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May 7, 2026

Dog Friendly Acadia National Park: The Ultimate 2026 Guide

Acadia is one of the most dog friendly National Parks in the entire United States, and after spending six months living right outside Bar Harbor with my three pups, I can tell you it’s the real deal. Here’s everything you need to know to plan an incredible 2026 trip to Acadia with your dogs, including the rules, the can’t miss spots, and a few things I learned the hard way.

March 6, 2026

15 Best Dog Friendly Hikes at Acadia National Park

Three dogs hiking the Little Long Pond trail in Acadia National Park, Maine — a brown mixed breed and two huskies on leash on a sun-dappled wooded path along the turquoise shores of Little Long Pond, highlighting Little Long Pond as a peaceful and dog-friendly walk in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island near Seal Harbor, Maine, perfect for hiking with dogs in Acadia

Acadia is one of the most dog friendly National Parks in the United States, and honestly, it’s the reason we keep coming back. The first National Park east of the Mississippi boasts nearly 100 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads that you can enjoy with your pups…

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…

May 19, 2025

Paws on the Trail: The Best Dog-Friendly Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains

Planning a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with your furry friend? While many trails restrict dogs, the Smokies still offer several dog-friendly hikes and scenic drives perfect for adventurous pups and their humans. From easy riverside walks on the Oconaluftee River Trail to scenic drives like Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, this guide covers the best pet-friendly trails and outdoor experiences to help you explore the Smokies together. Discover insider tips, local spots, and must-visit places to make your Smoky Mountains dog adventure unforgettable!

October 19, 2021

The Most Dog Friendly National Parks

If you’ve traveled to many National Parks with your pups, then you know that in general, they are not very dog-friendly…

October 12, 2021

One Day Of Chasing Waterfalls On The Upper Peninsula

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a wild and wonderful escape, but if I’m being totally honest, I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t anticipating anything extraordinary, but the UP absolutely blew me away.  There are more than 300 waterfalls scattered across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and it is home to all of the waterfalls in the Great Lakes State except for one…

August 31, 2021

The Best Dog Friendly Fall Hikes in New Hampshire

Heading to New England this fall? Is there anything better than fall in New England? Nope! The crisp air, the crunchy leaves, and all those gorgeous reds, oranges, and yellows. There is absolutely nothing better than being in the mountains in the fall…

July 15, 2021

16 Tips For Traveling With Dogs

Traveling with your dog(s) can be a great experience (for both of you) with just a little extra planning. If you know me, then you know that I take my Huskies, Loki & Freya with me all the time. I started training both of them early to be ok with travel and to be adaptable to changing environments, and I’m glad I did…

May 29, 2021

11 Dog Friendly Adventures At Shenandoah

With over 200,000 acres, Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, and fields of wildflowers.There’s so much to explore and it seems like the perfect place to explore with your dog(s), doesn’t it? But let’s find out, Is Shenandoah National Park Dog Friendly?…

May 5, 2021

Dog Friendly Yellowstone National Park – Bringing Your Dog To Yellowstone

There is something special about Yellowstone, after all, this part of the Rockies is 75 million years old! There is so much to do and so many things to see that you may feel overwhelmed, and of course, you want to bring your furry best friend with you to experience all that the park has to offer! But the question remains, Is Yellowstone National Park Dog Friendly?…

April 6, 2021

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park Dog Friendly?

Find out if Great Smoky Mountains is dog friendly and 12 fun things to do with your pups near the park…

April 1, 2021

Camping At Acadia: The Complete Guide

Camping at Acadia National Park with dogs - complete guide featured image showing a Siberian Husky at a misty Seawall Campground campsite with picnic table and fire ring under tall pine trees, covering Blackwoods, Seawall, and Schoodic Woods NPS campgrounds plus dog-friendly RV parks on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Everything you ever wanted to know about camping at Acadia National Park with dogs…

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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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Let's be friends! I know e-mails can suck but mine won't and I promise cute pup photos too!

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  • One Day In Acadia With Dogs: A Local’s Itinerary
  • Where To Get The Best Lobster On Mount Desert Island
  • Dog Friendly Acadia National Park: The Ultimate 2026 Guide
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  • The Best Coastal Maine Road Trip

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Happy Birthday @that_nomad_brian 🎂😘 Brian’s birth Happy Birthday @that_nomad_brian 🎂😘

Brian’s birthday weekend itinerary: take a walk, photograph the little things we notice, declare the day a success. 🙌 This is what 42 looks like out here and honestly I wouldn’t trade it. 

Happy birthday to my favorite person to do nothing with. 🎂

What’s the most “intentional” you’ve been about doing nothing lately?
100 years ago today, Congress authorized the creat 100 years ago today, Congress authorized the creation of Shenandoah National Park. It took another decade to officially establish it in 1935, but a century after that first signature, it’s still one of the most dog-friendly parks in the country. 🌲

Almost 500 miles of trails, and fewer than 20 of them are off-limits to dogs. That’s almost unheard of for a national park.

⚠️🚫Some of Shenandoah’s most famous trails (looking at you, Old Rag and Dark Hollow Falls) are completely off-limits to dogs. Swipe to slide 8 so you don’t drive all that way for nothing.

Save this for your Blue Ridge road trip 🐾

Shenandoah, here’s to the next 100. 🌲

Photos 1 & 3 by @mistiblue00
40 things felt ambitious. 11 felt honest. 🎂 I’m w 40 things felt ambitious. 11 felt honest. 🎂

I’m writing this from a 40-foot travel trailer somewhere between who I used to be and who I’m becoming, covered in husky hair, listening to a 90s playlist that has somehow become “throwback” music, and thinking about how 40 is the age I spent my entire 20s being afraid of.

Turns out it’s just Tuesday.
Here’s what 40 trips around the sun taught me:
✦ The right person makes the hard things easier and the good things better. (Hi, @that_nomad_brian)

✦ Second chances can be the whole point.

✦ You’re allowed to outgrow the life you built. That’s not failure, that’s the assignment.

✦ Dogs are not a metaphor for unconditional love. They’re the literal definition.

✦ “I’ll figure it out” is a complete sentence and the bravest thing I’ve ever said out loud.

✦ Time really does make you bolder. (Stevie was right. Stevie’s always right.)

If 30-year-old me could see this, she wouldn’t believe the life we have now! I’m so proud of it 😅💚
Two years of laughing like this 🌲 Wouldn’t trade a Two years of laughing like this 🌲 Wouldn’t trade a single mile.

Two years of making it worth the wild. One thing about me: I’m going to laugh at/with Brian at least 100 times a day. And apparently I had a very distinct uniform over the past year 😅🤣

The @huskiesontheroad and I love you @that_nomad_brian 🌲
If you stopped scrolling for this, we’re the same If you stopped scrolling for this, we’re the same kind of person🌲

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#naturegirl #goldenhour #nationalparks #slowtravel #thewellwornshoes
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