Lake Tahoe - West Shore

One of the nicest things about California is the that there is so much outdoors to enjoy, and so many months in the year to do it! Lake Tahoe has always been one of our favorite getaways, it is close by, and is fabulous anytime of the year.

While at the dentist's office, I chanced upon an article in the AAA Via magazine on pet friendly lodging in CA. Thats how we found one of our favorite places in Tahoe - Tahoma Meadows.

Tahoma Meadows is tucked away on the west shore of Lake Tahoe.They have charming little cottages, some with full kitchens. This pet friendly lodge is just what you need to get away from the noise, and crowds.

Dick and Ulli, the hosts, have done a great job with the decor of  the cottages and the overall property. The cottages are warm and inviting, each with a distinct theme. There are hammocks and garden furniture throughout the property. Each cottage also has a BBQ for guests to use. Tahoma Meadows also has a common room with stunning views of the lake where they serve killer breakfast every morning!


We stayed in the Boat House on our first stay there over Memorial day, and then again over the 4th of July. Yes, we loved it that much!

Since we were traveling with Layla, they had even setup a bowl for her with some dog biscuits. Dick and Ulli always have great recommendations on things to do in the area. We were looking for things we could do with the puppy, and they gave us great recommedations on beaches we could take Layla to, and hikes in the area.

All in all we had a wonderful trip, and a happy, tired puppy every evening!

Gualala - Mendocino County

Gualala (wa-LA-la) is a little town in Mendocino county. It's up on the coast of California, north of San Francisco. It has all the charm of an oceanside town without the crowds and the large resorts we have come to expect and in some cases dread.

Gualala also has a well kept secret - St Orres! Well, its not really a secret, they have been there for almost 35 years now. We spent a few nights there earlier this year, they have beautiful cabins nestled between towering redwoods. As an added bonus many of their cabins are pet friendly. For a small fee, you get to take Fido with you!

The architecture is very charming, and reminiscent of Russian style architecture. All the wood (most of it recycled/ reused) gives the place a really warm and inviting feel.

We stayed in the Rose cottage. It is a really cozy cottage, complete with a skylights, a comfortable bed, Franklin Fireplace and a large bathroom. It also has a huge deck with a direct ocean view.


The best part? They bring you fresh breakfast every morning (around 9 AM). Eggs, granola, fresh squeezed orange juice and fruit. Hand delivered at your doorstep!


The restaurant at St Orres is also pretty good. The warmth and coziness continues into their dining rooms. There are 2 dining areas, the main dining room or the solarium dining room which is much more intimate.

One of the nicest things about being in Mendocino county is that most beaches in that area are dog friendly. Almost all require that your dog be on leash, but every one of them guarantees that your canine companion will have a great time.

• Big River Beach, N. Big River Road, Mendocino
• Van Damme State Beach, Highway 1, Mendocino
• Caspar Beach, 14441 Point Cabrillo Dr., Caspar
• MacKerricher State Park, Highway 1, Fort Bragg (south of Ward Ave only)

One other recommendation for that area is Blue Canoe Coffee & Tea in Anchor Bay. They have really good homemade chai, and organic coffee that they buy from a local supplier every week. They also have a small but sweet back patio for seating. The staff is really friendly, and we had a great time chatting with them on our visit.

Overall we highly recommend St Orres, Gualala, and Mendocino county for a trip with your puppy. We had a great time, and we are sure you will too!

Meet Layla

In the words of Eric Clapton -

"Like a fool, I fell in love with you,
Turned my whole world upside down..".

About a year ago, Layla came into our lives. We found this 4 month old puppy through a local rescue, and we had to bring her home. Little did we know that we were embarking on a journey, one that had to include pet friendly lodging!


As we researched the places we could go with Layla, it became painfully clear that there wasn't a central website that compiled this information. So began our quest for pet friendly lodging; campgrounds, hotels and rental homes. We will share some of the places we have stayed at in the past year, and enjoyed. Hopefully you will find this helpful.

If you have recommendations, we would love to hear from you as well. Post your feedback in the comments and we will add it to our list.