Looking for places we could go together led me to parks I had never heard of, coffee shops with dog-friendly patios, little stores tucked into towns I rarely visited, and parts of New Jersey I probably would have driven right past otherwise. It also made me realize how surprisingly difficult it can be to figure out where dogs are actually welcome.

So I started keeping track.

Eventually Laurel Lakes became a place for more than that. Alongside the directory, I began using it as a place to collect places, products, and ideas that I think are worth coming back to.

There is a directory for exploring New Jersey, Favorite Finds for the things I keep recommending, and the Journal for the things I want a little more room to write about.