My dogs are my babies and I love to take them everywhere we go. I’ve learned that traveling with them takes a certain degree of planning, especially since I don’t like to leave them alone during vacations. Reggie has a heartbreaking yowl that makes neighbors think he’s being tortured or I’m dead inside. This isn’t even an exaggeration, in North Carolina the hotel manager called me because other guests thought he was being abused, and a woman on the street during this trip said she was worried the occupants (us) were dead because a dog (Reggie) was crying so much (we had been gone for 10 minutes…). Anyone with advice on doggie anxiety is welcome, but alas this post is not about that, it’s about how I avoided Reggies anxiety by taking him everywhere.
This summer our beach excursion was to beautiful Cape May, New Jersey, one of the first beach resort towns in the United States. We had always heard of the mysterious town of Cape May, just a ferry ride away from our typical beach excursions. Along with gorgeous beaches, great breweries and vineyards and yummy spots to eat, we found plenty of dog friendly places to take the pooches!
Killens Pond State Park, Frederica, Delaware
It’s a short trip from where we live in Delaware to the ferry, so we stopped at Killens Pond for a nice long walk. They have a short 1 mile heart healthy trail, or try the longer 3.5 mile Pondside Trail. It’s sure to mellow your dogs out while taking a long trip!
Cape May-Lewes Ferry
From Lewes to Cape May is an hour give or take, and the ferry allows pets on the outdoor decks. Be sure to bring water and look for a shady spot, and make reservations on their website before boarding, especially during holidays and weekends.
Air BnB
I say it all the time… Air BnB is the way to go when it comes to pet travel. We stayed in a little house steps from the bay where the dogs had plenty of room to roam.
A great little spot with outdoor seating and live music. They serve your dog water in a Miller Lite pitcher and have no issues cooking them a hamburger. The people menu is typical beach fare, burgers and seafood, and reasonably priced.
Dogs are allowed on the grassy areas by the lighthouse, the visitor center and the museum, but if it’s not crowded you can walk them anywhere without room much hassle. For some reason it was “shut down” due to government issues so the giant parking lot was closed and there were very few people around.
A unique spot downtown that you wouldn’t expect to allow dogs. They gave us a great corner table outdoors and all of the servers were incredibly friendly and checked on the dogs water bowl frequently. They have amazing farm fresh food, and are located in the quaint part of Cape May so there’s plenty of exploring to be done! It is a little pricey, but I think paying more for good food and service is worth the expense.
Right across the street from The Blue Pig Tavern, this ice cream store offers so many delicious flavors. Dogs can’t go in, but there are plenty of benches outside and people love to come over and pet your pup! Max liked Pistachio while Reggie indulged in some Blueberry&Cream. 
Bayside Beaches
We stayed right on the bay, and dogs were only allowed on the beach before 11 and after 4, but that was actually perfect with the heat. We took morning walks and enjoyed evening sunsets without getting too overheated and exhausted. The bay was so pretty, and the sandy stretches in between jetties made each piece seem like its own private beach.
If you like to take your dog with you, check out Higbee Beach (we didn’t have time to go there but I read great things and it’s on the list for next trip!)
Happy Tails to all the doggie travelers out there! Have a great summer!
erin duh's everything ✨ 