With the format of our vacation being composed of individualized day trips we really wanted to make sure we found ways to include our dogs in our vacation. Two challenges that arise with that is number one, one of our dogs has some issues with her hind legs so she cannot do much extensive hiking with us like she used to, and two it has been and is forecasted to be quite hot so it might not be particularly safe to take the dogs on long hikes requiring lots of exertion.

What we really wanted to do was find places where we could go out and enjoy nature and just relax and spend time with our dogs. State Parks are really great places for this. We wanted to find a place that would give us the space to spread out a little and have our own area to ourselves without too many people nearby.

In the past we had taken one of our dogs, Caspian, camping at Allegany State Park and we had not been back since. I remembered it as a park with large open green spaces where people could have picnics. It seemed like the perfect place for us.

We drove out to western NY. We found the perfect little spot near the water. We unloaded the car and relaxed.

As the day went on the shade at our location moved away from us and the park began to get busier. We crossed a bridge to the other side of a stream where there was a little more secluded area surrounded by bushes and which had lots of tall trees for shade and we set up there and remained there for the rest of the day.

Rest. Relax. Nap. Eat. Play with dogs. Photograph dogs. Photograph nature. Read. Do puzzles. Repeat.

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