Arizona | Kentucky | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | New Mexico | Oregon | Virginia

Arizona

Kitt Peak National Observatory

Pima Air & Space Museum

The museum proudly advertises its pet-friendly status and – having spent much of a day wandering its hangers and grounds with “The Boy” – I can attest to the fact that this is an ideal place to take one’s two- and four-legged kids while in Tucson. The collection of almost 300 aircraft and spacecraft from around the globe includes many rare and one-of-a-kind craft, among them a B-29 Superfortress, the SR-71 Blackbird, and a rare World War II German V-1 “buzz bomb.” The museum maintains its own aircraft restoration center, known as the “Boneyard” and located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base nearby. Although dogs are not permitted on the bus tour of the Boneyard, the museum’s greeter told my People that someone would gladly keep me company if they wanted to take the tour. Check out my Road Trips page for more about what I saw and learned at the Pima Air & Space Museum.

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Kentucky

Dinosaur World

Talk about a Jurassic park. With more than 150 life-size dinosaur models creeping about and cavorting among the lush setting, a posted “Friendly pets on leashes are always welcome!” policy, and a picnic area that you can even have local pizza delivered to, Dinosaur World is a dog and kid´s dream come true. At the authentic fossil dig, kids can play paleontologist. A museum displays everything from dinosaur eggs to raptor claws, and the gift shop sells plenty of educational toys and books for your budding scientists to continue their adventures at home. The child-size triceratops hat will even fit a smaller dog, but don´t ask how I know that. Dinosaur World Kentucky is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. The company also has a Florida location about an hour from Orlando and a brand-new park in Texas about an hour from Dallas/Fort Worth – both dog-friendly.

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Massachusetts – Cape Cod

Beaches! Sand! Shells! Smells!!! Dogs!!! Beaches!!! Lighthouses!!! WOOF!!!!

Note from Chaucer: My young sister's enthusiasm notwithstanding, I believe we’d best serve our fellow travelers by venturing back to these beaches on our next visit to provide a more detailed report! Although the national park beaches are generally dog-friendly, there are restrictions. For example, we may not go in picnic areas or on lifeguard-protected beaches, self-guiding trails, or in posted sensitive habitats. The good news is that some of these restrictions are seasonal. My People hiked from the Province Lands Visitor Center to Race Point Beach on a bike trail with a “no dogs allowed” sign posted at one end. A printed page affixed to the permanent sign, however, indicated that dogs WERE allowed until a specific date in May. Check back throughout the year for more specifics on visiting the Cape Cod National Seashore – and on the varying dog policies at the Cape’s town-operated beaches as well. (March 2009)

Pilgrim Bark Park
Route 6 and Shank Painter Road
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Telephone: (508) 487-1325
Website: ProvincetownDogPark.org

Historical records tell that in 1620 when the Pilgrims landed at what is now Provincetown, they were accompanied by an English mastiff and a springer spaniel. Thus, the non-profit group behind P-town’s new dog park named their project “to remember those first canine explorers of Cape Cod.” The Pilgrim Bark Park comprises almost an acre of land divided into two sections (one for dogs under 25 pounds and the other for all dogs) enclosed by a six-foot-high fence and double-entry gates that face away from the street. Stone blocks and whimsical woodwork art dot the well-tended grounds – and provide launch pads for dogs fond of jumping around – and fundraising is ongoing for the installation of water fountains, shade pavilions, and additional benches. (Brontë and I could certainly have used the park’s hooded canine sweatshirts the wind-whipped day we visited!) Dedicated to nationally syndicated cartoonist Howie Schneider, friend of Provincetown and of dogs everywhere, the Pilgrim Bark Park is the ideal model for what a community dog park should be. (March 2009)

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Massachusetts – Greater Boston Area

Breakheart Reservation
177 Forest Street
Saugus, Massachusetts
Telephone: (781) 233-0834
Website: Masspark.org

When you happen upon an area formed by glaciers, odds are you’ll find plenty of enormous boulders perfect for clambering up and over and standing atop to play king of the mountain. Called “erratics,” these remnants of the ice age abound at Breakheart Reservation, a 700-acre park that is perhaps the most diverse nature area in metropolitan Boston. The forest – oak, pine, hickory, blueberry bushes – provides shelter and food for wildlife that includes coyotes and fisher cats, hawks and the great blue heron, and countless chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits. Bass, pickerel, painted and snapping turtles live in the two lakes, and meandering creeks offer relief for dusty paws. It all adds up to miles and miles of glorious sniffing opportunities for your favorite pooch! (And activities for their human counterparts that range from bird-watching and fishing to cross-country skiing, cycling, and hiking.)

