Dillon and I had the most amazing time together in the Dominican Republic- beautiful views, good food & relaxation!! {recap post here} While we were away we were fortunate to have Devon & Park Vet take care of Lucy, so no worries there…. but, as much as we enjoyed ourselves, something was definitely missing…. LUCY!!! Our getaway gave me just enough time to plan our next vacation WITH LUCY! An Instagram ad for Glamping Unplugged deals popped up while I was by the pool and we legit planned our next puppy inclusive vacation on site! 😉 Luckily we were able to take advantage of my random nurse schedule & Dillon’s great PTO to become week day warriors, snag the deals & get out of town!
To kick things off, we made our way home to Badin Lake, NC and enjoyed a few days with my parents!! This was Lucy’s 1st BOAT RIDE & LAKE TRIP!!! She had so much to take in & I believe it is safe to say she is a PONTOON PUPPY!
Lucy ABSOLUTELY LOVED going on boat rides!! She was so relaxed & was obsessed with the wind in her face, all the new sights & smells! She loved rolling around on the boat, sitting on the seats, peering over the edge. There were a few times it looked like she wanted to just climb on over the edge to explore even more!
We kept her on the leash since we weren’t exactly sure what she would do, but WOW! it was so funny to see how boat rides are good for everyone’s soul, even doggies!
We were able to enjoy a very nice sunny day, but it was still a little chilly… regardless, I was determined to get Lucy IN the water & begin teaching her to swim as soon as possible! (7-8 months old). My goal all along this year is to expose her to as much as possible- new foods, places, people, animals, the more socialization & flexibility the better!
The water was chilly & she was a little skeptical + clingy in the water, she did everything she could to keep her head above water & was a little scared of the deeper water, especially where she couldn’t get her feet under her or completely climb out onto the dock by herself, so she seemed a little worrisome with the bigger splashes surrounding her. She didn’t mind wearing her life jacket at all and it was a solid 1st attempt! I look forward to more time together in the water this summer!
She had 0 issues when it came to the boat, all she wanted to do was relax on the boat & enjoy the breeze!! After a great weekend lakeside, we loaded up & headed to our next location- BOONE, NC! Where unfortunately we hit some rain & it was a DOWN POUR to say the least!! Not the most dog friendly or camping compatible weather 🙁
We had to think quickly & regroup for our first night in town — hotel it was! We found refuge at LaQuinta Inn & they were great! Totally dog friendly (there were milk bones at the desk!) easy to book last minute & quality accommodations for every one! We didn’t plan on Lucy having a hotel experience so soon, but she did very well & I think apartment life prepared her for the room, it wasn’t loud & she didn’t overreact or bark at anyone inside, so we were very pleased! Her new trick was jumping from bed to bed across the room, we were all thrilled to be warm & cozy!
The next day, the rain cleared & we were able to pick up where we left off! Boone, NC has so many options for delicious dining and outdoor activities- hiking, waterfalls, lots of trails… we set out to do it all! + camping!
It was wonderful to get back to our DRY campsite & enjoy the surrounding areas! Lucy LOVED the river, mountains & trails! She tried her 1st french fry at Come Back Shack and we even got to take Lucy around our old App State stomping grounds, SO FUN!! Dream come true to have my own pup at our favorite place!
We had the most fun 3 days in the mountains!! even despite our 1st rainy day 🙂 Lucy rocked the trails & we didn’t end up needing the hiking back pack lol I just wanted to be prepared! 😉 but her puppy legs held the distance! I’m so proud of Lucy for being so fun and adaptable to all the new adventures! She goes along with all of our ideas, with no accidents & no trouble at all- we are also SO thankful she does so well in the car!! Bringing a dog along does require a little extra planning & packing, but it is so worth it! We love our girly & she adds so much extra fun to everything!!
We were lucky to actually pack pretty light with Lucy, but here are our usual go-to’s!
