Monday, July 30, 2012

Chattanooga Downtown Kayak Adventure

Chattanooga Downtown Kayak Adventure

  • We had a fantastic time taking the kayak tour of downtown Chattanooga offered by Outdoor Chattanooga.
  • The tour lasted about two hours and went at a very slow pace. 
  • We learned about some local history, viewed a blue heron rookery, and did some wonderful bird watching. 
  • We can't wait to get Otis out on the water in our very own kayak!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Ditto Landing

Ditto Landing

  • We love to go with Otis & Beans to Ditto Landing. It is in south Madison County in Huntsville and midway on the Tennessee River.
  • Ditto Landing has a marina, picnic grounds, and a camping area. We like to picnic beside the river and walk along the river watching the boats go by. 

Lookout Mountain, TN

Ruby Falls
  • We crowded into the underground maze to view the falls and took a mile-long walk inside the mountain. We enjoyed seeing all the rock formations and learning the history about the mountain. The caverns were once used as a hospital during wartime.
  • The site is not pet-friendly and not for someone who cannot hold their bladder. No restrooms are available during the hour-long tour. 
Rock City
  • We absolutely loved visiting this tourist attraction that also happens to be pet-friendly. 
  • The rock gardens were beautiful and views just amazing. 
  • Atop the mountain, we were able to see 7 different states. 

Georgia Aquarium


  • The Georgia Aquarium is a great place to go if you buy your tickets ahead of time and get in as early as you can, otherwise you are waiting for hours with very little shade.
  • It's not pet-friendly, but inside the Aquarium, we enjoyed seeing the Dolphin Show and all the various marine life including the beluga whales. 
  • Centennial Olympic Park is pet-friendly, but we went when it was so hot outside that the park was not even people-friendly. 
my favorite whale shark photo with the people silhouettes in the foreground giving scale
Piranha!
    Whale Shark
Someone has to clean out the penguin habitat... good job for an intern.
UFO..... no, actually its a jellyfish. Eastern Sea Nettle to be exact.

Dauphin Island


  • Dauphin Island is a great place to visit if you want quiet time on the beach with your friends & family.
  • The island doesn't have many restaurants or stores, so it's also a good place to go if you are content to eat in a lot. 
  • We stayed in a pet-friendly rental called Safari Island. It was just perfect for our little tribe. 
  • Most of the time the weather was great and Otis & Beans romped in the sand & surf with us on the pet-friendly beach. Pugs can't take the heat, so Otis could not stay out long. Otis is also a little afraid of water. He did swim, but only to get out as fast as possible. Beans, on the other hand, loved to run in the sand, go crabbing, and swim. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment Center, Concerts on the Dock


  • We went to a free outdoor concert at Lowe Mill in June. It has free outdoor Friday evening concerts from April through October.
  • The Snake Doctors were playing and a lot of people (and their canine friends) were out there to hear them play. 
  • The jugglers and hula hoop performers were also entertaining, especially for Otis who kept waiting for a hoop to jump through or for something to be dropped by the juggler.
  • While you can bring your own refreshments and meals, we chose to dine during the concert from one of Lowe Mill's  eateries. Lowe Mill has some delicious food choices available at the Happy Tummy and The Palate.