Sit. Stay. Heel. Good dogs. Sure, the commands are a bit contradictory, but under the circumstances these dogs seem to have handled it pretty well. While you and your family are out and about this summer, don’t forget your four-legged friends like the park, too. Most communities have dog parks and beaches where Fido and Rover can run, sniff and fetch until their tail is too tired to wag. These pups are in Cirencester, England, but there’s probably a dog park closer to you. Make the dog days of summer count and use your smartphone to find dog parks to visit on your travels this summer (dogs not included). This post is part of the UpTake Friday Family Series because dogs are family, too. Photo: johnson1952 via Flickr ...[more »]

Apparently there are dinosaur caves at Pismo Beach, CA, but it’s not what you think — unless you are thinking of a giant cement dinosaur that you could walk inside to enter some cliff-side caves via said dinosaur’s belly. If that is the case then it is what you think. Or it was. However, the dinosaur was never completed and then there was a fire and now it’s just a bunch of ruins and caves below a crumbling wall of sheer rock. Also, a playground. The kids will love it. So will the dogs. Travel tip: If you find yourself in the vicinity of Dinosaur Caves Park (dogs welcome!) in Pismo Beach, CA between the hours of five and six then you owe it to yourself to sit down on the patio at Zorro’s Cafe (dogs welcome!) and enjoy their Happy Hour $2 tacos and bottled Corona. I had the fish tacos and they were tasty. The Coronas were good, too. Another travel tip: The cliffs of Pismo Beach, CA are quick and steep. And they aren’t marked or barricaded in a lot o...[more »]

House on the Rock in Wisconsin. Sometimes vacationers want to visit an attraction just to be able to say that they’ve been there. Some destinations are whimsical, silly, or downright odd. Others are firmly tied to the nostalgia and history of the area in which they reside. Here’s a list of the top ten(*) “novelty” destinations to visit in the United States. Consider checking them out if you’re ever in the area! 10 -The House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Unruly architecture that engages all of the senses, complete with exhibits, gardens, and displays that flow into one another with no rhyme or reason. Schedule at least three hours to do the self-tour, because the more you look the more you’ll see. 9 – The Mitchell Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. This is the Mecca for corn enthusiasts (if there is such a thing). There is an annual festival, murals made of corn that are eaten by the local birds and replaced annually, and ...[more »]