Summer roadtrip ideas from Seattle especially if you have kids and a dog

I have been holding onto all hopes that the Canadian border might open but as of today it will be closed until nearly the end of July. So now we’re looking for all the summer roadtrip ideas for places that are as self-contained as possible, places that have scenic views and especially places that can accommodate kids and a dog. And ideally if these places are within a three hour drive of Seattle, we couldn’t be happier. So if you are also looking for roadtrips from Seattle this summer, I’ve started to compile my research here.

Iron Springs Resort

We first visited Iron Springs Resort a few years ago and now after going once this summer we will definitely be going back again. They have made every effort to allow for social distancing and they are doing an incredible job. For example, if you want to rent a DVD to watch in your cabin, you phone your order in and you can pick up your DVD in a bag in front of their General Store (where only one person is allowed in at a time) and you don’t have to interact with anyone in person. There is soft sand on the beach and the kids and dog can dig and build sandcastles to their hearts’ content. You can even drive on the beach here too. Cabins are clean and cozy and have kitchens and fireplaces or wood-burning stoves. I would especially recommend Cabin 8 or Cabin 9.

Dog-friendly accommodations at Seabrook

We will be staying at Seabrook for the first time very soon and if you are looking to stay here too, you might want to book ASAP because I’ve heard this might be where all of Seattle heads this summer. Seabrook is a vacation community three hours away from the city and it is near Iron Springs but with many more amenities. Some things like their pool and exercise room might not be open this summer but eventually they’ll open again. We have not been here yet, and we are excited to stay and learn about owning a vacation property here too. There are many different cabin options and a lot of them can accommodate dogs and some even have hot tubs too. With little shops and cute restaurants this is the type of place families try to revisit year after year and it’s so close to Seattle it seems the perfect beach destination roadtrip.

Ocean Crest Resort

Ocean Crest resort is also near Seabrook and Iron Springs and looks pretty intriguing. I saw they have waterfront condos with kitchens that can accommodate pups so I’ll keep this one in mind for summer roadtrips as well.

CaveB Inn

Now here’s a roadtrip idea with a winery. I have been wanting to stay at Caveb Inn forever but it is usually so difficult to get reservations in the summer because of concerts in the Gorge. When I messaged them you just need to tell them you are bringing your pup and it’s a $30 fee. They have hotel rooms in their lodge but there are also self contained yurts that have bathrooms, mini-fridges and microwaves and modern stand alone condos with kitchens that seem a lot like tiny-homes. And even though this is not too far from Seattle, wandering and hiking the area near the Gorge feels like a million miles away.

Lodges on Vashon – a roadtrip with a ferry

You need to take a ferry to get to Vashon Island and you can do this from West Seattle or Tacoma. The Lodges on Vashon have microwaves and fridges so breakfasts and lunches would be easy but you would probably have to order out for dinner and I know there are many take out options in the area. There are dog-friendly rooms-you just need to let them know you have a dog when you book and there is a fee. But the cabins look modern and intriguing and this is a place we’ll keep in mind. I wish it was closer to the beach but taking the ferry would make this a unique roadtrip option and I would be excited to check out a llama farm I’ve heard about here too.

Chrysalis Inn in Bellingham is a dog-friendly hotel

There are no kitchens in this hotel but when we visited you can bring your pet to the Chrysalis Inn with a $50 pet fee and there are interior stairs so you don’t have to use the elevator and this hotel only has three floors. A one bedroom suite offers extra room and a large dining table and the waterfront view is gorgeous. We stayed here so that we could visit Peace Arch Park and appreciated takeout from the hotel restaurant. The rooms are comfortable and we loved the walking path by the hotel along the water but the train noise was quite loud at night when we were there. This hotel is part of the Hilton brand-we booked because we could use points for this hotel and our gold status gave us breakfast credit and room upgrades too.

Headlands Lodge or Inn at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City

We stayed at Headlands Lodge around when it first opened and it is a bit farther than 3 hours from Seattle-I first thought it was in Cannon Beach but it’s a lot more south-but I really loved it here so I’m going to pretend it is almost three hours and you can check the real time if you need to. This is a magical place with a gorgeous beach and dunes nearby and I’ve also looked at the Inn at Cape Kiwanda but both are booked for the times we want to visit but maybe they will work for you. Pet-friendly rooms are available with a fee and there may be a minimum night stay but the location of both these accommodations is stunning and perfectly Pacific Northwest. You can drive on the beach and have beach fires at night. Both places have suites with kitchens but also more regular hotel-style rooms. I’ve noticed that the suites tend to book up earlier so check your dates far in advance. (We missed out!)

Rolling Huts- an almost camping experience

I adore architecture by Olson Kundig, the architect that built these Rolling Huts in the Methow Valley and they are a place I would love to stay but they do not have bathrooms so that is a dealbreaker for me (From what I understand they have their own portable toilet outside and a shared restroom facility.) You might also have to bring things like bedding but they have a list of items to help you remember so make sure you read their site before you go if you book. When I checked the pet fee was $25 a night and children under 12 stay free. I probably won’t go here because I like having my own restroom but I will keep them on my list because I may end up braving up to go here anyways by the end of summer because they look so cool.

Otto the Tiny Home in Leavenworth

We stayed in these Tiny Homes in Leavenworth a few years ago, and we didn’t have our pup then, but I checked and if you book the one named “Otto”, this one is pet-friendly and we actually stayed in Otto when we were there. Staying here would be a great way to also explore Wenatchee-we went there last summer and had a fabulous time.

What we bring for our pup when we travel

We are using Fresh Patch for dog training at home and at our cabin and it’s been helpful to bring it when we travel. We also bring a little portable pen that our pup sleeps in and we bring him a new toy when we visit a new place. (We used to bring the kids a new toy when we traveled when they were small too!). We also make sure we have one person dedicated to supervising the pup when we arrive at a new place to make sure he gets properly acclimatized.

Are you also traveling with a pup this summer? And if you have found any fabulous dog-friendly places or roadtrip ideas near Seattle please share them in the comments below. If you are looking for an especially brave roadtrip destination from Seattle I am dreaming about Dillon Beach Resort in California. It’s a 14 hour drive from Seattle and when things feel like they’re getting healthier and after we have a few have accomplished a few closer roadtrips this is one place I want to see in real life one day.

And yes, I will be updating this list as we do more research.

(PS. there may be affiliate links in this post.)

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)