An Island Fit for Paws

There are plenty of charming towns along the California coastline, and Balboa Island does not disappoint. The man-made island was created in the early 1900s as a part of railroad expansion and continues to prosper today.

We set out for an adventure with our four-legged friend Oliver because we heard that Balboa Island is very dog-friendly. Balboa Island is accessible through bridge and ferry. I was very excited to take a boat ride to the island, especially because it only cost $1.50 per car or $1 per person. Dogs are free! The line was short and we made it over to the island in a short time. I definitely recommend this novelty.

Once on the Island I decided to take a walk on Marine Avenue, the island’s very own Rodeo Drive. Okay maybe not Rodeo, but to Oliver it was pretty close. The street is lined with unique shops that welcome furry friends. Most stores even have water outside for the pups. We stopped by Dad’s Donut Shop for frozen bananas, and then watched the artists at CandlEssence make beautiful candles by hand.

All of the walking around made our stomachs growl, so we decided to have a bite to eat at Wilma’s Patio with Oliver at our feet. Wilma’s has a wide range of food and wonderful service. A must-try on the menu is the Belly Bomber. It is a hollowed-out French bread bowl stuffed with scrambled eggs and a few other items of your choice like ham or bacon. Wilma’s also serves a mouth-watering ranchero sauce.

The Belly Bombers weighed us down a little, so we headed to the beach for some sand. Balboa Island beaches allow dogs before 9am and after 5pm. We threw a Frisbee around a little and then watched the sunset. A perfect West Coast evening to me.

For more information on visiting Balboa Island, go to their website.

Read more by Riki at her blog BoldWandering, or follow her on Twitter @BoldWandering.