Any Blue Ridge Parkway Lovers out there?
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Blue Ridge Parkway Lovers…..
Any residents been on the Blue Ridge Parkway with their hounds?
I am going to take the kids and Grandma on a leaf viewing trip this fall on the BRP and I have been researching pet friendly lodging. Get this, the National Park Service Lodges are almost nasty about howl they do not accept pets and if you must bring a service dog, do to being disabled, they greatly appreciate it that the working dog did not make a mess! Excuse me? Are you kidding me? Anyway, I know that we can find places that we will all enjoy, apparently not at any of the national lodges. I could never understand why the National Parks are like that. Lois, can you comment as to that? Lois, resident of basset hound town used to a national park ranger.
Other than the national lodging the BRP is very dog friendly.
So, does anyone have any suggestions as to where to stay? Oh, the BRP website is so much fun. I feel like I am taking a mid level college course researching this. I know we will find some spots to stay, but if anyone has any suggestions we are all long ears!
See the city in VA called Buena Vista? That is 5 miles from Virgina Military Institute. We are all shelping over to visit Ronald, my nephew, after he starts back for his sophomore year. This is a picture of him with the Shenandoah Valley fogged in behind him.
Get ready VMI and BRP here comes the Mayor!
More planning our trip later, hopefully with your help! Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Comments(16)
wellll…
okay…most national parks welcome dogs with open paws….some like the great smokey mtns do not allow them on trails (others too) this because of the volume of visitor traffic, impact to the resource, wildlife concerns, etc in all national park service areas they are not permitted in historic structures or facilities.
i am speaking about visitor centers, & museums, snack bars,lodging areas and places like that are operated by concessions, NOT the national park service. they are within their rights to limit pets with the exception of service animals, which by law they have to allow.
any nps area i have either worked in or visited in was always as pet friendly as they could allow. if possible we permitted dogs to swim, run, etc. service animals & seeing eye dogs in training were always welcome.
it is frustrating at times to visit a park & face limitations…i know that when i was in the great smokies i had my dog with me & was unable to legally hike the trails with her.
many times the concessions in some of the “crown jewels” get overwhelemed by people and their attitudes may be less than pleasant. been there done that…seen it with a concession that used to be in our park & no longer is. they are unfortunately the “king of the hill” i suggest seeking lodging off of the parkway…it’s probably cheaper anyway.
i do have a friend who’se husband is a ranger on the parkway & have asked for a list of suggestions for dog friendly lodgings in the area for you…when she gets back to me..i’ll pass it on.
the parkway is one of the most heaviest visited national park service areas in the country. and i hate to say it but the parkway & shenendoah (also beautiful) used to also have a problem..with knowing it (iffen you are following my line of thinking..the right way, the wrong way & the shenendoah way)..not saying it is like that now..it has been a long time…but sometimes attitudes prevail.
altho dogs (other than service) were not permitted at the statue or ellis…miss emma & da mayor would most certainly have been welcomed at gateway nra, fire island national seashore & sleeping bear dunes national lakeshore & other areas i spent time…with open paws!
Lois you are the best! I just love all of your insight and I look forward to updates from your friend’s hubby. We are so lucky to have you as a resident and nps insider! It really is so cool!
Most families want to travel with their pets if they are taking a nps trip. I was talking with my Mom tonight and I was saying that I think they should allow a few rooms for dogs at these lodges. Off towards the back of the lodge, towards the grass areas. Just keep those rooms specifically for dogs. The Blue Ridge PKWY is very dog friendly but their National Lodges are off limits. That just floors me.
Have rules and if the families don’t abide kick them off the site.
If they had a small section for dogs the area could be limited to those people. The back section even. Oh, I could go on and on. It is just so frustrating to visit the nps areas and be turned down because of our family members. I know there are other places off the parkway and that is where we will be staying but it is not fair.
I know service dogs are allowed and even therapy dogs which Chaps and Emma are. But when you question the manager they are all, “well I don’t know about that, we will have to get back to you”. So you don’t want to make reservations and get turned away because someone does not agree. So the long and short of it, is that we must book lodging off of the parkway.
I am sure we will be fine. I just hate that Chaps and Emma are viewed as second class citizens. It makes my blood boil. They are the best citizens I have ever known! We love our Lois!
Mommy!
Twenty years ago, we had were on vacation with our Harrier dog named “Doogie” and “Dirtball” our black cat, on the BRP. The animals seemed to enjoy it as much as we did. The views were wonderful, and the hound took great nosefuls of scent, head high in the air as if reading the news. We had to do this all on a shoestring,so we stayed at a pet friendly hotel called Knights Inn. Nothing fancy but the fact that it was economical and the pets were welcome made it more relaxing.What I remember most is the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and magical colored haze surrounding them. I never got tired of looking at them. We took a photo of the cat standing atop the highest elevation sign….just like a feline to want to be at the top of everything! Hope your trip goes well and I know everyone will LOVE Chaps and Emma!
We have never had a problem with Nell and Sophie at Super 8’s (not fancy, but always clean and great rates). I did a google search “Super 8 pet friendly blue ridge parkway, and a lot came up. The other one that has pet weight restrictions that include real dogs (!) has been LaQuinta.
Actually, we stayed at very pet friendly LaQuinta’s when we traveled to the Michigan waddle. They even had doggie bones on the counter when we registered. I do think there was a weight restriction as you say Kerry, but we were able to pass cuz the bassets don’t look as heavy as they really are.
Oh, that is soooooo funny! Basset don’t look as heavy as they really are! I actually called one of the places and asked howl they know dogs are under 40 pounds and if they weighted them. I think they though I was being a smart a$$ but really? Then she said we take dogs like poodles and yorkies, not boxers or great dane types. WT?
Anyway, I love all of these suggestions and experiences. It is really helping.
Cat, Chaps and Emma no one even near 40 pounds!
Oh, one more thing. This one place that did take dogs had a three page contract you had to sign. I will put the link up to show you later.
Cat
I have stayed a two LaQuinta’s with Slinky, there was never a problem. The rates were reasonable, the room was clean, the maids loved Slinky, and a contental breakfast was included.
I can’t imagine any lodging that would not welcome such VIPs as Mayor Chaps and Our Emma.
Your nephew Ronald should make sure that VMI rolls out the red carpet for the Mayor and Our Emma; because, after all, they are visiting dignitaries/Offials/Heads of State.
Just shared this on FB–
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38414149/ns/today-todaytravel/ 🙂
Mary, Harley, Biggs and Leo
/..\
Dang, looks like the link doesn’t work:(
M.
Mary, your link did work!
Are you coming to DC and HOP????
Melynda – Since we will be heading down the BRP and not up I don’t think we will. Do you know when the HOP picnic is this year? I wish I could take a month off and travel with the kids and Grandma. I am just not ready yet. It has a bit to do with the all mighty dollar! hehehe
Cat
Third Saturday in October I think.
Cat,
When you are able to travel to the HOP Picnic, please let me know, I would like to try and attend as well.
I would kill to have a stomach as flat as your nephews.
It would kill both of us to have a stomach that flat! OMD, the kid is a machine!