Key West: The Best Place to Vacation in Florida with Your Dog

My husband and I like to travel, but we have a problem. Well, actually, we have two problems-our dogs. You see, my husband and I are devoted to our dogs and a trip just wouldn't be a trip without them. So when the time comes for a vacation, instead of flying, we pack up the dogs and hit the open road. Long car trips are a bit impractical-especially because our dogs are pretty big, so we tend to travel around our home state of Florida and the southeastern portion of the United States. Although traveling with pets can get stressful, it can also be a lot of fun, and in Florida, there plenty of places to go that not only cater to human fancies, but will entertain your pet as well.

By far, Key West is my favorite place on the planet, and my dogs seem to feel the same way. The tiny island at the southernmost tip of the United States, is not only beautiful and fun, it is the most dog friendly place I have ever visited in Florida. Key West is a great place to kick back and relax Jimmy Buffet style, but it is also a great place for your dogs to enjoy life too. Whenever we're down in Margaritaville, the locals are really friendly to our dogs, stopping us to ask about them, and offering us suggestions about the best places to take them on the island. Restaurants and bars along Duval Street are dog friendly too! Whenever we're walking around, the employees of these establishments make a point to tell us that we are welcome to come in and eat or have a drink with the dogs.

There is no shortage of friendliness towards humans and animals in Key West, especially at the sunset celebration every evening at Mallory Square-a place where performers and vendors gather to entertain tourists who come to view Key West's world famous sunset. The last time my husband and I went to Mallory Square, one of the vendors remembered my older dog's name even though we hadn't visited in over a year!

Although I give Key West my wholehearted Dog Friendly seal of approval, there are several things you should be aware of when traveling to Key West. First, it is hot! If you plan to go in the summer, it is not a good idea to walk your dog around during the day. Wait until sunset or later, but try to keep your dog in the hotel during the hottest hours in the afternoon, Also, there are not that many hotels in Key West that accept pets. My favorite is the Southernmost Guest House (not to be confused with the other hotels in the area with Southernmost in their names). Lastly, Key West is limited in it's beaches for humans, and even more limited for dogs. There is one tiny dog beach on the island, but despite its small size, my dogs still seem to enjoy themselves.

So the next time you're looking for a fun place to visit in Florida with your dog, look to the southernmost city in the U.S. There's plenty to do for people, and lots to do with your dog.