About a mile down the main loop trail is the Bark Place, a fenced-in, leash-free area, but on the two occasions Brontë and I have visited, every dog we met (even Daisy, the 17-year-old terrier mix pictured here) was busy trotting along the trails instead, their people in tow. And although going off-leash is strictly verboten, I suspect many furry four-paws were indeed running free up in the remote wild spots of the reservation. Let’s just hope their people brought along “poop bags” from one of the handy dispensers! Having discovered Breakheart in mid-winter (it was a breezy 17 degrees the first afternoon), I look forward to visiting on warmer days – when The Boy can enjoy one of the playgrounds while Brontë takes a nice, long hike, and then we all grill some hamburgers in the picnic area. (February 2009)

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Massachusetts – Elsewhere

Groton Place
Route 225 East of the Nashua River
Groton, Massachusetts
Website: NewEnglandForestry.org

Hundreds of dogs visit Groton Place each week to enjoy leash-free romps and dips in the water. Once part of the Dumaine family estate, this 52-acrea sanctuary encompasses two ponds, fields, and woodlands with 1,600 feet of frontage on the Nashua River. Rhododendrons line its wide paths, and specimen trees and flowering shrubs edge the expansive fields. We paused to watch a crane preen itself in one of the marshy areas before I headed over to inspect a monument to The Groton Hunt (the Dumaine family were noted equestrians). As stewards of the land, the private New England Forestry Foundation provides a baggy station for dog owners right at the entrance.

Unfortunately, too many people frequenting this little gem of a preserve appear to suffer from the belief that just because one can do something (let one’s dog run off leash), one should do so. Consider Brontë. My sister loves to run free, but she is not allowed off leash in such open public spaces because she is a big, bouncy, loving one-year-old lab still learning how to control her own energy and behave like a lady.

The first dog we encountered trotted up to Brontë as if to play – and then proceeded to lift his leg on her. The owner did nothing, only running up to drag his animal away by the collar when he began jostling me as I posed for a photograph. Five minutes later, two young golden retrievers came around a corner, spotted us, and bolted over at top speed (their owner yelling after them frantically once she came around the corner and saw what was happening). The dogs immediately got tangled up in Bronte’s leash and knocked The Boy over. It took the woman several minutes to gain physical control of them. Responsible dog owners know you never let your dogs off leash if you cannot control them with voice commands! (Fenced-in dog parks being something of an exception.)

I must add that we did meet two other perfectly behaved sets of dogs accompanying friendly owners! Yet those breaching the basic rules of dog-owner etiquette must be a common sight at Groton Place – given the flier and sign at the entrance that entreat owners to keep their dogs on leashes “until business is complete” and to pick up after them. Apparently, so much dog waste near the river bank has been contaminating the water that they have had to consider closing the area to dogs completely.

When the Trustees of the Groton Place voted to give this land to the New England Forestry Foundation in 1975, they intended the property to be managed both as a wildlife habitat and for public enjoyment. What a shame it would be were thoughtless dog owners to ruin this lovely spot for all of us. (May 2009)

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New Hampshire

Ashuelot River Park

This pretty park – the nicest I’ve nosed out in New Hampshire’s Monadnock region to date – features a waterfall, small pavilion, summer-long flower displays, plenty of benches, a picnic table or two, bike paths, river access for canoeing and kayaking, several “mutt mitts” stations sponsored by the Cheshire Kennel Club, a special dog rest area complete with a red fire hydrant – and leashed dogs of all sizes to befriend. Although Keene is about an hour from my home, whenever business takes my People that direction, we plan for at least a quick visit to Ashuelot River Park. With a Starbucks, a Panera Bread, and an Elm City Bagels & Deli each a Frisbee throw away, park visitors can easily grab a picnic lunch or coffee libation to enjoy during their stroll. On my most recent visit, we stopped for ice cream at Rick’s Gourmet Ice Cream nearby, but they were closed, so we ended up getting The Boy sherbet at the Friendly’s across the street. (August 2008)

