Gulf Shores, Alabama

June 16, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

We “shore” had fun on our long weekend trip to Gulf Shores! It was one of my last weekends of “freedom” before starting my new position for Delta Airlines, and it was great to have some quality time with my two favorite fellas.

We drove in two Fridays ago, and immediately dropped off our things before grabbing dinner and drinks. Our AirBnB hosts had some interesting taste, that’s for sure…

We walked around a local park, where Lin immediately got attention and love from other dogs and people, before heading to a nearby brewery. We enjoyed some live music and nice conversation with a couple who lived in the area for the last decade or more. We always appreciate conversations with strangers and local recommendations! And of course, Linley got even more love and attention—not that he needed it haha.

Our dinner closer to the beach took forever because the weekend wait times were insane, but it was nice to sit down, relax and cheers to a great first evening of the trip. We met some kind wait staff and guests at the table next to us, who loved Lin and kept feeding him fries.

The next morning, we headed straight to the dog beach, which was not what we expected. But alas, we had fun before grabbing lunch at a local spot on the main beach. And although the dog beach wasn’t what we expected it to be, we had a blast watching the blue herons near us and watching Lin grab sticks from the water.

I wish we could’ve brought Lin on the main beach, because that was beautiful! I wanted to get on the water so bad, but we’ll save that for when we’re in Savannah this fall instead. Even being by that water was beautiful, and we had a blast sitting up at the beach bar. We enjoyed some mezcal drinks and delicious seafood, while, you guessed it, Linley got more love! It was cute to see him dig in the sand to cool off again, which is something I’d missed from all our Michigan beach adventures.

No Tracey vacay is complete without an afternoon nap, and that’s exactly what we did during the hottest part of the day. Once we woke up and freshened up, we all got some ice cream and walked around a cute shopping center along the pier. We got some cute dog mom, dog dad and a funny toy for Linley after we all enjoyed our desserts and a drink, and then walked along the water before heading out for dinner.

Our wait for dinner was so long, but we luckily found a great backup spot that was super dog friendly. The best part was that it was called “Cosmo’s” after the owner’s dog, and we couldn’t pass up the chance to visit. We enjoyed good seafood, live music (and the singer brought his chocolate lab, too!), kind wait staff and even a stroll through a local pet store after dinner.

My mental health hasn’t been the best with some family and friend stuff that’s come up lately, so there’s a part of me that felt really bad about bringing some of those feelings up during the trip (i.e.: I never want to ruin Alex’s time or feel like a burden). But I also know that these two make me smile more than anything in the whole wide world, and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. 💛

Media taken Friday, June 6 & Saturday, June 7, 2025 in Gulf Shores, Alabama✨

Alex’s 30th birthday!!!

June 5, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

Alex made my 30th so special, and it was my turn to return the favor! We went to Ellijay, Georgia for the second time as the Tracey trio, and it was so much fun!

We began our day with a morning hike, where Linley almost stepped on a two-foot-long water snake! I’m not normally afraid of snakes, but seeing and hearing Alex freak out in front of me startled me at my core. Luckily, the snake had just had something to eat and had no interest in biting Linley or any of us. But man, I was sweaty after that jump scare!

After our hike, we drove to downtown Ellijay for some rooftop fun. We enjoyed a cocktail and lunch before heading to our AirBnB, and Linley of course got all the attention!

Our AirBnB drop off was quick because we wanted to hit Roo, an amazing winery we visited with my mom in July, before it got super busy. Surprisingly, it wasn’t busy at all, but it probably helped that we were there on a Friday afternoon instead of a Saturday!

Our evening was equally as fun, as we found a spot with live music in downtown Ellijay. It was weird not to be there with my mom this time around, but it was great to be there with my with now-husband and Linley again. The restaurant was so kind to us that they even brought out a table for us outside, and really reminded us of our favorite local spot at home. We’ll definitely be back!

Until next time, Ellijay! ✌️

After Ellijay, we also went to an Atlanta United game and the bar with friends beforehand, and had a birthday brunch for Alex that Sunday.

I can only hope that I made Alex’s birthday half as special as he made mine.

