Travel

New travel trend: on retreat with your pet

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:002431#31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00-9Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331 26am31am-31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:009Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2023312023Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200309308amSaturday=9#!31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam8#08-26-2023#!31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:002431#/31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00-9Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331#!31Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:30:24 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam8#

Nowadays, no one looks at you strangely anymore when you say you're going on a yoga or silent retreat. Wellness vacations are all the rage and I must honestly admit: it sounds wonderful to me too. Yoga isn't really my thing, but a week of just relaxing, massages, eating, and drinking sounds amazing. You do have to shell out quite a bit of money for all that, but that's totally okay under the guise of ~working on yourself~.

My downside: I seriously miss my cat Pebbles a lot when I'm on vacation and yes, I assume that's mutual. After four days at Lowlands, I can hardly wait to hang out on the couch with her, although the emotional four-day hangover might have something to do with it...

But hey, I'm lucky because a new travel trend is emerging: wellness vacations with your pet. Naaah, how fun is that?! Cats are not the pets in question for now, but dog owners: you are going to be very happy about this.

More and more resorts offering wellness retreats also welcome your barking four-legged friend. At Blackberry Farm , for example, in Walland, Tennessee; there you can enjoy yoga, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking in the beautiful surroundings while your dog is pampered with homemade dog cookies, all sorts of toys, and can even be trained with you to search for truffles in the wilderness. Amazing.

Rancho Valencia, located in San Diego, also does it well: it's a beautiful resort where your dog is spoiled with its own dog bed and all kinds of treats. The surroundings are a paradise for you and your pet, as there are all sorts of hills where your dog can expend its energy while you enjoy the spa or do yoga. In the evening, you can order room service together, as there is a menu for you and a special menu for your dog.

In North Carolina, you will find Barkwells, and the name says it all: your dog is more than welcome here. The entire resort is fenced off so your dog can't escape but can run around freely. You can relax in the hot tub, but if your dog wants to join, that's no problem at all.