Monterey meanderings

Monterey County is vast, stretching south through Big Sur and east through the winery-rich Carmel Valley and into the Santa Lucia Mountains. You and your four-legger are sure to have doggone good times no matter which part of Monterey Wine Country you visit. Suggestions for a yappy day: • Pick up a brochure or let the signs guide you along the River Road Wine Trail. Sniff out Pessagno Winery, where the vineyard dogs come out to greet you; or Wrath Winery, where you and yours can enjoy a picnic and great views of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Another memorable choice is the Hahn/Smith Hook tasting room, featuring an expansive deck with sweeping views of the mountain-rimmed Salinas Valley. Read more.

Dog-friendly campsites in northern California

Brynn & Tyn. (CC) Mark Totten We’re not claiming to be personally familiar with every campground in Northern California, but our experiences at these dog-friendly sites have been pawsitive enough to keep us coming back again and again. Read more.

Get inspired in big sur

Countless artists, mystics, poets, photographers, and happy dogs over the decades are not wrong: Big Sur is about as lovely as it gets. Starting with Pfeiffer Beach, where dogs have to stay on leash on the state-managed portions but can run free if under voice control on the US Forest Service-managed section. Once Rowdy's worked off that excess energy on the beach, the two of you might want to check out the area's artistic heritage at the Coast Gallery, home to six galleries housing works of American artists as well as the Gallery Café, which welcomes human-canine parties on its deck. Read more.

Monterey peninsula romps and rambles

Starting at Castroville in the north and continuing 18 miles to Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, the paved Monterey Bay Coastal Trail provides endless opportunities for you and your leashed canine pal to sample incredible vistas and charming towns. Don't miss Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove, with waves to splash in and tidepools to explore. A bit inland, the Rip Van Winkle Open Space Dog Area offers the chance for off-leash exercise in a heavily forested walkway that's very popular with PG locals; head that way for a woodsy hike. Read more.

Border collie rescue of northern California

Border Collie Rescue of Northern California focuses on one of the more active, brainy, challenging—and, as their many fans will attest, rewarding—breeds around. And, like many rescues these days, they're seeing a lot of dogs whose owners fall on hard times and can't keep their completely lovely companions. The star of one such sad story is Ben here, who was actually adopted from the rescue as a young dog seven years ago by a very nice family; they recently fell victim to the economy and had to give him back. Ben, a border collie mix, has adjusted well to the dogs and people in his foster home, has great house manners, and has shown a happy, mellow attitude to all. In short, he's a find, and whoever adopts him will be pretty lucky. A big round of applause to 9-year-old local girl Kimber, who asked family and friends for dog food instead of presents for herself on her recent birthday, and then brought it all to the rescue. Seems they have a border collie mix themselves, so they understand... Photo: Ben—Border Collie Rescue of Northern California Read more.