For me, vacationing without my dogs isn’t really a vacation at all because I am consistently plagued with worry. Are the dogs being well taken care of? Do they miss us? Do they know we’re eventually coming home? Fruitless fretting, I know, but as any mother can attest, completely unavoidable. So when it came time to select our summertime holiday destination, the first thing that came to mind was "where can we bring the dogs?" After much deliberation and planning, we decided upon the Wickaninnish Inn located in beautiful Tofino, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. Although the six hour drive in a packed sedan was off-putting, we decided the journey would be well worth it after receiving some exemplary feedback from fellow dog lovers. Word at the dog park was that "the Wick" (as it’s referred to by locals) was an absolute doggie heaven.

After a surprisingly peaceful ferry ride and drive across the Pacific Rim highway, we finally arrived in Tofino. I usually dread checking in to any hotel with my dogs since they can cause quite a hub-bub, but the staff at the Wick was well prepared. The valet knew Roxy and Cash’s names in advance (he even knew which dog was which!) and seemed genuinely happy to be receiving some four legged guests. Upon entering the room, I was thrilled to find two baskets full of canine provisions alongside two cozy dog mats lying in front of the fireplace. The mats, however, would eventually migrate from the fireplace to the foot of our bed.

We spent most of the trip on Chesterman beach (the Wick Inn is the only resort with access to this incredible shore!) The soft, hard packed sand felt incredible on our bare feet and Roxy and Cash’s delicate paws, while the crashing waves provided some much needed fun! There was a plethora of glorious dead things washed ashore for the dogs to roll in and many rocky cliffs for Roxy to bravely explore (her annoyance intensified substantially each time Jeremy climbed upon said cliffs to "rescue" her). We even attracted some curious stares from locals who thought we were nuts for swimming in the frigid waters without wetsuits. What can I say, my dogs and I were built tough.

On our last night we decided to leave the dogs behind and forge alone into town to enjoy some local fine dining. Upon entering a nearby pub we were met with a fantastic sight – Barney, the local lothario (a chocolate lab) lying patiently at the entrance for his owner, Vince, to finish. Apparently both Barney and Vince are well known to locals and very well behaved.

It seemed as though everyone from Tofino was a dog lover. Even the police officer who pulled us over to bequeath us with a speeding ticket couldn’t help but appreciate the adorable dogs in the backseat. This, however, did not prevent him from writing the ticket, although I will admit he was very nice.

For more on our trip to Tofino and the Wickinninish Inn, check out the full story at /articles/ruffin-it-style/22120

Cash and I enjoying some vino on the balcony.

Roxy + Cash 2011