Pet paradise on the Sunshine Coast
Imagine for a second:
You’re stretched out on a deck chair. The sun warming your legs. You’ve got a cold cocktail in one hand, a heaped cheese cracker in the other. And just when you think to yourself “Ahhh, this is the life,” a thought interrupts. “I wonder what the dog’s doing?”
Bam! There it is: pet holiday guilt.
I’m sure all animal owners can relate – a holiday without your furry bestie is great, but not perfect. And yeah, I’ll admit it, I’m a crazy dog lady, but can you blame me? Looook at this little face!
What if I told you that, just 90 minutes from Brisbane, there’s an idyllic escape where you can both mooch with your pooch and get your relax on. The place? Saltwater Villas on the Sunshine Coast.
You’ll find these self-contained waterfront units right on the Mooloolaba canals, two streets back from the Esplanade. Residential-looking from the outside, these mixed-bedroom townhouses are brand-spanking-new on the inside. I’m talking blinding-white bathrooms, a kitchen with all your dinner party needs, and this ‘wow-worthy’ view.
We all feel right at home straight away, including Socrates.
Our two-bedroom water villa is two storeys and comes with a washing machine, DVD player, iPod dock, balcony, and a fenced outdoor area that has grass, shrubs, and concrete. Pets are only allowed to roam on the tiles of the unit, so we set up a mini fence at the bottom of the stairs. The units allow all sorts of animals to stay- even snakes and cats.
Oh, and did you see the pool? Although pets aren’t allowed in the pool area, the glass fence means they can still see you. Never one to be left out, Socrates tries to squeeze through the fence anyway- nothing a bit of prying out can’t fix.
The sunset screams ‘wine and cheese’, so we head to Coles (just up the road) and stock up on bubbles and nibbles to enjoy with the view. It’s purrfect.
The next day, we head to The Velo Project for some breakfast. Just up the road on Careela Street, this place oozes cool with its junky yet funky décor and trendy wait staff. There’s a beautiful outdoor area, complete with picnic tables, a veggie garden, and upturned pallets holding assorted herbs.
Socrates is offered a bowl of water and his own menu- complete with doggy donuts and poochy lattes. OMG!
We order breakfast, which arrives as a vegetable garden on a plate. Poached eggs sit on top of earthy veggies including pumpkin and beetroot. The fried gluten-free bread also gets a special mention- delish!
Next it’s beach time. There’s a number of dog-friendly beaches in the area, but we want to let Socrates run free. We head to Kawana Beach, near the headland, to find the off-leash area. Dumping our stuff under a tree, we run straight to the water and get salty. It’s hilarious watching Socrates race other dogs through the sand.
As the afternoon winds down, I veg out under a tree to watch the waves. Socrates in one hand and a juice in the other. Not an ounce of pet holiday guilt in sight.
Mitzi and Socrates stayed as guests of Saltwater Villas.
Where would you like to take your pet on holiday? Tell us in the comments.
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