Submitted by: Eve Wierzbicki
Interested in taking your pup on road trip, but not sure where to go? We recently took our 17 week old puppy to Kalamazoo, Michigan for some frolicking and fun.
We started the trip by downloading the BringFido app. It was a huge help for making decisions. Then, we decided on an overnight in Kalamazoo because our daughter goes to Western Michigan, so we would be able to see her too.
First off, we needed to find a hotel. We wanted something different so we landed on the Henderson Castle. Rates looked good and BringFido said you could even bring your pup to the bar. We wanted something unique and this fit the bill!
We arrived in Kalamazoo before check in time so we headed to the Thirsty Hound for some iced coffee (they also serve beer & cocktails!). Your dog can go right inside and while we were there Hazel was able to enjoy some freeze dried chicken treats and sniff out some new companions. After that, we found a dog park close by and let her romp around and get some energy out.
Henderson Castle was beautiful, but a little short-staffed. Hopefully they will get some of the kinks worked out before summer. It was fun to take Hazel on a tour of the mansion and to enjoy a glass of wine at the bar with her by our side. I would suggest opting for a different spot for dinner, although they do have a steakhouse right in the mansion.
The next day we woke up and went to Lillian Anderson Arboretum in Kalamazoo. Owned by Kalamazoo College, It was a great hike for a pup, with lots of hills, twists and turns and a beautiful pine tree path...perfect for a photo op! There is no charge for the trails and we had the place almost to ourselves -- just a couple other friendly dog walkers.
On our way home we had a quick pit stop at the beach in Warren Dunes and then we had a late lunch at VillaNova Pizza in New Buffalo. Dogs are allowed on the patio and we were pleasantly surprised that it was heated and enclosed since the spring weather was still a little wintry! They have plenty of local brews on tap and you can even grab a frozen pizza to go.
It was a perfect overnight get-away and a socialization success for Hazel. We discovered that she is a quiet and laid back car companion, is not scared of dogs (big or small), sleeps well in a bed....and loves croissants!
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