Laura
Reviews (19)
Trails are okay.
Pemberton Historical ParkThe trails aren't bad though they didn't seem to be well maintained, as there were some fallen logs across the trails that had not been cleared away when I was there. Some parts of the trails get wet at high tide - I found myself wading in ankle-deep water on the way back out to my car. There are frequently runners on the trails and they can come up on you unexpectedly. Some of the bridges are long and narrow and just wide enough for two - so when you're walking with your dog and other people want to run past you things can get a little dicey. I walked my dog there a few times but never really felt 100% comfortable so I found other parks to go to instead.
Lovely park and boat ramp
Pocomoke River State Park(This review is for the Shad Landing portion of the park.) The park is not especially large but is very scenic, with a nice boat ramp along the Pocomoke River where you can launch your own boat or rent a canoe. The boat ramp counts as part of the park's day use areas, but you can have your dog there long enough to get onto and off of your boat as long as you don't linger. Dogs are also allowed in the campground and along the trails. The trail I used there was very short (maybe a mile), but it was beautiful - thickly forested, swampy in areas, with patches of wild rhododendrons that felt like the setting from a fairy tale. The world felt very far away! My dog and I really enjoyed walking there, especially one particularly drizzly spring day with the rain dripping off the trees. Be prepared for muddy feet though - there are some low spots along the trail that can get soggy.
Dogs On The Sixth Floor?
Motel 6 Cutler Bay FLI did not think to request a first floor room at booking. I was assigned a sixth floor room, and my dog and I both had trouble with the height as there were no interior hallways and only a wraparound balcony railing on the edge of the exterior walkway. My dog also had issues with the elevator as she had never been in one before. The room was clean, if a little spartan. The outside looked a bit worn.
Not Bad
Red Roof Inn BaldwinIt's not a bad place to stay on a budget. Dog-friendly, clean, serviceable, if a bit run-down. There's plenty of space to walk the dog and they have bags available in the lobby for cleaning up after.
Not Bad
Red Roof Inn Fayetteville I-95It's budget-friendly, pet-friendly, and serviceable. The room was clean. Not a bad place to stay. There's not a lot of space to walk the dog, but there is a strip of grass along the edge of the parking lot.
NOPE
Red Roof Inn & Suites Statesboro - UniversityI requested non-smoking, and the clerk confirmed this when she checked me in, but the room reeked of cigarette smoke anyway. It might have been the bedding - the bedspread had a cigarette burn on it. My room was located right next to the vending machines, and there was an echo there that made voices outside my door very loud - especially at 4am!!! I did not feel safe to be outside my room after dark. There was NOWHERE to walk my dog, except for what used to be the pool area, though that's been filled in and is now full of weeds and dog poop. There was dog poop in the parking lot as well. The room was not terribly clean, and there was black mold on the ceiling above the showerhead from an old leak. I have NEVER been more uncomfortable in a motel room and was out of there by 7am. I would give ZERO bones if possible.
Very Nice
Comfort Inn Dunn Near I-95Beautifully landscaped, lobby is clean and fresh, rooms are very clean and smell pleasant. The pool looked nice though I didn't get to swim. Breakfast was good. Very dog friendly, plenty of places to walk and there are bags and a trash can right by the main entrance which was handy. I had requested a ground floor room if possible but didn't get it, which was disappointing - my dog is afraid of the elevator and getting a suitcase AND a German Shepherd up and down a flight of stairs is complicated at best, but we managed. The room was carpeted, which was a relief for my dog (she hates smooth floors). We were very comfortable and enjoyed our stay.
Beautiful
Crane Point Hammock Museum & Nature CenterNot much of the natural habitat exists anymore, but a beautiful piece of it has been preserved here. The trails are short but with the breeze blocked off by dense vegetation it can get very hot! Go early or later, don’t do as I did and go at midday! My GSD was a little overheated by the time we got back to the museum. There was water available at the Crane House.
Stinky Seaweed
Coco Plum BeachThe seaweed was terrible and smelled awful. Seaweed for twenty yards out at least. Impossible to swim.
A Great Place Place To Visit!
Dolphin Research CenterMy GSD was welcome and the dolphins appeared to be very curious about her. Got to see the dolphins up close - they were chattering and whistling quite a bit! It was very relaxing just to sit and watch them.
Excellent Beach!
Sombrero BeachVery clean, not too crowded, NO SEAWEED. Lots of pavilions to escape the sun. Shallow areas where my dog could splash comfortably. She gets nervous when she can’t touch bottom so it was great for her! The only thing I didn’t like was that the water wasn’t very clear - no waves or current, so when sand got stirred up it took a long time to settle. I ended up with a lot of sand in my bathing suit as well. But overall very nice.
Pie Was To Die For
Porky's Bayside BBQMy GSD was welcome and they brought her water first thing. My meal was okay, but a little overcooked. The key lime pie, though - I could eat that every night, it was AMAZING!! Creamy and tasted like fresh squeezed limes. So good.
Good Ambiance, Slow Service, Meh Food
The Stuffed PigMy GSD was welcome. They brought water, but in a cardboard tray...it leaked right out. Service was very slow - none of the wait staff was willing to hurry, people stood a long time waiting to be seated, and it took a long time to be able to place my order. A squall blew in while I waited, there were empty tables under the pavilion but I was not offered a different table, I was under an umbrella but it wasn’t good coverage and I got wet. Food was under seasoned and not great.
Casual, Friendly
Cracked Conch CafeMy GSD was welcome in the back patio. They brought her water. The food I had was good both times - fish sandwich, turkey club, conch fingers. The waitress said the conch was the best in Marathon and I should try it elsewhere and I’d know what she meant...she was right! Customers were a mix of tourists and locals, very casual friendly atmosphere. This was my fave place to eat in Marathon.
I Didn’t Enjoy Anything I Ordered
Keys FisheriesI had the conch fritters. The outside looked done, but when I bit into them, they were just raw batter inside. I had also ordered a fish sandwich but I just threw it away as the conch fritters killed my appetite. I had ordered the key lime and raspberry key lime to go, and ate them later...they weren’t very good either.
Ambiance Was Good.
Blue HeavenThe ambiance was very funky and relaxed, but it was a little crowded for my GSD’s comfort so I didn’t stay as long as I would have liked. I had the special, a lobster grilled cheese. It was pretty good. I asked for a slice of key lime pie to go as it had been recommended to me. But when I got to my hotel and opened the container, two flies were crawling around on the pie, so I didn’t eat it.
Not Accessible
Key West Dog BeachThere was too much seaweed to get to the water, and the odor was unpleasant.
Great Food!
B.O.'s Fish WagonStopped here with my GSD ‘cause everywhere else I tried was super busy. I had a grilled mahi sandwich - it was excellent! Very fresh, well-cooked and well-seasoned. The roll was nice and soft. I tried their chicken sandwich and it was also very good! The staff were very friendly. The appearance of the place is rough - they really do mean ‘shack’ - but if you want a quick bite you can’t go wrong here.
A Lovely Visit
Nancy Forrester's Secret GardenStopped in with my German Shepherd and had a very nice visit. We talked about birds and dogs for an hour or so. Normally Nancy said she doesn’t bring the birds out of the cages when there’s a dog visiting, but my dog was so quiet and well-behaved that they brought out a few while we were there. The birds are clearly happy and well-socialized - playful, chatty, no unhappy screeching or feather-pulling. If you’re in the area please stop in and donate if you can!