Graduation Trip with Dogs & Parents | Portland, Maine

The day after my graduation ceremony, I set off with my parents and Hitto (our dog) to start our two-week graduation road trip. I want to share our itinerary—it might be helpful for anyone traveling in the Eastern US with dogs or parents! First Stop: NJ → Portland, Maine 📍 Portland Head Light Dog-Friendly Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 It’s a large lighthouse park with plenty of big lawns. When you get tired, you can grab a lobster roll from the food truck nearby. The only downside is that most areas are crowded with people and kids, so it’s not ideal for letting your dog run off-leash. In the end, we found an empty hillside behind the parking lot to let Hitto play freely before getting back in the car. 🐾 📍 Old Port Dog-Friendly Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 Old Port is great for walking around with both dogs and parents—there are lots of fun little shops. The pet stores here have many Maine-themed pet supplies, which I highly recommend! Both passersby and shop staff are super friendly to dogs; Hitto got compliments and even treats along the way. If I had to pick a flaw, it’s that the density of people and dogs is a bit high, making the walk less relaxed. 🛍️ 📍 Deering Oaks Park Dog-Friendly Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I visited this park both during the day and at night, and it’s perfect for walking dogs and parents! In the morning, there’s a farmers’ market to browse—after that, you can take your dog to run on the large grassy area for joggers. Nights are less recommended, though: it’s pretty dark overall, and there are homeless people near the restrooms. 🌞🌙 🍜 Huong's Vietnamese Restaurant This is a fantastic spot for Vietnamese pho—huge portions that are really satisfying. The owner is quiet and won’t disturb your meal, which is great for introverts (haha)! Having a warm bowl before walking the dog feels so cozy. 🍲 🏨 La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Portland I usually prioritize La Quinta for road trips with dogs. Even though Hitto is a service dog, pet-friendly hotels are still more convenient—they provide poop bags and a grassy area for dogs to go to the bathroom, for example. There’s a small patch of grass next to this hotel’s parking lot for morning/evening potty breaks, but it’s not fenced and right next to a main road. So, if your dog doesn’t have good recall, don’t let them off-leash—it’s risky. The hotel also offers free breakfast, which I think is really important when traveling with parents. Between their and jet lag (if applicable), they’ll probably wake up early. It’s super convenient to send them downstairs for breakfast if you want to sleep in a little longer! 👍 #GermanShepherd #GraduationTrip #TravelWithDog #EasternUSTravel #PortlandMaine #TravelWithParents #EastCoastRoadTrip #BlackGermanShepherd #TravelWithPets