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Greeley Park

The shade cast by its abundant collection of mature trees is reason enough to visit this beautiful, old-fashioned city park on a hot summer’s day. From wide expanses of well-tended grass to woodland trails, the property – donated by a resident of the city more than 100 years ago – is a dog and kid’s paradise. I’ve heard the place is a trifle crowded on weekends, but during our mid-week visits this summer we found only intimate gatherings of moms and tots, random picnickers, and an elderly gentleman reading in a lawn chair he’d plopped down under one of the enormous trees. A small playground some distance from a fenced wading pool are the two areas specifically intended for kids; a short metal post a few yards from the pool was the ideal place to attach my leash so that I could watch The Boy cavort in the water without being in anyone’s way. An outdoor theater features summer Shakespeare productions and, on my most recent visit, preparations were under way for the 55th annual Greeley Park Arts Show. And for those people, and pups, who could use a snack after all their play, I noticed a vendor selling cool drinks and hot dogs on the Concord Street sidewalk during that visit, too. (August 2008)

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Pack Monadnock Mountain/Miller State Park

I’ve heard that beautiful Mount Monadnock in nearby Jaffrey is the most hiked mountain in the world. Alas, dogs are not allowed! So, canine climbers and their people head over to dog-friendly Pack Monadnock. From the parking area off Route 101, hikers have their choice of two 1.4-mile trails up to Miller State Park at the 2,290-foot summit. A half-mile loop trail offers splendid views of the surrounding peaks and bodies of water, even a glimpse of Boston. Gone are the days when picnickers drove their wagons to the summit to enjoy lunches packed in old cheese crates and baskets, but the windy paved road is still open to cars during the summer and on spring and fall weekends – a boon for senior dogs who don’t want to risk the 3-mile road trip hike up and down the mountain. Visitors are expected to carry out their litter in bags provided; if you forgot your doggy bags, just ask at the parking booth. They have those, too. (August 2008)

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Milford Drive-In Theater

531 Elm Street
Milford, New Hampshire
Telephone: (603) 673-4090
Website: MilfordDriveIn.com

The drive-in theater – what an American institution! And the Milford theater is one of the longest running, having just celebrated their 50th anniversary. So load up the lawn chairs, blankets, and bug spray and head over for an evening of double-feature fun. Where else can you and all your best buddies, canine and otherwise, enjoy a night out for just 20 bucks? The Milford theater has a playground to keep the little ones busy until Bob the Projectionist starts running “olde tyme” pre-movie announcements on the two big screens. Many folks toss around Frisbees and footballs in the roads until dusk, too – an activity that, of course, is off limits to those of us for whom both etiquette and the management rules require we stay leashed. Please note you need cash for the entrance fee (which includes up to six people per vehicle), but the concession stand takes credit cards and has an ATM.

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Mine Falls Park

We visited this 325-acre nature area criss-crossed with trails on a heavily overcast morning with a storm front due later in the day. Which meant we had no sun to orient ourselves when we got turned around trying to follow some of the most confusing trail markers this hiking hound has ever seen! Having checked the weather forecast, my People were prepared with rain gear. A potential soaking to the skin was not the issue, especially not for my bouncing water hound of a sister, Brontë. Oh no, the problem with going an unexpected mile or two extra on an impromptu bummel is that The Boy’s legs are still rather short. And because my People were busy carrying someone else whose arthritis was especially bad due to the dampness, there was no question of carrying a tired tike the last stretch back to the car. (Happily, the lure of guacamole at a local Mexican restaurant kept The Boy going.)

But I digress…. We had started out on the purple Turtle Trail, at least according to the rustic, wood-carved map at the entrance. The only markers we saw, however, were a handful of newish red ones, and then a series of green, all labeled like squares on a bingo card (R23, G14). I’m sure the original map was a great guide back when you could actually see the corresponding markers nailed to trees along the trails. Today those old markers are nearly overgrown with tree bark, or their paint so faded as to render them nigh invisible. No matter, assuming we were still on the loop trail we’d seen on the map, we keep on going. Turns out we were on a different, and much lengthier, loop trail.

In an example of genuine irony, much of the time we were “lost” (I mean, exploring), we could hear the sounds of traffic and activity from the busy streets and businesses that border the park. At one point, we thought we recognized the far end of our parking lot through the trees – only to pop out of the woods to the surprise of both ourselves and the workers enjoying an outdoor lunch at a picnic table behind their office building. Good times!

