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December 23, 2025

6 Best Dog-Friendly National Parks to Visit This Winter

Okay, let’s talk about something that drives me absolutely crazy as a dog mom who loves National Parks…

Hi! I'm Vanessa, a 30 something, sunset chasing traveler. I'm here to inspire you to travel wherever, whenever, and with whoever you can. My Huskies, Loki and Freya are usually along for the ride. I have a soul that likes to wander, a desire to experience the unknown, and a curiousity to discover things off the beaten path. I hope you'll stick around for awhile!

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Badlands National Park might be one of the most un Badlands National Park might be one of the most underrated parks in the country! 

I drove in expecting a quick stop and ended up wishing I could stay longer. The formations alone are worth the drive - layer after layer of striped rock that looks like it belongs on another planet. But it’s everything else that got me. A lone sunflower growing at the base of a spire. Bighorn sheep grazing ten feet from the road. A coyote sitting in the grass like it owned the whole prairie (it probably does).

🐕🐾 🚫This is not a dog friendly national park but there is plenty to do with pups in the Black Hills! 

If you’re road-tripping through South Dakota, don’t make this a drive-through park. Give it at least two days. 

🚙 Hit the Badlands Loop Road, 
☀️ Catch sunset from the Pinnacles Overlook, and just let yourself sit with the silence for a while. 
✨It’s the kind of quiet that actually recharges you.

✨ Save this for your South Dakota road trip planning. 📌
Took a boat tour that felt more like a time machin Took a boat tour that felt more like a time machine ⚙️✨

Wakulla Springs State Park in Florida is one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, and somehow, almost no one talks about it. The water is so clear you can see 100+ feet down. The cypress trees drip with Spanish moss. And the wildlife? Unreal.

We took the 4 PM boat tour and I genuinely lost count of how many alligators we saw. Plus manatees, egrets, ibis, anhingas, and about a dozen birds I couldn’t name. All for $7 a person.

The whole vibe is vintage Florida, the kind that existed before the theme parks and tourist traps took over. The historic lodge on-site has been there since the 1930s and was even used as a filming location for old Tarzan movies.

If you’re anywhere near Tallahassee, don’t skip this. It’s the Florida that still feels wild.
📍 Wakulla Springs State Park, FL
💵 $7/person for the boat tour
⏰ We recommend the 4 PM tour for gorgeous golden hour during the winter months 

✨Save this for your Florida road trip 🐊
If you’re on the hunt - you only have a few more w If you’re on the hunt - you only have a few more weeks to see 12 giant trolls. Reclaimed wood. Hidden throughout the gardens and trails.

Trolls: A Field Study at @thencarboretum is only here through Feb 17, and it’s the first time these sculptures have been in the U.S. 🇺🇸

📍 Asheville, NC - North Carolina Arboretum 
🐕 Dog-friendly
💵 Just the parking fee ($20)
Windows down, volume up, angst out. Cheaper than t Windows down, volume up, angst out. Cheaper than therapy and way more scenic.
.
#rvlife #fulltimerv #90srock #roadtrip #millennialnostalgia nomadlife altgirlaesthetic liveontheroad
There are GIANT trolls hiding in the mountains of There are GIANT trolls hiding in the mountains of North Carolina 🌲🍄🪾✨

According to legend, trolls only reveal themselves to those who wander off the beaten path🌲 We stumbled upon something magical at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville ✨

Trolls: A Field Study is 12 giant troll sculptures by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, all made from reclaimed wood like fallen branches and pallets.

Six trolls are tucked into the gardens (wheelchair accessible!) and six more are hidden along the trails. Each one has its own personality and they’re all here to “study” humans 🫶

📍 The North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville NC
⏰ Only here until February 17 
🎟️ Included with regular parking fee (no tickets needed!) $20 
🐕 Dog-friendly!

✨❄️Save this if you’re planning a Blue Ridge trip this winter 👇
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