Recommendations for traveling in the winter to WA?

Q. My family and i are moving from southern CA to Fort Lewis WA in January. We are driving and I am kind of nervous bc it will be winter. We have never planned a road trip before usually we just get from point A to B asap. Can anyone tell me how to do this? Any interesting places to stop or must see places...as of now we have one week to get there... unless we can leave earlier. We have never been that far north before. Any way to find dog friendly hotels?

A. You will probably just shoot up I-5 because Fort Lewis is just south of Seattle. Might get some rain in California, but that part should be an easy drive. Throughout Oregon and Washington you are likely to have a lot of rain and drizzle, but probably not too much snow. On rare occasion Portland and Seattle get a dusting of snow, but it's not very often or very much. If you run into snow, it will most likely be over Siskiyou Pass on the Oregon/California border. Check the weather report. It is wise to get through the mountains during the day to reduce the risk of black ice. You should invest in some chains ahead of time. You're supposed to carry chains during the winter just in case and prices from roadside chain sellers are outrageous.

I don't know what you have already seen along the way, but here are some suggestions:
* San Francisco is worth a day of sightseeing, but don't drive to the city, parking is a nightmare. Instead, take 580 about 45 minutes west of 5 and park at the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station and take BART to the SF Powell St station. You'll come out right at the cable cars and stuff.
* The California State Capitol in Sacramento is worth a couple of hours and it's not too far off the road. Tours are free, but you have to pay for parking. You might catch a glimpse of Arnold if you're lucky!
* Shasta Dam in far northern CA is worth a stop for a couple of hours. They give free tours inside the dam.
* Crater Lake National Park is a couple of hours east of 5. The road around the rim is closed for the winter, but if the weather is good you can still get to the visitors center.
* Multnomah Falls is only about 30 minutes east of Portland on I-84. It's a huge waterfall worth seeing and free.
* If you like seafood, check out Jakes Famous Crawfish in downtown Portland. It's pretty pricey for dinner, but not too bad for lunch.

I've made the trip from central CA to Seattle many times. If you have a week, you can be pretty leisurely. I normally stay at Comfort/Quality Inns along the road. Some take pets, you can put that in on their website and they will tell you which ones do. I usually take my laptop and make reservations for the next motel while I'm staying at the first one. That way I can judge how tired I am and how far I think I will get the next day. Usually they have much better rates if you book online rather than calling or just showing up and you can accumulate rewards points. From my travels, the Comfort Inn in Red Bluff is especially nice and the one in Yreka is especially bad.

If you are concerned about road conditions, you can get current information:
CA: www.dot.ca.gov -or- 1-800-427-7623
OR: www.tripcheck.com -or- 1-800-977-6368
WA: www.wsdot.wa.gov/TRAFFIC -or- 1-800-695-7623

How does a pet friendly hotel work?

Q. I might be staying at a pet friendly hotel and I was wondering how it worked. I don't want anything to happen to my dog. When and where would he relieve himself? Any other info would be great! Thanks!

A. Hotels that allow pets have very specific rules. The usual restriction is that the dog must not be left unattended in the room at any point for any length of time. There are often also weight limits and an extra fee. There will be a grassy area, usually near the parking lot, where your dog can relieve himself whenever you take him out to do so. You will need to have baggies to pick up your dog's waste. They are generally required to be leashed at all times when outside the room. Nothing will 'happen' to your dog, since you will have to be with him at all times.

Any ideas for waterfront dog friendly lodging in New England area?

Q. Iâm looking for waterfront (lake/beach) dog friendly lodging in New England. Iâm in CT, willing to drive a few hours in any direction.
Anyone have any suggestions?

Iâve tried search engines, but Iâd like to get some feed back from others.

Thanks!

A. Check out BringFido.com, which specializes in pet friendly hotels, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals throughout the U.S. and even internationally. Here are a few options to consider:

http://www.bringfido.com/lodging/91251/ - (Hyatt Regency Newport - on Goat Island)

http://www.bringfido.com/lodging/79893/ - (Beachside at Nantucket)

http://www.bringfido.com/lodging/80749/ - (Yachtsman Lodge and Marina in Kennebunkport, ME)

and, if you have a small dog:

http://www.bringfido.com/lodging/80020/ - (Best Western Blue Water on the Ocean in South Yarmouth, MA)

Enjoy your trip!!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers