Day Three route — Van, TX to Amarillo, TX
The Drive
Dallas traffic — never-ending construction
Day Three of our journey from Florida to Colorado found us in Amarillo after almost 9 hours of driving. We ran into traffic in Dallas — the never-ending road construction in that area can make navigating the highways with a trailer stressful. The northern part of Texas takes you through long stretches of state highways and small towns.
The third day of travel is always the hardest for me. After two days of driving and staying in hotels, I'm not really having fun anymore.
"The third day of travel is always the hardest. After two days of driving, I'm not really having fun anymore."
The Pack
Road Warriors
Ginger and Ellie — old pro and eager student
The dogs were used to the long hours on the road at this point and mainly slept unless we were making a fuel stop. Ellie is a bloodhound and Great Dane mix we adopted in August 2020 when she was 8 months old — still very much a puppy, and like many COVID puppies, not very socialized. Thankfully she had a big sister who had made two trips like this and was happy to show her the ropes.
Ellie in her Big Dog harness
When we moved from Washington to Florida, I discovered a great harness for our giant breed girl Ava — and Ellie inherited it. The Big Dog Soft Reflective No Pull Harness is perfect for large pups.
Night Three
The Hotel
Courtyard Amarillo — dated but functional
We spent our third night at the Courtyard Amarillo West / Medical Center. We booked a large room with two beds and a sofa bed for $111.00 plus a $75.00 pet fee.
At the time we stayed, the hotel was very run-down and dated. The outdoor areas needed paint and repairs and the room just felt old. The area to walk dogs was either a small strip of grass between the access road and the parking lot, or through the lobby to the seating area behind the hotel. There was no bar, no restaurant, and no breakfast. (The website now advertises the hotel is newly renovated.)
Saltgrass Steakhouse — dinner saved the day
At least on this night we were able to enjoy a really nice meal across the parking lot at Saltgrass Steakhouse.
The girls' Amarillo slumber party
The girls enjoyed their slumber party and the next day we were finally on the road home to Colorado Springs.
Before booking, check out the Cross Country with Three Dogs series for a full guide on making reservations and planning a road trip with pets.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!