Media taken Friday, May 16 & Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Ellijay, Georgia, & Sunday, May 19 in Atlanta✨

Favorite parts of our honeymoon

May 28, 2025May 28, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 2 Comments

Many people ask “what was your favorite part of the trip?” or “where was the best place you visited?” Honestly, the best parts were all the moments in between: the car rides, the breakfasts in the morning, the cuddles on the couch in the evenings… and the best place was honestly being in the car on the journey!

All the laughing at Lin and saying “k bye” when he moved to the backseat, the stops at Buc-ee’s and all the goofy songs and podcasts we listened to made the trip complete. I miss those moments more than anything and can’t wait to start planning our next family roadtrips, especially our big one for 2026!

I never thought this life was possible for me, or that this level of love was attainable in this lifetime, but I’m damn glad it is!

Of course, we’ve all traveled before we became the Tracey Trio, and I had to scratch off the states we’ve all been to!

Lin’s states visited (red = BC “before Cate” and green is after I rescued him!)

Thank y’all for joining us on our blogging journey, and a special thank you to y’all who have been following my stories for a long while. We look forward to sharing more about our adventures to come!

Cheers! 🍻

Huntsville

May 27, 2025 / Cate Tracey / Leave a comment

I didn’t really have any expectations for Huntsville, but I knew I wasn’t ready to head straight to Atlanta after leaving New Orleans…

Highs

We found an awesome dog park/bar where Linley was running around and tearing it up!
We also found a cool area with tons of outdoor bars and restaurants.
The place where we grabbed dinner and a nightcap was super cute and a good last dinner of the honeymoon.
We had a cozy night in at the cute AirBnB, where we watched the season finale of 90 Day Fiancé: The Last Resort haha.
During our last morning of the honeymoon, Lin and I sat outside in the sun while I enjoyed my morning coffee.
Lin got to play at another local dog park before breakfast, where we had the pleasure of meeting locals (humans AND dogs haha!)
We found the cutest brunch spot where they had dog-themed cocktails, good GF options and were super dog-friendly!

Lows

Alex’s drink at the first bar we went to was horrible… it was sweet and blue and disgusting haha.
I was very emotional on the last day of our trip; I don’t think I was ready to be home in Atlanta because some family drama came up during the trip; and it was all hitting that last day.

Buffalo

Linley had a been on him during our outdoor dinner! We don’t think he got stung but we literally had to pull it off of him. We noticed he was acting weird and it was just super random!

Media taken Wednesday, March 26 & Thursday; March 27, 2025 in Huntsville, Alabama.

But boy, even after all the fun, did it feel good to be back home!

New Orleans (Part II)

May 18, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

After a fun-filled afternoon on Frenchman Street, we headed back to our AirBnB to freshen up before dinner. The three of us stopped at this really cute food hall for a couple drinks and appetizers, and even Linley had his very first Ritz cracker!

Although it was overstimulating for Alex, the two of us had to go to Bourbon Street just for the hell of it. The best part was catching jazz outdoors at one of my favorite local spots. Next visit we’ll spend more time on Frenchman Street – where all the locals hang out – but it was funny to laugh at the Bourbon Street shenanigans, have mediocre food and ultimately head back to see Linley.

Luckily our next day was much better than the previous evening! Linley and I walked around in the morning together, strolled through the local neighborhoods, and admired the old architecture and funkiness of the cafes nearby. Once we got back, the three of us enjoyed a great brunch and even better conversation with some locals. We really loved how friendly and laid back everyone was, and kept fantasizing about moving there one day.

Our afternoon was full of adventure in the French Quarter! Linley was a good boy in the Uber and it was fun to experience the quarter with Alex and Lin this time. 💛 We wandered around, enjoyed the waterfront walk and view, met some kind strangers near Jackson Square, and ended up getting beignets and hurricanes. Hearing all the jazz music and the overall atmosphere brought back some fond memories. But doing all this with my two favorite guys made this time in New Orleans extra special. I can’t wait for next time! And stay tuned for another post…

Media taken Monday, March 24 & Tuesday, March 25, 2025 in New Orleans, LA.✨

New Orleans (Part I)

May 7, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

New Orleans hits different when you’re with your two best friends (the third time’s the charm)!

