Some time ago I wrote a blog about various dog care options when traveling. There is one option that I didn’t mention, however, which is to take them with you. Every year on my birthday I like to take a long weekend and have an adventure. This year I decided that I really wanted to find a spot that would be fun for Linus and Lila because that is what brings me the most happiness. Naturally my mom, who is my favorite traveling buddy and president of the Linus and Lila fan club had to come with us.

I did some searching and found a reasonably priced cabin in the Morgan Monroe State Forest near Bloomington, Indiana. The property allowed dogs and included a pond for swimming. I could also see two porches that were fenced at the bottom which would allow plenty of outside time in a safe environment.

A few days ago we loaded up our cars and met in the forest for this year’s adventure. It has been fantastic. I will say that I packed an enormous amount of dog care items in case of an emergency. The cabin has huge windows which allow lots of outdoor viewing. Lila is excellent off leash and just runs happily sniffing and exploring. Linus, unfortunately has to be on a long leash but is still able to run and explore. After an algae check on the pond, both dogs eagerly went swimming to cool off after all of the running. I could not have envisioned a better vacation this year. I sat reflecting on my birthday that this was about as perfect as it gets in such a beautiful place surrounded by those that I love so dearly.

Vacationing with Springers is at the top of my list now. If the forest is not your thing, then why not the beach or mountains? You’re only limited by your own imagination and the powers of Google. There are lots of dog friendly places to go including local restaurants with outdoor seating. Many State Parks also allow dogs and I’ve seen many campgrounds that even have dog parks within them.

This breed thrives on new smells and experiences with their owners. They have large noses for a reason. 😁 And you know what they say, a tired dog is a good dog. I encourage everyone to look into activities that you can experience with your dogs as it will enrich your life as well as that of your beloved Springer(s).