As I’ve gotten older and started traveling with Wynston more frequently, my love for exploring new places has grown immensely. There is something so incredibly freeing about hitting the road with my son and enjoying the journey.
Some people wonder how I travel like I do because they know I’m a very tight budget. Like, very tight. But the fact is, I’ve learned how to travel on a budget.
Traveling doesn’t have to mean staying at a 5-star resort for seven nights while getting butler service everyday. I mean, that would be lovely, but that’s not what I do. Now I want to share my secrets and tips on how to travel with your dog on a budget.
How to Travel With Your Dog on a Budget
Determine which mode of transportation is cheapest.
My two options for traveling are driving and flying, but Wynston and I most frequently drive. It may take a little bit of math to determine which way will be cheapest for you, depending on how far you’re traveling.
Cost factors to take into consideration are:
- Will you need to pay a fee to travel with your dog on an airplane? You will pay around $100 if your dog isn’t a service animal or ESA.
- Does your car get good enough gas mileage to make it worth it to drive?
- Would you need to stop for food and hotels during your road trip? Those costs add up.
- Do you need to check luggage at the airport? Fees can be up to $25 per bag!
Bonus tip: Sunday is the most expensive day to fly. Booking a flight on a certain day could add at least $30 or so to your ticket price.
Of course, you may be limited to how you can travel. Perhaps you have a big dog that can’t fly in an airplane cabin. Or maybe you have multiple dogs. Those factors may force you to drive everywhere.
Other modes of transportation include bus or train. I’m not sure if you can bring dogs on a train or a bus, but it may be worth it for you to look into. Ultimately you’ll want to do the math and determine what will be the most cost effective way for you to travel.
Where are you staying?
Man, there are SO many options outside of staying in a hotel for traveling now. Websites like VRBO or AirBnB are your best friend. You can find yurts, mansions, tiny homes, apartments, campers and more available for rent on AirBnB. The website seems to have endless possibilities and it’s almost always considerably cheaper than a hotel. Plus you can stay in some really unique homes, which make for amazing photos!
Camping at a KOA is a tremendously fun, cost-effective travel option. KOA’s are dog-friendly, and offer a ton of lodging options including cabins, tiny homes, yurts and more!
Another option is staying with friends or family. That is definitely the least expensive option, and it’s always fun to see friends. When I go to Indianapolis to visit where I grew up I stay with my old neighbors. It’s a HUGE money saver, and it’s more enjoyable! Even if you stay with a friend or family member for one night of your trip, that’s probably at least a $100 savings.
Bonus tip: If there’s a hotel chain you enjoy staying at (I prefer IHG) join their free rewards program! It’s easy to rack up points when you stay at a hotel for a few nights, and some membership programs have a sign on points bonus. You can end up with lots of free hotel stays that way!
You can also car camp, like I enjoy doing! Sleeping in the least expensive lodging option, but it isn’t doable for everyone.
Bring your own food.
If you’re going on a road trip, it’s easy to pack your own food and it’s soooo much cheaper. I like staying at hotels with a kitchen (and most AirBnB options have a kitchen of sorts), giving me an option to cook and refrigerate. This way I can buy groceries when I arrive.
Even if you’re flying somewhere you can pack an entire suitcase of non-perishables and check it in. You may have to pay a checked bag fee, but it could possibly pay for itself in your food cost savings. Again, it’ll take a little bit of math. If you’re going on a road trip, bring your own food because it will always be more cost effective.
Save on dog-friendly activities.
Before you head out on your journey, research activities at your destination. You don’t always have to pay an arm and a leg to do something fun. If you visit a National Park of sorts you may need to spend $5 or so for entry, but that’s nothing.
Dog-friendly activities tend to be outdoors anyways, making them cheaper than visiting a museum or going to a show. Make your own fun by exploring trails, visiting lakes, eating at a dog-friendly restaurant or checking out local tourist sites.
During one of our trips to San Angelo, TX, Wynston and I visited Fort Concho. We went on a day when there was nobody there. The museum volunteers were super friendly and allowed us to walk around inside even though Wynston isn’t a service dog. Then we spent a while walking the Fort and taking in all of the history. The visit was completely free. Sometimes there are hidden gems that will cost you nothing but will create priceless memories.
For me, traveling with my dog on a budget means being able to travel more frequently. It can be fun to find more cost-effective ways to travel because it requires more digging and research. You never know what fun dog-friendly places and activities you may find along the way!
Do you often travel with your dog? How do you manage to keep costs down?
speedyrabbit says
All great tips,We use similar tips when taking Speedy on holidays in the UK.We always drive and we always has self catering accommodation one for keeping Speedy’s greens fresh,2 for the extra space and 3 I prefer to cook our meals because its cheaper and our mealtimes are early than most restaurants and its cheaper,xx Rachel and Speedy
Amanda says
Cooking meals is definitely cheaper, and probably healthier, too!
Eliza says
Great tips! I’ve never done this (and couldn’t because my dogs are over the weight limit) but you can take small dogs on Amtrak! If you visit Seattle and wanted to see Portland as well, the Amtrak Cascades route between those cities is really beautiful and Wynston could ride in the train with you! https://m.amtrak.com/h5/r/www.amtrak.com/pets
Amanda says
You can?! OMG! I love trains and I haven’t been on one in like…20 years! Seattle is on my “to visit” list this year and I would absolutely love to do that! Wow! Thanks for the tip, friend <3 Hopefully we can meet up with you and the poodles when we're there.
Eliza says
Sounds great!
Sharon says
Love how you find the coolest fun things to do when visiting. Simple & inexpensive. I need to work on that. Thank you Amanda !
Amanda says
The possibilities are endless!
Amelia Davis says
More and more people are taking their four-legged friends with them on vacation. That’s basically a good thing because dogs are very social animals and are very attached to their owners. They don’t like to be separated from their pack and mourn the loss of their mistresses and masters. But if you take your dog with you when you travel, there are a few things you should keep in mind. It starts with the right planning and preparation and ends with the comfortable and safe implementation of the trip. I like to travel with my dog too. Amanda, thanks for the post. https://petreader.net/this-is-how-the-dog-travels-safely-in-the-car/