Although heading east after The Grand Canyon was bittersweet, we had a blast in New Orleans, and were majorly looking forward to that leg of the trip. Alex and Linley had never been, so experiencing it through their eyes was really fun. And it was fun to stay in a part of town and explore new places I hadn’t yet!

We stayed near Crescent Park in the cutest AirBnB (definitely one of my favorites of the honeymoon, and one of my favorites ever!) and walked New Orleans’ version of the Beltline toward Frenchmen Street. It was great to see another part of town that wasn’t as touristy as places I’d stayed at in 2022 and 2023.

Frenchmen Street is WAY better and much more local than Bourbon Street (next time we’ll be staying there more). We enjoyed delicious espresso martinis, mezcal drinks and seafood lunch at this cute cafe, and one of the employees brought her newly-rescued dog in! While we were eating, a gentleman struck up conversation with us and told us about some of the local history while we waited for his bike to be repaired across the street. He was a local artist himself, and it was amazing to hear about his life and all that New Orleans had been through. When we were done with our afternoon cocktails, Linley even found some “Jerry beads” along the way!

Before heading out for dinner, we knew we weren’t done exploring. While admiring the local architecture, funky art and old, southern charm down neighborhood streets, we stumbled across a dog-themed bar called Pepp’s Pub. All dogs got their photos taken and we even got our photos taken after a shot, too! A kind stranger who’d lost her dog not too long ago sat with us and it was awesome to hear about her life and her beloved pup.

All of our first afternoon reminded us to slow down, always chat with strangers and to appreciate the moments we had as our “Tracey Trio!”

We continued to have such a great time in New Orleans, but more to come on that later 😌

Photos taken Monday, March 24, 2025 in New Orleans, LA 💛

Albuquerque

May 2, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

Back to the honeymoon posts! 😀 Albuquerque, New Mexico did not disappoint. From the delicious food to the kindest people, I highly recommend paying this city a visit. My only regret is that we should’ve spent more time here instead of Santa Fe, but c’est la vie!

Highs

Our AirBnB was super cute!
We drove by the Breaking Bad house, and didn’t get screamed at by the paranoid lady who lives there haha!
We had the most delicious dinner and mezcal drinks, and the restaurant was super dog friendly. Our server loved us and Linley even got a free chicken dinner from the owner!
We walked to Bar Uno, a super dog friendly bar downtown, and our bartender was incredible. He was super nice and loved Linley, too… as did the other patrons.
Simply walking around and exploring our area with Alex and Linley was so much fun; it’s always the little things!

Low

I had the *worst* bloody nose at night. It woke me up and I had the worst night sleep of the entire trip that night by far.

Buffalos

At Bar Uno, a lady came in who was clearly on pills. Our lovely bartender actually cut her off and called it out. It was sad to see someone going through that, but really responsible on our bartender’s end and Alex and I sincerely appreciated his nonjudgmental approach. Well done, sir!
I missed the morning walk before heading east because of my stupid bloody nose and shitty night’s sleep, but Alex and Lin saw some hot air balloons together! Although slightly jealous since they’re a New Mexico staple, I was happy they got to experience them together!

Media taken March 22 & 23, 2025✨

Sedona

April 24, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

Sedona, Arizona – although touristy – didn’t disappoint!

Highs

We lucked out weather-wise! It was a little hot on our way to the car, but I’m so glad we visited and hiked when we did!
Linley had a big ole smile on his face the entire hike! 😀
Alex and I wore our matching dog fist shirts, and we met a sweet couple and their young daughter who wanted to pet Linley. They apparently had the same shirts as us, and also a small, white dog named Waffles, but didn’t wear them or bring him along. It reminded me of how much Alex and I love bringing Linley wherever we can!
The views were absolutely stunning! I mean, they were truly breathtaking (proof below).
We met so many friendly people on the hike, all of whom loved Lin!

Lows

The parking sucked. The touristy energy of the area sucked. It definitely wasn’t our vibe, but we had a great hike as a trio regardless!
I had to carry Lin’s poop bag for a while, and because of the heat, it stank BAD haha! 🤣

Buffalo

Lin’s paws were stained with the orange-colored dirt from the hike. He majorly needed a bath and a good grooming after our trip haha! All the dogs at the parks and along walks wanted to smell him after that… 😅

Media taken Friday, March 21, 2025.

