Cross County with Three Dogs

Cross County with Three Dogs - Day 2

Day Two: Redding, California to Bakersfield, California

Day two was, thankfully, an easy and uneventful drive to Bakersfield. If you have ever driven the I-5 corridor through California's Central Valley, you know that "uneventful" is the best case scenario. It is a long, flat, straight shot through farmland that can be hypnotic for drivers, so we made sure to rotate driving duties and keep the caffeine flowing.

We left Redding around 9:40 AM and arrived in Bakersfield at 4:45 PM, completing the leg in just under six hours. We chose to stay at the Residence Inn Bakersfield.

The Sticker Shock: We had to pay an extra $100.00 for the pet fee, which was a painful "ouch" moment for our budget. Fees like this are why I constantly remind people to call hotels directly rather than relying on third-party booking sites. Before booking your own trip, I highly recommend reviewing my original blog Cross Country with Three Dogs where I explain all the necessary steps to verify these fees in advance.

Despite the fee, the room itself was excellent. We had a nice large suite with a full kitchen and a separate bedroom. When traveling with three dogs, having a door that closes between the "living area" and the "sleeping area" is a luxury. It let us organize our gear without tripping over dog beds.

The continental breakfast was pretty good—standard hotel fare, but hot and fresh. The one downside was that we didn't have a window overlooking the parking lot. Because we were traveling with a cargo carrier full of plants and a car full of personal belongings, we prefer to keep an eye on our vehicle.

A Note on Security: We were still in the early stages of the trip and were very protective of the pups. Dinner that night was takeout pizza in the room because we were still afraid to leave them alone in a strange place. In hindsight, they would have been fine, but peace of mind is worth the price of a cold pizza.

For pet owners, the hotel grounds were a highlight. There are several grassy areas that were clean for walks, which isn't always a given at highway hotels. The property is also entirely fenced, which added an extra sense of security for late-night potty breaks.

As you can see, the pups were settling in and actually enjoying the road trip!