GETAWAY SERIES // Dog-Friendly Trip to Arizona
A little spring getaway, yes please!
Having Buster, we have had to brainstorm more dog-friendly spots and activities, whether that’s for vacation or just our daily lives. When we take trips now, we have to make sure wherever we stay welcomes dogs, wherever we eat welcomes dogs, and wherever we go, you guessed it, welcomes dogs. This month, we decided to spend a few days in Arizona and plan some dog-friendly adventures. What prompted this Arizona getaway was getting a US parks pass from one of my dearest friends for Christmas, which led to talks about visiting the Grand Canyon. I knew that if we decided to go to Arizona, we could find plenty to do.
Thankfully, my aunt and uncle live in Peoria and offered up their guest room for us to stay. So, dog-friendly lodging right off the bat and checked off our list! Then, we had to come up with some more plans that allowed Buster to tag along.
Did you know that some spring training games are dog-friendly? Up until somewhat recently, I did not! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that at least the Peoria Sports Complex, which is the Mariners and Padres home field during this period, they host a few different Bark at the Park games.
When we arrived at the stadium, I was pleased to see designated areas in the lawn for visitors and their dogs. However, before the game began, it started to rain. The light drizzle eventually got heavier and heavier, and once the national anthem was sung, we started hearing thunder. Unfortunately, Buster did not enjoy that and once we saw lightning strikes, we knew it would be best for us to leave. We briefly took cover still inside the stadium before, along with many other guests, we made a break for it through the parking lot. Safe to say the game did not end up happening. While it was a big ‘ole bummer that we weren’t able to experience a dog-friendly spring training game due to inclement weather, we now have a good story to tell about our experience.
The next morning, we woke up bright and early to start the drive up to the Grand Canyon. If you did not know, most national parks are not the most dog-friendly. Some allow dogs at campgrounds, service roads/trails, and parking lots. But that really limits what you’re able to enjoy at a national park. It all makes sense, as dogs can disturb the natural wildlife.
The Grand Canyon does allow dogs, just not below the canyon rim. This was fine with us, as the South Rim Trail offers a plethora of stunning views and miles and miles of paved walkability. It was perfect for us and Buster. He was thoroughly stimulated with plenty of sniffs and we also saw plenty of other dogs on the trail. While we were walking along the Rim Trail, we saw two elks, lots of ravens, and some small critters. We explored for multiple hours before heading back down to Peoria.
On our final morning, we made breakfast for my aunt and uncle as a thank you for letting us stay with them. We started our drive back to San Diego in the early afternoon, making a quick stop at a park in Yuma that had plenty of room for Buster to sniff around and enjoy.
While searching for dog-friendly getaways, restaurants, and activities, it does take a bit more effort than if we didn’t have a dog. We strive to fulfill not only our lives, but Buster’s as well. I’m happy that we are still able to experience new places and head out on plenty of exciting adventures.
