Outing Essentials
Everything that we never want to forget when we leave the house.
A couple weeks ago we decided to make the most of these last few weeks of “summer” and make a bucket list of fun (see ENDLESS SUMMER blog here) and easy activities we could do together and nearby! We decided to add an extra item to our bucket list which was to make a day trip to Long Beach!
This “added item” actually ended up having us check off 3 things on our original bucket list! We have wanted to do a day trip to Long Beach for awhile because they have some super dog friendly areas, a dog beach, and LOTS to explore.
As a family we have gotten pretty good at half day trips. We love getting to be “tourists” and experience everything together and through a pup's view.
One of our favorite day trips is exploring a nearby city/town and spend a few hours there. This allows us to have a day, but also get back home and still have some hours in the day to wind down. Some of us start to get a little cranky/tired when we are away from home for too long (not naming names….me).
In today’s blog we are talking not just about the place we went this weekend, but everything that you (and your pawrents) need to have a successful outing. Let’s dive into how we pick, plan and pack for a day trip!
Picking a Place
Since it was the last couple weeks of summer we knew we needed to do something easy and local, but full of different activities. We have known about Long Beach for a while because it is the closest “dog friendly” beach to us, and we’ve never been! It is also a relatively “dog friendly” city with lots of other activities/places for us to go.
Must Haves -
Easy and/or Local
Full of Activities
Dog Friendly
Planning the Day
How do we plan a day? It usually starts with some googling and some instagram creeping! Mom wanted to be able to get some pretty content, so she decided we would start on a scenic neighborhood walk in the Naple’s Canals.
Next up, they wanted to make sure I had a blast and got some of my energy out, so we went to Rosie’s Dog Beach. This was definitely my favorite part of the day!
Finally, they wanted to check out some new eating spots so we headed to downtown Long Beach. We went to Beachside Brewing Co which had an amazing outdoor area and was very dog friendly! Right down the road there was a local ice cream shop that was a must stop as well.
We wanted this to be about a half day trip and it ended up being perfect! We spent about 4 hours in total in Long Beach and got to see all different parts of it! I think all of us had different favorites though, which makes adventures like this so much fun!
Easy and/or local - Check.
Full of activities - Check.
Dog Friendly - Check.
Packing for the outing
For our day trips we usually have the same exact packing list with a few tweaks here and there. It depends on where we are going, how long we are planning to be gone for, and the weather! The pawrents have their few things, but I usually have the most to pack up!
Here’s what goes in MY tote bag:
Poop Bags (always)
Water Bottle (& extra water to refill if needed)
Treats (training bits in crossbody, earth animal chew, or dental chew for the brewery)
Enrichment Toy (for the brewery)
Towel
Bandanas (for all the instagram content)
Here’s what goes in mom & dad’s tote bag:
Change of clothes and/or shoes (especially if we go to the beach)
Car Charger
Mom’s Toiletries (sunscreen, deodorant, hair ties, etc.)
Planning out like this makes for a seamless and less stressful outing with your pups, even when it is just a day trip.
You can never be 100% prepared for what might happen when you are on an adventure with your furry friends, but you can try and prevent any big stressful situations.
We hope when you plan your next day trip you can use some of these helpful tips/guidelines when picking, planning, and packing!
With that, I ‘m going to go cool off in the backyard. Talk to you next week and as always, stay friendly!
Graham