CT 
Misty (left) and Daisy check out Carmel Beach, one of California's few remaining leash-free beaches. (Ann Tatko-Peterson/Contra Costa Times/MCT)
CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif -- This was not a typical girls' trip.
My sister-in-law Lisa and I were going on vacation, not with our daughters but with Daisy and Misty -- our dogs.
Daisy is Lisa's 10-year-old miniature poodle; Misty is my 5-year-old Lhaso Apso-poodle mix. Both have gone on long car rides, camping trips and visits to Lisa's vacation home in Angel's Camp. But this was to be the first trip designed specifically with them in mind.
Lisa and I picked Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming artists' enclave that embraces its eccentricity. This is, after all, the town that doesn't have street addresses, once tried to ban ice cream cones to keep the sidewalks clean and requires a permit for residents and visitors who want to wear high heels. But it's also the town that loves its dogs -- even those visiting with tourists -- which prompted DogFriendly.com to select it as the country's most dog-friendly resort region.
Accommodating pets is big business in the tourism industry these days. A 2008 TripAdvisor survey found that 61 percent of 1,600 pet-owning travelers polled have brought their pets on at least one trip. About 29.1 million Americans regularly take their pets on trips of 50 miles or more, says the Travel Industry Association of America.
Carmel doesn't just pay lip service to its claim of being dog friendly. It has 25 hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts that welcome pets of all sizes, and 44 restaurants, bars and coffee houses that offer seating where dogs are permitted.
Carmel has one of the few remaining leash-free beaches in California. Shops and galleries welcome canine customers with water dishes and biscuits. (On our visit, we saw only three shops or galleries with signs banning dogs -- and one of those because, as the sign read, "My dog barks louder.")
Even City Hall opens its doors to dogs; Carmel Mayor Sue McCloud often brings her Dandie Dinmont terrier, Robbie, to work. And a painting of Pal, the "town dog" until his death in 1943, hangs in the entryway of the City Council chamber.
Michael Merritt, owner of the floral design gallery Twigery, said it best: "When I die, I want to come back as a Carmel dog."
Yes, Carmel seemed the ideal spot for a rookie pooch-vacation experience.
Our trip didn't exactly have an auspicious start. We had placed both dogs in the back seat, nestled into their respective beds, but within two minutes, Daisy attempted to climb into Misty's bed, tipping it over and sending both dogs sprawling.
It didn't help that our trip coincided with one of the relentless January storms that pounded through California.
Yet, as we pulled into Carmel, the dark clouds suddenly shifted. With a welcome respite from the rain, we drove straight to Carmel Beach. Who knew if we'd have another opportunity to let the dogs wander on the sands during our three-day visit.
High tides had brought out a "beach closed" sign, so we stuck to higher ground. Daisy remained on her leash -- her old-dog hearing and love of water were a risky mix. I unhooked Misty, and she bounded across the sand like a puppy to greet a handful of other visiting dogs and their owners.
As we would learn later, the beach is usually crowded with dogs of all sizes and breeds -- "It's like walking at the Westminister Dog Show," explained local Gale Wrausmann. It's also a popular site for dog parties, even an annual corgi convention.
Size and breed are not issues at Cypress Inn, either. The hotel began opening its doors to pets when actress Doris Day came on board as a co-owner in 1986.
Today, general manager Nancy Slade estimates that one-third of the hotel's guests bring their pets -- not that you can tell by the rooms. The 44 well-appointed rooms and spacious suites look practically brand new and bear not a single hair from or scent of the previous canine guests.
The trick: dry cleaning, one staffer confided. Plus, each pet gets its own blanket.
We arrived during the hotel's signature afternoon tea (1-4 p.m. daily), where, a sign boasted, "Husbands and pets welcome." Much to our chagrin, Daisy and Misty barked to make their presence known to the five dogs in attendance.
My sister-in-law Lisa and I were going on vacation, not with our daughters but with Daisy and Misty -- our dogs.
Daisy is Lisa's 10-year-old miniature poodle; Misty is my 5-year-old Lhaso Apso-poodle mix. Both have gone on long car rides, camping trips and visits to Lisa's vacation home in Angel's Camp. But this was to be the first trip designed specifically with them in mind.
Lisa and I picked Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming artists' enclave that embraces its eccentricity. This is, after all, the town that doesn't have street addresses, once tried to ban ice cream cones to keep the sidewalks clean and requires a permit for residents and visitors who want to wear high heels. But it's also the town that loves its dogs -- even those visiting with tourists -- which prompted DogFriendly.com to select it as the country's most dog-friendly resort region.
Accommodating pets is big business in the tourism industry these days. A 2008 TripAdvisor survey found that 61 percent of 1,600 pet-owning travelers polled have brought their pets on at least one trip. About 29.1 million Americans regularly take their pets on trips of 50 miles or more, says the Travel Industry Association of America.
Carmel doesn't just pay lip service to its claim of being dog friendly. It has 25 hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts that welcome pets of all sizes, and 44 restaurants, bars and coffee houses that offer seating where dogs are permitted.
Carmel has one of the few remaining leash-free beaches in California. Shops and galleries welcome canine customers with water dishes and biscuits. (On our visit, we saw only three shops or galleries with signs banning dogs -- and one of those because, as the sign read, "My dog barks louder.")
Even City Hall opens its doors to dogs; Carmel Mayor Sue McCloud often brings her Dandie Dinmont terrier, Robbie, to work. And a painting of Pal, the "town dog" until his death in 1943, hangs in the entryway of the City Council chamber.
Michael Merritt, owner of the floral design gallery Twigery, said it best: "When I die, I want to come back as a Carmel dog."
Yes, Carmel seemed the ideal spot for a rookie pooch-vacation experience.
Our trip didn't exactly have an auspicious start. We had placed both dogs in the back seat, nestled into their respective beds, but within two minutes, Daisy attempted to climb into Misty's bed, tipping it over and sending both dogs sprawling.
It didn't help that our trip coincided with one of the relentless January storms that pounded through California.
Yet, as we pulled into Carmel, the dark clouds suddenly shifted. With a welcome respite from the rain, we drove straight to Carmel Beach. Who knew if we'd have another opportunity to let the dogs wander on the sands during our three-day visit.
High tides had brought out a "beach closed" sign, so we stuck to higher ground. Daisy remained on her leash -- her old-dog hearing and love of water were a risky mix. I unhooked Misty, and she bounded across the sand like a puppy to greet a handful of other visiting dogs and their owners.
As we would learn later, the beach is usually crowded with dogs of all sizes and breeds -- "It's like walking at the Westminister Dog Show," explained local Gale Wrausmann. It's also a popular site for dog parties, even an annual corgi convention.
Size and breed are not issues at Cypress Inn, either. The hotel began opening its doors to pets when actress Doris Day came on board as a co-owner in 1986.
Today, general manager Nancy Slade estimates that one-third of the hotel's guests bring their pets -- not that you can tell by the rooms. The 44 well-appointed rooms and spacious suites look practically brand new and bear not a single hair from or scent of the previous canine guests.
The trick: dry cleaning, one staffer confided. Plus, each pet gets its own blanket.
We arrived during the hotel's signature afternoon tea (1-4 p.m. daily), where, a sign boasted, "Husbands and pets welcome." Much to our chagrin, Daisy and Misty barked to make their presence known to the five dogs in attendance.
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