We are enjoying a week off from work. Or maybe I should say: the dogs are enjoying a week at the lake. Our week off from work is merely a pleasant bonus tacked on to the fun the dogs are having.
My parents have a place on Lake Anna in central Virginia. I grew up on the lake — we spend the the first decade or so camping on the lake every weekend — all four seasons. We had a small boat and I was water skiiing by the time I was five. I was happy in the water, whether I was swimming, jumping into the lake from the tree swing, or just swimming off the back of the boat.
When my dad got really into slalom water skiing and was competing at the regional and national level, my parents decided to buy a place on the lake and build a weekend retreat. They now spend much of their time at the lake with their Rottweiler.
Because I spent so much time at the lake throughout my life, and because we now have a free place to stay, and because we have dogs that LOVE the water almost more than life itself, it makes for the perfect vacation destination.
We come to the lake every year for vacation. It wouldn't be nearly as fun if we didn't have the dogs to entertain us. It's great, too, because they are exhausted every day. I love watching them falling asleep after dinner each evening. They're like kids who don't want to miss any action — they fight sleep, yet eventually, they can't keep their eyes open and usually fall asleep while sitting up. Every morning, as soon as our feet hit the floor, they're ready to spend another day — all day — at the dock or on the boat.
We've considered other vacation spots, but in the end, Lake Anna always wins. I get to visit my parents, all four dogs are welcomed (no pet deposits, extra fees), and the dogs love it just as much as we do.
Your turn: do you have a favorite vacation spot that's dog-friendly? Do you go often? Leave a comment and let me know where!
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