Beach

Top 10 Best Dog Friendly Cities in the USA!

Hey internet friends! Its been a while! How are you? How has your summer been going? Been anywhere fun? Basil and I have been super busy working on relaunching this blog (good stuff coming soon) and going on all sorts of wacky adventures.

Todays post we are going to dive into the brain of a Boston terrier. Don’t worry you won’t have the sudden urge to pee on everything and hump every warm body, unless thats your life and then, by all means, do you boo! No, we are going to count down the 10 best dog friendly cities in the United States of America – A Boston terriers opinion!

#10 San Antonio, Texas

Southern hospitality + good food + pet friendly hotels = Happy puppy!

Basil takes The Alamo
Basil takes The Alamo

#9 Bend, Oregon

Outdoor loves dream! Beer for you, 1 billion trees to pee on for your dog!

#8 Charlotte, North Carolina

An up and coming city growing faster than that 8 week old great dane puppy at the pet store.

Dog Friendly Charlotte
Dog Friendly Charlotte

#7 Austin, Texas

Great music, BBQ, and hipsters as far as the eye can see… So, pretty much heaven!

Banger's Sausage House - Austin, Texas
Banger’s Sausage House – Austin, Texas

#6 Leavenworth, Washington

Modern mountain town meets Bavarian village. Grab a brat and a beer and then hit the river!

Dog Friendly Destinations - Leavenworth, WA
Dog Friendly Leavenworth, Washington

#5 Portland, Oregon

I don’t have anything clever to say here. Seriously, just go!

Dog Friendly Portland, Oregon
Dog Friendly Portland, Oregon

#4 Friday Harbor, Washington (San Juan Island)

Feels like its a world away but only a few hours from Seattle or Vancouver. Do some shopping downtown, every shop has dog treats, and relax on the beach.

4 hipsters and 2 dogs on South Beach, Friday Harbor, Washington
4 hipsters and 2 dogs on South Beach, Friday Harbor, Washington

#3 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

The birthplace of this country and home to some amazing pet friendly hotels!

Dog Friendly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dog Friendly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

#2 Asheville, North Carolina

I can’t say enough good things about this “sleepy” mountain town. Beautiful, fun, and not what you are expecting. If you get the chance to go please do. Do it for us! DO IT!

Dog Friendly Asheville, North Carolina
Dog Friendly Asheville, North Carolina

#1 Seattle, Washington

What can I say? I am totally biased! We love this amazing city and you (and your dog) will too!

The Best Dog Friendly City Ever! Seattle, Washington
The Best Dog Friendly City Ever! Seattle, Washington

 

So, now that we have told you where we like to visit how about you tell us where some of your favorite places are. Where should we travel next?

Like I said up top we are working on a relaunch of Basil’s Travels so keep an eye out for some new amazing content soon. Also, make sure you are following us on Instagram, http://www.instagram.com/basilstravels for daily cuteness and the dog friendly information.

Until next time! Xoxo

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

Basil Presents Dog Friendly Destinations – San Juan Island, WA!

Hello Travel Tuesday friends! As many of you know we spent last weekend up on San Juan island visiting my grandmother and showing around some friends. It was an amazing time and we are so glad that we were all able to go and enjoy ourselves.

Todays Basil Presents DFD check out where we like to hang out when we are on this incredible island. If you get a chance to explore San Juan island or any of the other San Juan islands, like Shaw or Orcas, let us know. I would love to hear of all your favorite places!

Infographic San Juan Island Dog FriendlyWhere should we travel next? We have a few trips in the works but would love to hear your ideas!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

Weekend adventure to San Juan Island!

This last weekend Basil, Nate, Jake, Sara, Luna, and I went up the San Juan Island to visit my grandmother and enjoy island life. Weather was fantastic and the dogs had an amazing time.



 

San Juan island is located about 2 hours northwest of Seattle in the San Juan islands. Only accessible by ferry, private boat, or small plane. Enjoy shopping in Friday Harbor and the best seafood around in Roche Harbor. Beautiful beaches, whale watching, and history fill this small island with plenty to see and do. Extremely dog friendly and beyond relaxing. Check out   visitsanjuans.com for more information.

Also, the next BT presents Dog Friendly Destinations… will be featuring Friday Harbor, San Juan Island! Make sure to check back on Tuesday to see where Basil likes to hang out while being “island dog.”

Where are some of your favorite weekend escapes? Let us know!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

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Basil favorite Pacific Northwest dog parks!

Basil loves "using the hydrant" at Bonney Lake Dog Park
Basil loves “using the hydrant” at Bonney Lake Dog Park

Basil loves a good dog park! Check out our list of Basil’s favorite off leash dog parks in and around the Seattle area. What are some of your favorites?

