Lenny & Lexie

Last weekend we packed up the weens and headed down to Panama City for a little getaway. We didn’t have a big packed itinerary or anything fancy planned; just a relaxing trip with a few fun stops along the way but we ended up finding several really dog-friendly places, which always makes traveling with the pups so much easier so we wanted to share our finds for those who might be interested.

Emerald Coast Boat Show

Our first stop after arriving in Panama City was the Emerald Coast Boat Show. If you’ve never been, it’s a really fun event where you can walk around and check out all kinds of boats and vendors. One thing we really like about this event is that its dog friendly, so Lenny and Lexie get to tag along with us, We’ve actually been coming to this event every year for the last four years, and its something we always look forward to.

They also have food vendors set up, along with places to grab coffee and adult beverages, so you can walk around look at the boats, and grab something to eat or drink while there.

We grabbed the pimento cheese with pita chips, which was delicious and of course, we couldn’t forget about Lenny and Lexie, so we ordered a chicken finger platter and I peeled all the breading off so they could just have the plain chicken (while we happily took care of the fries).

After that we spent a while walking around looking at the boats, and the pups got lots of love from people stopping to pet them. Dachshunds always seem to draw attention wherever they go, and Lenny and Lexie definitely didn’t mind all the attention.

Checking Into Our Hotel

After the boat show we headed over to our hotel, Homewood Suites by Hilton, which turned out to be very pet friendly.

However, our check-in had a little bit of an unexpected moment.

When we first walked into the room there was a machine running that we didn’t recognize. After a few minutes we realized it was an ozone machine, which hotels sometimes use to treat rooms. Since ozone isn’t safe to breathe, that definitely caused a little panic for us.

We went straight down to the front desk and let them know. Thankfully the staff handled it quickly and moved us to another room right away. We had only been in the room about 5–10 minutes, and thankfully everyone was completely fine with no breathing issues.

Once we got settled into the new room everything was great. It was a suite with plenty of space, and Lenny and Lexie immediately enjoyed having room to run around and play.

Another thing we really appreciated was that there was plenty of outdoor space for walking the dogs, which can sometimes be tricky at certain hotels. This one made it easy for them to go out and do their business (and of course we always clean up after them).

Dinner at Panama Pizzeria

After relaxing at the hotel for a little while, we headed out to grab dinner at Panama Pizzeria.

We sat outside on the patio, and it ended up being a really nice evening. In fact, we had the whole patio to ourselves, which made it extra relaxing.

We started with cheesy bread as an appetizer, which was really good.

For dinner I ordered spaghetti with Parmesan cheese, and I also got a plain grilled chicken breast on the side for Lenny and Lexie (no seasoning of course). Scott ordered the baked lasagna, and both meals were amazing.

Naturally the pups were more than happy to help with the grilled chicken.

The staff there were incredibly friendly, and of course a few people walking by had to stop and come meet Lenny and Lexie.

To finish the night off we ordered cannolis for dessert, and they were so good. It was the perfect way to end our first night in Panama City.

A Rainy Sunday Morning

Sunday morning started off a little slow because it was raining, so we took our time getting up and easing into the day.

Once we got moving, we headed over to First Watch for breakfast and sat outside on the patio with the pups. The staff there were super welcoming, and Lenny and Lexie even got their own little breakfast plate with eggs and bacon, which they were pretty excited about.

I had the avocado toast, and Scott ordered a bacon omelet, which he said was really good.

After breakfast we headed back to the hotel and watched our church service online from Southside Baptist Church. Even when we’re traveling we still like to catch the service if we can, and since Camping World didn’t open until noon anyway, it worked out perfectly.

Once the rain slacked off a bit, we headed over to Camping World to look at campers and start getting some ideas for what we might want for a travel camper someday.

We spent a couple of hours walking around and checking everything out.

After that we headed back to the hotel for a while because honestly Sundays are meant for lazy days, and that’s exactly what we did.

Dinner at Captain’s Table

Sunday evening we headed out for dinner at Captain’s Table.

We kept the appetizer simple with jalapeño poppers, and we shared a Greek salad.

Of course Lenny and Lexie got their own little meal too — a plain burger patty with no seasoning.

For our dinner we shared a seafood platter with scallops, shrimp, and snapper. Scott had cheesy grits, and I had new potatoes.

Everything was really good, and it made for another nice relaxing evening.

Monday: A Visit to the Winery

Monday morning we packed up the room and checked out of the hotel. Checkout was at 11, but the winery we planned to visit didn’t open until noon, so we drove around for a little while until it was time to head over.

The winery ended up being a great stop.

We did a little pet content filming for them, met some of the staff, and did a wine tasting.

The wines were really good, and we also tried some of their snacks. Their cream cheese dip seasoning is amazing — you can buy the seasoning mix and make it at home, which is pretty cool.

They also sell their own chips, desserts, fresh fudge, and wine slushies, which were all delicious.

But what really makes the place special is the property itself.

It’s huge and really beautiful, with lots of space so it never feels crowded. After the tasting you can sit out on the patio and enjoy music — sometimes live music, but the day we were there they had a DJ.

There’s also a big courtyard area with a beautiful pond, and the pups loved walking around and sniffing everything.

They also have both an outdoor bar and an indoor shopping area, where you can buy wine, shirts, wine accessories, and all kinds of fun things.

It was a really relaxing way to spend part of the afternoon.

Heading Home

By the time we finished up at the winery it was about 3:00 PM, so we figured it was about time to head on back home.

We made it back around 5:00 PM, and Lenny and Lexie were definitely excited to be home. They always enjoy their little adventures, but there’s still no place like home, and they usually crash for a while after a trip.

All in all it turned out to be a really fun and relaxing dog-friendly weekend in Panama City.

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Dog-Friendly Places We Visited

Homewood Suites by Hilton
Panama City Pizzeria
First Watch
Captain’s Table
Emerald Coast Boat Show
Camping World
Duplin Winery