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Our favorite dog friendly stays of 2023
We traveled more than EVER with Bert and Ernie in 2023! The addition of our new baby definitely changed our pace of exploration in the back half of the year, but we can’t wait to start exploring with her and our new crew of 5 in 2024.
Read on for a recap of our 2023 stays. Be sure to click in to the full trip reports where available for more detail on each stay! We were hosted at many of these locations, but opinions are our own.
JUMP TO: Lil Bear Lodge | Superior Serenity | Foxes Landing | Oxbow Hotel | White Eagle Resort | Chalet Motel | Breckenridge Cabin | Kohl’s Resort
Follow at @northcountrycabinco
About:
This cozy cabin in the woods is an easy 90 minute drive from the Twin Cities. With plenty of private lakeshore, Lil Bear was an awesome winter getaway with our lil bears. Come summertime, guests can borrow a canoe, kayaks, paddle boards, and a pedal boat! [hosted]
What We Loved:
Reading and watching TV by the fireplace/stove in the living room. Bring your own book or borrow one from the lending library and cuddle up with some hot cocoa or your morning coffee. Just the coziest for a winter stay!
Things to Do:
Hike at Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary (45 min drive) - check out the 2.9 mile Bear Trail loop and bring your snowshoes! Entry is free, dogs must be leashed.
Drinks at Agonic Brewing (30 min drive) - dog friendly inside
Follow at @superiorserenityairbnb
About:
Just 10 mins away from bustling Canal Park at the foot of the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Superior Serenity is a calm respite and perfect spot to spend a Twin Ports weekend. The fenced backyard, loaded coffee corner, and beautiful appliances (even an air fryer!) were among the nicest we’ve experienced at a short term rental. [hosted]
What We Loved:
The location - Superior is so convenient to all sorts of activities in Duluth and outdoor adventures both on the North Shore and into Northern Wisconsin
Things to Do:
Hike at Pattison State Park (20 min drive) - see Wisconsin’s largest waterfall, beautiful in any season
Walk around Canal Park, see the Aerial Lift Bridge, and stop for drinks at Vikre Distillery - dog friendly inside
Follow at @thehavens.co
About:
Have you ever stayed in a tiny cabin? This was my first! Everything is optimized to fit perfectly here, but luckily the toilet and shower are full size :) Enjoy the private barrel sauna, fire ring, hammock, and outdoor shower when the weather’s right. Note - one dog only. [hosted]
What We Loved:
This was a mid-week getaway for me and just Ernie. It was really special to have one on one time and nice to have a change of scenery for remote work. Wifi was great and strong enough for a day full of video calls.
Things to Do:
Hike at Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area (10 min drive), a restored wetland and brush prairie sanctuary. Free entry. See sandhill cranes migrating through here in spring and fall. Good for snowshoeing too!
Drinks at Brickfield Brewing (10 min drive). Dogs permitted on patio.
Follow at @oxbowhotel
About:
This hip hotel is a great home base for a visit to the indie-cool city of Eau Claire. Dog friendly rooms are motel-style with direct access outside - we love this when staying in hotels with the dogs! Check out a couple of records from the lobby lending library and spin some tunes on your in-room turntable. [hosted]
What We Loved:
Potty walks are so scenic with the dozens of murals and hundreds of sculptures scattered around the city! Nearby Phoenix Park is a great place to stretch legs and paws.
Things to Do:
Coffee at Racy D’lenes, an independent coffee shop and a student/local staple. Dogs allowed inside.
Drinks at The Joynt (10 min drive), a half-century old dive bar that welcomes pups inside
Follow at @whiteeagle_lakevermilion
About:
Bring the whole crew up to this family owned resort - there’s a dog friendly cabin for groups of every size! It’s a classic up north experience complete with fish house, boat rentals, game room, and two adorable pups who live on site year round. [hosted]
What We Loved:
We brought Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Sam with us on this trip! It was fun to get the true extended family experience at this place that has brought relatives together for generations.
Things to Do:
Two great state parks are nearby. There’s fabulous hiking year-round at Bear Head Lake State Park (we snowshoed in late April!), or check out the surface at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park. Note that dogs are not permitted on the underground mine shaft tours, and these tours run only seasonally. Check the website before you visit for the most up to date information.
Eat at Vermilion Club (“The VC”) - try the Bamboozler, the biggest pizza you’ve ever seen!
Follow at @chaletmotelcuster
About:
This darling motel is a slice of Americana - perfect for a road trip stop. There are several types of rooms, including the adorable chalet cabins where we stayed. Pets stay free and there’s plenty of grassy space to walk around. Located right on the main drag in Custer, the Chalet Motel is close to restaurants and shops and just a 5 minute drive from magnificent Custer State Park.
Trip report coming soon!
What We Loved:
The retro vibe of the chalet rooms was fun and unique - tons of character! It’s always nice not to have to worry about elevators or long hallway walks in hotels, so having our own dedicated entrance to the room and close parking is clutch.
Things to Do:
Custer State Park is the obvious must-do in the area! Check out the Cathedral Spires trail for a bit of a challenge and take the Wilderness Loop Drive to see bison, pronghorn, and more.
Dinner & drinks at Miner Brewing Co - full menu, craft beer, and dog friendly inside and outside! Don’t miss the World’s Largest Smokey Bear in downtown Hill City either.
About:
There’s no instagram presence for this Airbnb, but if you have a mountain trip in mind, add this spot to your favorites list! Breckenridge is famously home to the Bernese Mountain Dog Parade in December each year, plus it’s a gorgeous destination year-round. We visited in June and enjoyed beautiful hiking in the mountains - although the altitude (11,000+ ft) was no joke for us Midwesterners!
Trip report coming soon!
What We Loved:
The holy grail of Airbnbs - this home had a fenced yard and welcomed multiple big dogs! It was so nice to let Bert and Ernie run around in the yard a bit after they’d been so good on leash all day hiking, brewery hopping, and exploring the shops in downtown Breck. While we didn’t see any, several reviews mentioned folks having spotted elk or moose from the front porch!
Things to Do:
Hike the Reiling Dredge/Minnie Mine trail to see some ruins from Breckenridge’s past as a mining town
Shop on Main Street. Many stores are dog friendly! Stop at RMU/Rocky Mountain Underground’s backyard patio for a beer with the pups. We visited at the wrong time of year, but the BreckConnect gondola at the base of Peak 8 is dog friendly too so you can ride up and down with your dog.
Follow at @kohlsresort
About:
There’s so much to do both at this dog friendly resort and in nearby Bemidji, MN. Drive 4 hrs northwest of the Twin Cities and you’ll find fabulous fishing and hiking at and around Kohl’s. This family owned resort has an indoor pool perfect for rainy summer days and any day in the winter. Don’t sleep on Liar’s Lounge, the on site snack bar serving drinks, pizza, and bar classics like a walleye basket and cheese curds. [hosted]
What We Loved:
We stayed in a super unique octagonal cabin! Kohl’s has several of these - some are even elevated like treehouses. The wraparound deck made for awesome views of the fall foliage.
Things to Do:
Hike at Lake Bemidji State Park, a quick 10 minute drive from Kohl’s. The city of Bemidji is situated along the shore of Lake Bemidji, so it’s cool to have part of that lakeshore reserved as popular state park land.
Photo op with the iconic Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox statues before drinks at Bemidji Brewing (dog friendly outside only)
Are you dreaming about your next trip with your dog? We sure are! And we’re looking forward to a new year of adventures together.
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