--- title: Boarding on the Way to Lake Tahoe | Happy Paws, Dixon url: https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/lake-tahoe-trips/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Occasions](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/) - Heading to Tahoe? Board in Dixon on I-80 # Heading to Tahoe? Board in Dixon on I-80 Dixon sits on I-80, and Happy Paws Kennels is about five minutes from downtown Dixon on Midway Road. For a Tahoe trip from the Bay Area or Solano County, drop your pet off in the morning or afternoon window and continue east. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) Tahoe weekends often mean a rental with a no-pets rule, a ski day, or a trail too long for a dog. The kennel is a practical stop along the same highway. ## Where the kennel sits The kennel is at 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, about 2.9 miles from the middle of Dixon, a trip of roughly five minutes. Midway is a country road, so allow a little more time than the map suggests. A large white wind turbine near the property is the landmark to head toward. From Dixon, I-80 continues east to the mountains. Check current road and chain conditions with Caltrans before a winter trip, and plan the return around the afternoon pick-up window. ## Fitting the hours to the drive Pick-up after 11:30 AM adds half of the nightly fee, so a Sunday afternoon return costs a half night more than a Monday morning one. **Sample Tahoe trips** | Your trip | Suggested plan | | --- | --- | | Friday-to-Sunday ski weekend | Drop off Friday in the 2:00 to 5:00 PM window; collect Sunday evening before 5:00 PM, or Monday by 11:30 AM. | | Day trip | Dog day care is $38 a day or $7 an hour, up to the daily rate. | | Week at the lake | Seven nights is 7 x $59 for one Business Class dog, $413 on the 2026 rates. | ## Holiday ski weeks Christmas and New Year's Day fall in the middle of ski season. The kennel is closed all day on Christmas Day and New Year's Day and closes at 3:00 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Stays beginning December 18, 2026 through January 8, 2027 carry a 50% non-refundable deposit 30 days before drop-off. The [holiday deposit checker](https://happypawskennels.com/tools/holiday-deposit-checker/) and the [Christmas and New Year page](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/christmas-and-new-year/) show the details. ## Cats and small pets Cats stay in individual four-level towers with their own litter box and blanket, at $35 a night. Rabbits, birds, hamsters and other small pets can stay too; please ask for details. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [Happy Paws Kennels hours page](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/) - [Happy Paws Kennels 2026 rate sheet (PDF)](https://happypawskennels.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-Rates-EFFECTIVE-1-1-26.pdf) - [Caltrans QuickMap](https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/) ### Before your first stay - [Vaccination records](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) current through pick-up day - A signed [boarding agreement](https://happypawskennels.com/boarding-contract/) - Pets 16 weeks or older - [Bring nothing but your pet](https://happypawskennels.com/what-to-bring/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [Christmas & New Year boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/christmas-and-new-year/) - [Holiday boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/dog-boarding/holiday-boarding/) - [Hours and holiday closures](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/) - [Contact and directions](https://happypawskennels.com/contact/) - [Dog boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/dog-boarding/) ## Price your stay Drop-off Pick-up Pick-up time By 11:30 AM Afternoon Dogs Cats Kennel class for your dogs Options My dogs share one kennel My cats share one condo Active military family Your estimate Pick your dates to see an estimate from the 2026 rate sheet. [Request these dates](#book-form)[Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call](tel:+17076786600) Estimate from our 2026 rates (effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026). Your final total is confirmed at check-in. Military and 14+ night rates are the same reduced 1-dog rate; the estimator uses one, never both. [See the full rate sheet](https://happypawskennels.com/rates/). ## What pet owners say 4.9 from 133 Google reviews [Read them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=12930655858419906774) I love this place and so do the dogs. They offers tours, have A/C and/or heat. They always look and smell super clean. They even filter the indoor air. They email pics of them playing. I have 2 large breeds that share a 1st class kennel. They even offer treats and baths. So nice to have a place I trust. Everyone is... Deanna M., Google review, July 2026 This place is fantastic! I have one super easy going dog and one that is very much the opposite, she takes a long time to be comfortable with strangers and can be aggressive. I chose Happy Paws originally because the dogs can go in and out without having to be put on a leash. I am so happy I made that decision. Now my... Kaylin B., Google review, May 2026 ## Boarding for other reasons you travel - [Wine-country weekends in Napa & Sonoma](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/napa-wine-weekend/) - [Dixon May Fair weekend](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/dixon-may-fair/) - [House guests with allergies or a new pet in the home](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/house-guests/) - [UC Davis winter break boarding for faculty, staff and grad students](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/uc-davis-winter-break/) - [Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/mlk-day-weekend/) - [Presidents' Day weekend boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/presidents-day-weekend/) - [Veterans Day boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/veterans-day-weekend/) - [Mother's Day weekend boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/mothers-day-weekend/) - [Occasions](https://happypawskennels.com/occasions/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### How far is Tahoe from the kennel? The kennel does not publish a Tahoe drive time, so check a map for your own route and traffic. ### Can I pick up late on Sunday? The afternoon window closes at 5:00 PM. Pick up by then or on Monday morning. ### Is a winter stay heated? Yes. Runs are heated in winter, with Kuranda beds and blankets in every run. ### Do I need to bring a bed for my dog? No. Kuranda beds and blankets are in every run, and one toy is welcome.