Travel resources
As an avid traveller, since I was a child, I’ve learned a thing or two about the value of top travel resources – and even more so since I’ve become a dog mom and incorporated pet travel into my life.
From packing essentials to figuring out which airlines you can actually fly with dogs, to the best car accessories for road trips with dogs, it’s always easier to refer to handy list – curated by someone with experience travelling with a pet.
These are the resources I use and love. In fact – I created this list so that I could have a handy place to refer back to everything too!
What to pack for yourself
Heys Luggage
I’ve used a set of 3 travel suitcases for over 15 years now. Call me a die-hard fan but with the variety of prints and colours and various finishes Heys Luggage comes in, these babies are easy to spot and work for all of my travel needs.
Cabeau Memory Foam Neck Pillow
I’ve used my old Cabeau pillow for YEARS and the memory foam has always been my trusty go-to on long flights. I’m a side sleeper and these babies keep my head from lulling onto unsuspecting passengers beside me. Love them.
ThermoFlask 1.2L Water Bottles
I admit I am a Hydroflask girl. To be honest, though, I was floored when I found out I could purchase a set of 2 1.2L Thermoflasks from Costco for literally a fraction of the price. Call them knock-off brands but the quality is just as good and they were less than $40 CAD for the two. Alternatively, they’re offered on Amazon for a slightly steeper price too.
Bear Butt 2-person Hammock
Hear me out – even if you’re a solo traveller you should totally get a 2-person hammock! The extra room makes it feel extra cozy. PLUS it gives you ample room to cuddle with your pup. This 2-person hammock by Bear Butt comes in over 14 different colours and comfortably bears (heh) up to 500 lbs!
Carabiners with screw gates
I hang my 1.2L Thermoflask, or my wet shoes or swimsuit off my backpack with a couple of carabiners with screw gates. These babies are a huge lifesaver. I always have one of these in my bag no matter where I go because it frees up my hand and minimizes the number of bags I need to carry too.
What to pack for your dog
Dog Camping Checklist
Not sure what to pack when you’re camping with your dog? Download the FREE, printable dog camping checklist!
Flight search engines
Momondo – One of my favourite search engines to find some of the lowest prices on flights around the world. Note: the lowest-priced flights often have long layovers – so this is really best for people who don’t mind spending extra time in transit!
Matrix Airfare Search by Google – You can’t book trips with actual airline tickets on this but this matrix offers a high level of flexibility and is great for planning out especially long multi-legged trips and sourcing the best flight prices (bonus – if you search for the local currency you might actually land cheaper prices too!). It lists out the flight numbers so you can go ahead and book with the airlines directly too.
Budget airlines
I used these budget airlines a lot during my early student and post-graduation years. You won’t get the best service and I’d strongly recommend using carry-on only too. These options are great for bargain hunters looking to get cheap flights across the world.
Air Transat – budget flights within Canada, USA, and Europe (they’re pet-friendly too!)
AirAsia – budget flights within Asia
Helpful flying-related blog posts
Best travel Credit Cards
American Express Cobalt Card – probably one of the best when it comes to Canadian travel. You can earn anywhere between 1x – 5x the points on qualifying travel ookings, restaurants, ride share, gas, and groceries. Earn an extra 30,000 points when you use my referral link to sign up.
Best pet travel accommodation resources
Airbnb
Airbnb offers a filter option where you can search for pet-friendly homes! Most Airbnbs have a limit of bringing 2 pets when booking a home/space. In light of Airbnb displacing local residents, I’d recommend using Airbnb responsibly – and consider booking a pet-friendly hotel whenever it affects families.
Hipcamp
Similar to Airbnb but targeted at camping and glamping enthusiasts. You’ll find mostly open land, tents, or cabins. Most properties are also pet-friendly and allow for off-leash fun too!
Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is great if you’re looking to get really specific about the type of pet-friendly hotel needs you’re looking for. With so many filters available – I’ve had great luck finding the exact budget-friendly or bougie dog-friendly hotel for my needs!
Vrbo
Similar to Airbnb
Glamping Hub
Similar to Hipcamp
Expedia
Similar to TripAdvisor
Sniffspot
It’s like the Airbnb of dog parks! Get a $5 credit when you sign up with the link.
Learn how to find your perfect pet-friendly accommodation
Don’t let the search for the ideal pet-friendly accommodation overwhelm you. Discover the ultimate guide to finding that perfect hotel with a pool by the beach, a cozy dog-friendly yurt, or a romantic getaway that welcomes your furry friend.
Download my FREE guide now and unlock a world of pet-friendly possibilities tailored just for you and your pup! Let the adventures begin!
Blogging resources
Looking to start your own pet travel blog? Here are some of my absolute favourite resources I use on the regular to keep SYDE Road up and running.
Blog Platform
WordPress.org – My blogging platform of choice and the choice for most bloggers today.
Hosting
Cloudways – Alright if you’ve read any other pet travel blogs, they might be recommended hosting servers like Siteground or GoDaddy. But I highly recommend Cloudways because of its excellent uptime, blazing-fast speed, constant speed optimization updates, and its ability to scale with your blog as you go.
Blog Themes
Kadence WP Theme – I used to use an alternative paid WordPress theme but upon changing to Kadence WP Theme my website has significantly increased in speed. I see the light and appreciate just how fast, lightweight, and versatile this theme is.
Email Marketing
ConvertKit – I’ve tried the likes of Mailchimp and SendinBlue but I like the user interface and creation process of Convertkit the most.
Tools
Google Analytics – the industry standard for a free metrics/statistics program to see how your webpage is performing.
Google Workspace – I use Google Workspace to set up my official email channels. Freelancing services are also directed here to help manage any and all business emails and since I use Google products regularly, I find their work interface very familiar and easy to use when conducting meetings for my freelance services too.
Keysearch – what’s a good blog without some good SEO tools? Keysearch is a very affordable keyword research tool that is perfect to use to grow your website and reach a bigger audience.
Canva – I use Canva to build out my infographics, downloadable content, and blog banners. The premium version also offers a ton of really useful features like licensing for premium stock photos and a bunch of pre-made templates. It’s so easy to use and resizing my Pinterest pins for Instagram or Facebook posts is such a breeze. Can’t recommend this enough.
This is not a sponsored post. These are the websites and companies I use and recommend for my travels. Some of these links are affiliate links and, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission that helps run this website and supplies Limone with small treats here and there!