Marymoor Park – 40 acres of off leash dog park fun. Small dog area and swimming holes. I’ve heard it call “Disneyland for Dogs!” 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE Redmond, WA

Warren G. Magnuson Park – 9 acres of off leash area with small dog zone and beach access. Bring a ball or stick and hit the beach! NW 74th Street Seattle, WA

Golden Gardens off leash dog park – Large trees provide shade on those sunny days or coverage from a light rain. Peak-a-boo view of the Sound and parking.
8498 Seaview Pl NW Seattle, WA

Bonney Lake Dog Park – Clean hidden gem of a dog park! Walk the wooden trails and let your dog explore the forest. 82nd Street Bonney Lake, WA

Westcrest Park – Large open play area and trails to walk with your dog in the wood. Well maintained community dog park. 9000 8th Ave SW Seattle, WA

Happy tongue-out Tuesday! This weekend we are headed somewhere really fun! I’ll be posting pictures on Instagram; when I have internet access.

Can you guess where we are going? Here is a hint, we have to take a ferry to get there. Leave your guesses in the comments. If anyone guesses correctly by Make sure to be following us on Instagram at @Basilstravels to keep up with all our adventures!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Just Keep Swimming… Just Keep Swimming….

Basil, Luna, my sister-in-law Sara, and I headed to the dog park yesterday for some play time and a swim in the lake. Luna (Sara’s black lab mix) is a grade A water dog. The moment she spotted the beach she was off!

Basil isn’t that much of a swimmer. He just likes to dip his paws in the water and play with other dogs on the beach. Recently we got him a life jacket. The thought was that maybe if he felt a little more comfortable in the water he would want to swim with us. Well, it worked! It only took a few times in the water and Basil became swimmer dog.

Check out the this video of Basil first official swim with his life jacket on.

If your dog needs a life jacket this summer we recommend the Aussie Life Jacket. I got it at TJ Maxx for a steal at only $16.99. Brightly colored, handy top handles, and floats like a champ. (Not a sponsored post. Just really happy with the product!)

I can’t wait to hit up the water again and see Basil do some more swimming. So proud of him!

Does your dog love to swim? Let me know!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Black & White Sunday! Hold Fast Seadog! 

 Hope your weeking is going well and your finding a way to stay cool.
Tomorrow on Make It Monday! We are making large dog popsicle. Check back then to see how to see to make them.

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

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Black & White Sunday — Just Another Day at the Beach!

I am calling this, wet dog… wonky ear… a beach story. Its art!
Basil b:w beachTo those of you that are enjoying memorial day weekend from the beach, I hope the sun is hot, water is warm, and beer is cold. We are spending the rest of our weekend with friends, family, BBQ, and bonfires. Hope everyone has a great start to summer 2014! On ward and up ward!

Travel well, nap well, live well!

-Abbey & Basil

 

 

Basil’s Favorite Things — BlogPaws

Happy Friday everyone! Today is the first day in over a week that I have been able to sit down and collect my thoughts. Once we got back from BlogPaws on Monday my in-laws came into town. For Basil it was a never ending vacation! Now that the house is empty Basil has been in bed, catching up on sleep, all day.

For day’s Basil’s Favorite Things I thought I would share my favorite photos from BlogPaws. It was 4 days of fun, sun, and networking. We can’t wait until next year in Nashville, Tennessee. Thanks again to everyone we met and all the connections we made. Also, a big thank you to The Westin Lake Las Vegas. They made us beyond comfortable and I know Basil, Nate, and I will for sure be back.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABasilpaddleboardBasilandFlowersBasilandTheWestin

Enjoy your weekend!

Travel well, nap well, live well!

-Abbey & Basil

BlogPaws 2014! So far…

We are here! BlogPaws 2014 on beautiful Lake Las Vegas! Basil is loving it so much it’s almost impossible to get a post up! Nate, Basil, and I have been go-go-going for the last couple of days. We are making a lot of new friends and learning a lot. I finally have a moment (Basil is napping!) to share a little collage I put together of some of my favorite photos so far! Enjoy and I’ll continue posting when Basil lets me!

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Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Coming this Summer… Basil learns to Skimboard!

Hello all! As I sit at my desk and look out the window onto a rainy street I find myself dreaming of the sun. If you know me personally than you know this is not normal for me. I am a lover of all things rainy, stormy, and what most people would call “gloomy.” I mean, don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the sun and the warmth of summer but its not something I usually actively look forward to. Because of this, I have turned Basil into a dog that isn’t afraid of a little weather. That being said, he won’t be caught dead in the rain without a rain coat or sweater on!

So, as I find myself thinking about laying on the beach somewhere watching Basil playing in the waves and enjoying everything summer has to offer I can’t help but to eye my skimboard leaning against the office wall. I start thinking about all those dogs you see on YouTube that skateboard. Well, it just happened that yesterday iBostonterrier posted an amazing video of a Boston terrier skim boarding! After seeing this I started searching for more skim boarding dogs. There are quite a few on YouTube and below you will find some of my favorites.

So when the weather does decide to finally change and we can spend so time down at the beach, I am going to teach Basil to skim board. Look out for many videos coming soon of Basil learning this ridiculously cute new skill!

1. Vader – Boston Terrier Skim boarding


2. Bullterrier Skim boarding Lesson


3. French Bulldog Skimboard

4. Amazon Dogs Skim boarding

Until the sun!

Travel well, nap well, live well!

-Abbey & Basil