Fun in Flagstaff

April 23, 2025April 23, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

We definitely had fun in Flagstaff between visiting the Grand Canyon and hiking in Sedona the following day!

Highs

The brewery we stopped at was awesome! Bummer we had to sit outside, but other than that it was great!
Our Thai takeout was wonderful, and enjoying it at our cozy AirBnB was perfect.
Stargazing at both our AirBnBs was amazing! I wish we would’ve enjoyed it a bit more…
The distillery we found after our Grand Canyon adventure was so great, that we visited three times while we were there!
We stopped for lunch and great cocktails after hiking in Sedona, and a kind couple paid for our drinks!

Lows

We couldn’t sit outside at the brewery, and it took us so long to find a spot that we could actually bring Lin into for dining… which just so happened to be our AirBnB! It was a headache but it was all good in the end.
Alex definitely got sunburned from sitting in the sun after hiking in Sedona…
On our last night in Flagstaff, we picked up some Indian takeout and it was absolutely horrible. It was flavorless, watery… none of what we were expecting. We love Indian food and we definitely need to order some soon now that we’re back in Atlanta!

Buffalo

When we visited the distillery for coffee on our way back East toward Albuquerque, Misty (our lovely bartender and barista!) accidentally made Linley three pup cups instead of one. She thought we asked for two to go, but we really wanted to mugs to go! It was sweet and Linley definitely enjoyed them.

Media taken March 20-22, 2025 in Arizona.✨

The Grand Canyon

April 21, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

I’m going to put a pause on the “high, low, buffalo” theme for our honeymoon posts; the Grand Canyon was absolutely beautiful, it was the perfect day, and it was an incredible first visit for all three of us! I promised Linley that I would take him someday when I first rescued him over seven years ago, and it meant so much that we finally made it together — with our other best friend right by our side, too! 💛

From all the adults and kids who were smiling and greeting us as we walked by, to the kind gentleman who took his dog on a similar road trip just because, and the two young women who gave Linley some love on our way out: we had the best day as a family and couldn’t have asked for anything more. 🥹

Media taken Thursday, March 20, 2025 at the Grand Canyon. ✨

Our Flagstaff AirBnB

April 18, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

The ranch we stayed at in Flagstaff, Arizona deserves its own post. From location to views, appliances to coziness, this place was just what we needed and then some. We’ll be back and this was probably our favorite AirBnB of the entire trip.

The best parts? Our big, family breakfast, seeing the gophers dig in the neighbor’s yard, and seeing Lin run around and have so much fun!

Media taken Wednesday, March 19 & Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

April 17, 2025April 17, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 1 Comment

Santa Fe did not disappoint! From the food and drinks, to the beautiful hiking, and all the crazy weather in between: I highly recommend paying this unique town a visit.

Highs

Our AirBnB was awesome! It was the quintessential desert stay that we wanted and needed. We also enjoyed nice breakfasts there each morning; Lin enjoyed sitting at the table with us! 💛
The rail yard near our place had some amazing breweries, and it was cool to see the trains roll by while we walked and enjoyed our time in the area.
It took forever to find a good, dog-friendly spot for dinner, but once we did it was worth it! We enjoyed good food and spicy margs before our next day of adventure.
We had a very fun, windy hike in the morning during our full day there. We almost got lost of the hike, but luckily we didn’t, and it was great to beat the crowd and the heat!!
Our lunch spot was wonderful and I enjoyed some of the best nachos to-date. They also let Linley hang out inside with us, and he was getting all the attention per usual.
After an eventful drive, we hung out at a brewery outside of the city center, and had a blast making it a restful part of our afternoon.
We stopped by a really cool pottery bar for a drink before dinner, and it was fun to watch people make pottery while we had great martinis out of pottery glasses!

Lows

Santa Fe really isn’t as dog friendly as I’d thought it would be. Even some places don’t seat you outside during certain days or times of the week… in hindsight, I wish we’d spent more time in Albuquerque as opposed to Santa Fe.
Linley actually had some bad altitude sickness in the morning on our second day there! I’d had it bad in Peru with my mom in 2018, so I knew all the symptoms he was experiencing. He bounced back in time for the hike, but definitely look for warning signs in yourselves and pets (nauseous, cold and shaky, etc.)