· Zoey the Dachshund · Adventures · 2 min read
Traveling with a Dachshund: Hotels and Road Trip Stops That Work
Traveling with a dachshund takes planning. Here's what we learned on a 12-night Alabama-to-California roundtrip — the best hotels, gas stops, and grass.
Twelve nights on the road from Alabama to California with a dachshund teaches you quickly which hotel chains understand pet travel and which ones are just tolerating it. Here is what we learned.
La Quinta vs. Best Western
La Quinta is the reliable choice. Every La Quinta location is pet friendly — no need to check, no surprises at check-in. When we first drove from California to Alabama years ago with our dogs, La Quinta was the chain we used the entire way. On this most recent trip we stayed at one La Quinta and the rest Best Westerns.
Best Western requires more homework. Not all Best Western locations allow pets, so you cannot assume. The right way to search is through the Best Western app, which has a pet-friendly filter that removes non-participating properties from your results. That filter saves a lot of frustration. Once you have a list of pet-friendly locations, look at the hotel photos before you book. Specifically, look for grass. If there is grass on the property, there is a very good chance Zoey is going to be happy.
The Best Western in Kerrville, TX had no grass — just a patch of dirt near the pool area. Zoey wanted nothing to do with it. She held out and used her potty pad in the room, which worked perfectly. That trip was a reminder of why keeping a dachshund pad-trained into adulthood pays off even after you think you will never need it on the road.
Road Stops Worth Knowing
Love’s Travel Stops are the best gas station option when traveling with a dog. Most locations have enclosed pet areas with enough space to let Zoey walk around off-leash. That kind of secure, contained stretch break is hard to find otherwise.
Buc-ee’s is the other standby. Every Buc-ee’s location has a grassed pet area. They are also large enough that you can actually take a real break — fuel up, grab food, and give the dog a proper walk before the next stretch.
The Short Checklist
- La Quinta: book with confidence anywhere
- Best Western: filter by pet-friendly in the app, then check photos for grass
- Love’s: enclosed off-leash pet areas at most locations
- Buc-ee’s: grassed pet areas at every location
- Always pack potty pads — some stops will not have what your dog wants
Traveling with a dachshund is completely doable with a little route planning. The right stops make all the difference.
