how small all the people look in the picture below. You can see all of Sedona as you make the climb. This hike is considered moderate but if you’re afraid of heights, you might find it difficult.
Little Horse Trail tends to be our go-to hike. We love the views. This is a 3.8-mile moderate hike. You can make it easier by not going as far, the view below is less than a mile on the trail. It’s incredible to hike this trail at sunset, the rocks turn a beautiful orange.
I was super excited to hike Soldier Pass and see the Seven Sacred Pools. They are easy to walk past, so keep an eye out for them. There’s also a large sinkhole on your way called Devil’s Kitchen which is very cool. This trail is considered moderate but we felt like it was a little more difficult especially beyond the pools. We ended up turning around on our first hike (which was still an amazing hike).
Red Rock Crossing/Crescent Moon Picnic Site is another go-to spot for us. This is a great area to relax, picnic, leisurely walk, swim in Oak Creek, or play with your dogs. There is a lot of open area with grass, picnic tables, and benches. All of this with the beautiful backdrop of Cathedral Rock. This is also a vortex site and a sacred area in Native American history.
My favorite thing to do is to visit after it rains and take pictures of all the reflections in the puddles. You have to find the perfect angle to see them.
ALWAYS be careful after a rain, pay attention to the news, and ask questions before you go. Even when the rain stops, the runoff can be very dangerous and catch you by surprise.
The staff and owners at The Hike House are super helpful. They will answer any questions and make sure you are geared up correctly for your hike. It’s important to be prepared even if you think the hike will be short.
Another great resource is the Sedona Hiking App. This app gives you all the details of each hike, directions to the trailheads, and a map to follow as you hike. You can also search by the difficulty of the hike. For more details about Sedona, visit the official Sedona Tourism Site – visitsedona.com
If you’re looking for other fun things to do besides hiking, visit my blog post HERE.
I love the luxury picnic trend because it’s a relaxed and intimate way to get together with friends in the beautiful outdoors.
Recently, I attended a luxury picnic alongside fellow travel bloggers, photographers, writers, and content creators at B.F. Nelson Park, located on the historic Mississippi riverfront. Miko Picnics, a new local company, set up this gorgeous luxury picnic.
Until this event, many of us only knew each other through Instagram, and this was our first time meeting in person! That, together with this incredible setting, made for a night to remember. Not to mention connecting, laughing, sharing stories, and bouncing ideas off each other. It was a great night of women building up women.
RachCakes Vegan Baking made these yummy cookies for the event. Her vegan treats are fresh and made to order.
Sip and Bloom provided a floral arrangement class. The class was so fun; I highly suggest checking them out! We enjoyed working on a creative project and having something to bring home to remember a fun summer night.
Thank you to Shelby (Marketing Manager for @BloomingtonMN) and Sara (Planet with Sara) for planning a great event and bringing us together.
Pier B Resort Hotel is a top resort in Duluth, Minnesota. The location, amenities, and service are unbeatable. Recently, we stayed for one night on our way up from Minneapolis to explore the north shore. Pier B is situated on the edge of Lake Superior on 7.4 acres! This is what we liked the most, there is plenty of space to play and hang out without feeling like you’re right on top of the other guests. And, the fact that Pier B is dog-friendly.
Allen loved all the different areas to explore, walk, and meet other dog friends.
Best Location in Duluth for Ship Watching
The views from the rooms are amazing. I took the below photo of the kayakers from our room! Pier B is the best location (even from your room) for watching the ships come into the harbor and under the iconic historic aerial lift bridge. The Lakeside Patio gives you front row seats to listen to the ship horns and the aerial bridge. Plus you can watch the kayakers, sail boats, fishing boats, birds, and more.
We enjoyed drinks on the patio while listening to live music. Then, we ordered dinner from Silos, the onsite restaurant, to take to our room. The Mushroom Swiss Burger with grilled mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic and chive sour cream, and Swiss and Gruyere cheese is delicious. Terry had the Parmesan Herb Walleye, a pan-fried, parmesan panko crusted walleye, served with lemon caper aioli, wild rice pilaf, and seasonal vegetables, that he said was one of the best he’s ever had.
They offer a great new system for ordering breakfast (due to COVID) that the front desk thoroughly explains at check-in. It’s super easy, just checking off on a paper menu what you want to eat the next morning. Then, you pick it up at your designated time. We really liked this option. Our food was hot and tasty.
Best spot for sunrise photos of Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge
Another favorite amenity at Pier B Resort Hotel is all of the patios and decks, each offering an incredible view and all are easily accessible. They are great locations to eat breakfast and take in the sunrise. An up-close and intimate view.
Because we were only there one night, we didn’t have time to check out all the amenities. There are so many fun things to do including the outdoor sport court, lawn games, electric scooters, biking, paddle boards, and boat rentals. Plus, the surrounding area offers endless recreation. There is shopping, breweries, Canal Park, museums, or driving up the north shore for scenic views and hiking like we did.
I can’t believe that I grew up in Minnesota and never experienced the Gunflint Trail! Anyone else? We spent most of our time in the Crosslake/Brainerd Lakes Area of Minnesota because that is where my grandparents lived. So, this was an exciting adventure after reading and hearing stories about the Gunflint Trail over the years. We had a blast exploring and can’t wait to go back.
The Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway is one of three nationally designated highways that wind through the Superior National Forest. The drive is filled with views of lush trees, wildflowers (fireweed is my favorite), and breathtaking overlooks. The trail is about 57 miles long, starting in Grand Marais, and runs along the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
Pincushion Mountain Overlook – Views of Grand Marais
Our first stop was the legendary Trail Center Lodge (Home of Camp Chow). I had the BEST gluten-free salmon burger slathered in the perfect amount of tartar sauce. Thank you, ladies! As well as being a great spot for lunch, you will find groceries, gifts, gas, and firewood. The Trail Center’s history goes back to the 1930s. You can read about it here http://www.trailcenterlodge.com/history.html.
Traditions carry on in this small beautiful community on Poplar Lake.
After lunch, we hiked Honeymoon Bluff. This is a short hike (1 mile) but with a lot of stairs. The stairs are worth the views of Hungry Jack Lake. That small speck in the photo below is a pontoon boat – doesn’t that look amazing?
Lodging and Restaurants
Then, it was time to check into Poplar Haus! We stayed in the Northern Gnome Cabin. This dog-friendly historic log cabin, built in 1927, has two bedrooms, one bathroom, and is adorable. In addition, you have your own personal dock, fire pit, and picnic table. There is a full-service onsite restaurant, liquor store, and free use of kayaks and canoes. Plus, fishing and pontoon rentals. All of this, coupled with the Poplar Haus being located just outside the Boundary Waters Wilderness, means enjoying a little piece of heaven.
We took full advantage of the peace and quiet and panoramic views at the lake.
How cute are all the gnome decorations? Every day, I found a new one.
There’s a perfect spot to hang your hammock right by the water.
On the whole, this is a great spot to lodge if you want to be close to some modern conveniences or it’s your first time experiencing the Gunflint Trail. For example, if you’re in urgent need of ice cream. 😉 The Trail Center Lodge is only one mile down the road. After eating the Poplar Haus burger (which was excellent), we went back to the Trail Center for one of their malts. They have a ton of flavors and are HUGE. I suggest the rhubarb.
Allen loved hanging out by the lake and watching all the little animals, bugs, and butterflies. Thank you for being dog-friendly, Poplar Haus.
Last, there is so much more to do with endless trails, lakes, and nature to enjoy.
This is a tiny peek and I look forward to many more Gunflint Trail adventures. Visit the Cook County website for more information – https://www.visitcookcounty.com/.
