St. Pete Pier, Green Pet Store and a shared chicken tagine

After our spa time...I used my Massage Envy gift certificate (thanks Jess!) and Atlas went to Petsmart for a bath and nail trim...we happened-upon this cute pet store, Animal House. It's an eco-friendly store and adoption center. The people were very-friendly and they seemed to have a great selection of all kinds of pet products. They had strategically placed all of the dog bones and rawhide (dog candy) at perfect nose-level. Of course Atlas sniffed-out some favorites.

We then went to the Pier in St. Petersburg. I was told there was a pet-friendly restaurant there but it looked, well, dead. So we opted for something else. But we did like looking at the boats, pelicans and hot-air balloons. The pier is a nice walk (although all cement). Atlas attempted to intimidate a pelican with a growl and a lunge...really Atlas? This thing was at least twice his size.

I wanted to eat somewhere on the water but the one restaurant that was dog-friendly was a little more than I wanted to spend. There may be some other places, I'll research this more. I decided on a Moroccan place, Fez. It was a 10-minute walk from Hotel Indigo in a very vibrant area. (aka nightlife central) Right on Central Blvd. there are all kinds of little restaurants and it's a very walkable area. Fez was a truly authentic Moroccan restaurant.

The waitress brought Atlas cold water and we shared the chicken couscous...really how can you resist giving some chicken to that face? If you're in the area you should definitely try this place. Be prepared to wait, but it's worth it.

So this is the last night of our first adventure. Hopefully there will be many more to come.

Atlas and Rachel...signing off!

Fort De Soto Park....dog beach!

It's 11:40 pm and Atlas and I have had a very full day! He is zonked on...yes, you guessed it...two feather pillows.

We started out the day at Kahwa, a dog-friendly coffee shop. Not so exciting for Atlas, but I was pretty happy. I love coffee. The Kahwa (coffee in Arabic) was delicious. I also got a French baguette sandwich with tomato, mozzarella, and basil. The baguette was not your ordinary grocery-store baguette, this was a real French baguette, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Yum. I suggest checking this place out...it also had an abundance of decadent-looking French pastries. Atlas liked the mozzarella. Shh...

Then it was on to the dog beach at Fort de Soto Park. I don't know if I was more excited or if Atlas was. It was about a 15-minute drive from downtown St. Petersburg. There are tollways on the way so be prepared to have change, but the park has free admission. The park is very easy to navigate and there is a lot of parking for the dog beach side. Other than just the dog beach there are all kinds of activities available. There is a campground, canoe and kayak trails with rentals available, boat ramps and many nature trails available for hiking. They also offer a free guided nature walk.

There is a fenced dog park at the beginning of the path to the beach. Like any standard park there are big dog and small dog areas. The park has some shady spots and the best thing is the shower sprays! They're mounted high so you just have to pull down the nozzle...much easier than a standard hose because this way you can also hold onto your dog. I sprayed Atlas down just to keep him cool. There is a little refreshment stand before you get to the beach with every little necessity a pooch may need. We got an umbrella there later once I realized it was kind of ridiculous not to have brought one---whoops.

Atlas was in sensory overload once we got to the beach. Small dogs, big dogs, waves, people, frisbees flying everywhere--so many fun options--where to start? We found a spot, parked our beach blanket and Atlas was off to play. It didn't take him long to get a game of chase started (his favorite).

The beach itself is pretty and relaxing...it feels somewhat private since it is a county park. There is lush vegetation behind you instead of a parking lot like many beaches. The beach does have a lot of seaweed but it didn't bother me. There was plenty of room to spread out but there were still people and dogs at a close distance, making it feel like a little doggy community. It was fantastic. There were people and their dogs playing fetch, frisbee, and swimming in the water. I brought a book but didn't touch it---this beach is highly entertaining.

Once Atlas looked like he had his fill of fun-dog-in-the-sun we went back to the park for a quick doggy-shower. I think he had even more fun rolling around in the dirt after his shower. I didn't mind though because....we were both on our way to some spa time!

Our First Trip

Atlas and I are going to travel the U.S. reviewing dog-friendly hotels and tourist destinations. I think most people don't want to leave their family pet in a kennel while on vacation but it can be tricky and possibly cumbersome to bring their pets along. So Atlas and I will pave the way for you. We're going to go to some great spots and review them so your travels can be easier, and you won't have to leave part of your family behind!

Fort De Soto Park is reviewed as being one of the best dog beaches in the U.S. so I decided this would be a great starting point for Atlas Adventures.

Our first trip is to St. Petersburg, Florida just a short drive to Fort De Soto where we'll be going later today. We're staying at Hotel Indigo in the center of downtown. I arrived fairly late but the staff was friendly and helpful. I was told the Pier, which is just a 10 minute walk from the hotel, has lots of dog-friendly restaurants so we'll try one out later.

The hotel itself from a human stand-point is lovely, fresh and modern. It's an old building from the 1920s but has been completely updated, although they've kept some of the architectural details, such as the molding and crystal door knobs. Which I love. From Atlas' view it's not too bad either. There are some grassy areas right outside of the hotel. We went on a 15-minute walk near the hotel, there are sidewalks and some good grassy spots. This is a downtown area though so it should be expected that it's not a pristine walk, but it was decent. They left us a little goody-bag. But, boo there were no dog bones---but Atlas did appreciate the peanut butter crackers. (Yeah I let him have a snack now and then!)

I love the king sized bed---so comfortable and I didn't have to use my own feather pillow, the pillows and bedding are top-notch. The bathroom has modern fixtures and Aveda toiletries. Since it is an old building there are a few random pipes in odd places but this doesn't bother me, I think it adds to the charm. Atlas likes the pillows too as you can see in the pics. He is a big pillow dog, he knows a good pillow when he finds one.

We're getting ready to go to Kahwa, a dog-friendly coffee shop/cafe for breakfast and then to Fort De Soto dog beach. I have a gift certificate to massage envy so while I'm there Atlas is going to the groomer/doggie spa (probably a much needed one after the beach)!

Atlas and Rachel--signing off!