For those who live and work in Nashua, the forest, wetlands, and open fields of Mine Falls Park provide a taste of the country in the midst of a busy (by New Hampshire standards) city. From fishing to cross-country skiing, jogging and kayaking, the park permits activities to suit many tastes. Even on an inclement Thursday, we saw many folks and a few dogs enjoying the place (but, you will note, we asked none for directions). Brontë and I will be back to stretch our legs here the next time our People visit Nashua for one of their semi-monthly shopping trips. But as a dog-friendly destination, one (like the Breakheart Reservation) that I’d actually go out of my way to visit, I think I’ll keep sniffing out the many other nature preserves and recreation areas in this part of New England. (May 2009)

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New Mexico

International UFO Museum and Research Center

Friendly, knowledgeable docents at this oasis in the middle of the New Mexico desert answer questions for visitors trying to make up their own minds about the “Roswell Incident.” No conspiracy theorist myself, I was rushing through the museum with my Editor in search of photo ops when the well-balanced exhibits caught my attention, and I stopped for a closer look. Like me, kids will enjoy posing with the alien models and examining the crop circles display, before visiting the world´s only alien-themed McDonald´s up the street. Need a few gifts to take home? You´ll have no problem finding something for your quirkier friends in the gift shop. (Alien salt-and-pepper shakers, anyone?) In fact, the staff members there were so taken with yours truly that they presented me with a plush green alien doll before we left.

White Sands National Monument

Southern New Mexico is home to another dog-friendly attraction whose desolate and mysterious beauty is in keeping with the otherworldly atmosphere at Roswell. White Sands National Monument is almost 300 square miles of glistening sand dunes that tower as high as buildings. Check back this summer for my first-hand report on the park. Planning a trip before then? Make sure you visit the safety sections of the website listed here for information on dune dangers, drinking water requirements, and so forth.

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Oregon

Mill Beach                                   Guest Review by Spencer

This is my favorite beach! The trail from the parking area opens to a beautiful beach with very soft sand. If there are no other dogs around (and usually there are not), my People just let me run and run lickety split all around them, picking up driftwood or seaweed and begging them to chase me. It’s a load of fun. My People’s favorite thing about this beach is the beautiful sea glass we often find there – it’s the best spot up and down the coast to find these little treasures, in their book! (September 2008)

Note from Chaucer: Since I couldn’t find a website or map to Spencer’s favorite beach online, he kindly sent me these instructions: From Highway 101, follow Mill Beach Road to Macklyn Cove Drive. Just before Macklyn Cove Drive, there’s a small parking area on the left and a sign that reads, “Mill Beach parking.” After you park, walk to Macklyn Cove Drive and follow it downhill to the beach.

McVay Rock Beach                                   Guest Review by Spencer

Although I’ve seen other dogs romp here, I don’t like to walk, run, or stroll on this beach because the sand is gravelly and hurts my feet! (As one of my People says, “It’s kinda cute how he just sits down and refuses to take another step. Not so cute, though, when I end up carrying him for the long haul!”) So instead of beachcombing, we pick a spot near the entrance by the large logs that years ago drifted in and “park” ourselves. I have a spot in the shade on a towel under a log, where I dig a cool spot for myself. My People bring a beach blanket and relax with a box of color pencils and paper and draw our surroundings – only the last time we went, we forgot the paper and drew our beach scene on smooth, flat rocks instead. This lovely beach goes for miles, and hardly anyone is ever there. It’s like having the whole beach to ourselves! (September 2008)

Note from Chaucer: Part of the McVay Rock State Recreation Site, this beach is known for whale-watching and clamming, as well as the long rocky beach that so troubles my tender-footed friend. The state park is open year-round and has restrooms and a spacious lawn area ideal for picnicking (and resting sore paws).

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Virginia

Arlington National Cemetery

As at the UFO museum in Roswell, New Mexico, my People decided to ask about the cemetery´s pet policy on an impulse, when passing through the D.C. area. While not advertised, well-behaved dogs on leashes are allowed inside the grounds. With only an hour to go until closing, we made our way to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and to the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial. If traveling with children, consider having them plan your visit at the cemetery website. In addition to detailed listings of the numerous memorials, the site groups individuals by various categories: explorers, literary figures, and so forth.

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