What better way to weather the beautiful (though lesser-known) Dog Days of Autumn than to pack up the car and take a road trip to one of Minnesota’s myriad dog-friendly vacation spots? In nearly every part of the state, you’ll find lodging that would love to accommodate you and your dog.

The Outing Lodge interior is rustic and cozy.

Start in the South, with Red Wing’s Moondance Inn. The Inn’s 1904 Victorian rental house is a spacious, no-frills, private country getaway for you and your four-legged pals. Upriver, Stillwater boasts The Outing Lodge, where owner Carlota Estevez’s chocolate lab accompanies guest pooches on miles of wooded walking trails surrounding the lodge.

For rugged dogs who love to romp, Lake Superior is the place to let loose. The Inn on Lake Superior really rolls out the welcome mat with a check-in goody bag, which includes a tennis ball, a bandana, an “In case I get lost” dog tag, treats and a list of local pet services. Also in Duluth is Fitger’s Inn, where vacationing dogs find a dog bed, bowls for food and water atop a water-resistant mat and a welcome treat waiting for them.

The picturesque shores of Bluefin Bay.

Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery and Cottages in Lutsen is always looking for guest dogs to keep Jazmin the Shih Tzu company, and Bluefin Bay gives them space to roam right on the shores of the Great Lake.

For those heading out west, Mulberry Row in Detroit Lakes is home to Ebby, a chocolate lab/weimaraner mix who sometimes writes about her visiting friends on the B & B’s Web site. And for dogs who really want to see “Up North,” the Gunflint Lodge in Grand Marais is always pet-friendly, particularly during special “pet-lovers” weekends.

Then again, for Twin Citians who want to save gas money but still get away, downtown Minneapolis offers two dog-friendly

W Hotel in the Foshay Tower has a complete menu of pet services.

hotels: The Chambers (for fancy-pants pets), and the brand-new W hotel, where dogs are supplied with their own concierge.

Now there’s no excuse not to scour the state with your canine playmate. Get packing!

Now that Jessica Lange, her labrador and family have moved on from their 2-acre home in Stillwater, MN, there is a new trend rising up to put the town, once famous for its wall-to-wall antique stores, back on the map: dog-friendly shopping.

Ali and I hit the Stillwater Main Street with Luc and Indie for nearly 90 minutes of shopping bliss in truly unique shops, chatting with owners and patrons and getting great pets all along the way. This was shopping heaven!

Our first stop was at Jake’s on St. Croix, a Genuine Neighborhood “Life is good®” Shoppe, owned by husband and wife Dog Lovers, Peter Grimes and Jen Stewart (pictured right with Luc and Indie). Their two dogs, Tua and Molly, usually accompany them to work. You’ll know you’ve reached the dogs when you stumble upon their very own Life Is Good branded beds at the front counter.

The shop is full of clothing and gear for people and dogs that spread optimism to people every day through uplifting quotes and the signature caricature of the company’s leading man, Jake, displayed on almost every product.

Then we hit up Rose Mille and Collaborations Boutique where we also found out that Art-n-Soul welcomes dog, too! Tuckered out from all the excitement, we headed to our lodging for the night at the Outing Lodge at Pine Point – also dog-friendly. Whew! A full weekend and a weekend full of fun — with our dogs! Happiness.