How often on vacation have you spent countless hours driving around in circles trying to find a pet-friendly motel or hotel? Close to midnight, you locate lodging that will allow pets and as you drag yourself up the seemingly endless concrete stairs you wonder if you'll ever get to your room.  Exhaustion has choked what little energy is left in you, and you fall onto the welcoming sign of a bed, dingy, yellow sheets and all. Heat swells quickly within the room, and you pull yourself up from the bed and pad off toward the air conditioner. You anxiously clamor at the knobs on the machine and then realize that the unit is turned up to full power and that all you're getting is hot air.

Vacations are suppose to afford us the opportunity to get away and experience what our lives are desperately missing the remainder of the year. What we are trying to escape are the daily annoyances that become so monotonous that sometimes life itself becomes a chore but a vacation should be anything but a chore.  That's why it's crucial to select the right place to call "a home away from home" carefully.

Mammoth Lakes, California, offers travelers a variety of lodging accommodations that surpass the forgettable hotels and motels that speckle America's interstates.  For those of you who can't leave your pooch behind, Mammoth Creek Inn is pet friendly. Room amenities include a complimentary newspaper, telephone, dial-up internet access, mini-bar, coffee/ tea maker, refrigerator, etc., but if you're in need of a full kitchen, book your stay in a deluxe loft.  Want a little time away from the children?  The folks at Mammoth Creek have that covered because they offer babysitting and child care services as well.

Condos are another favorite today and Village at Mammoth Mountain serves up first class amenities. The property boasts a swimming pool, game/arcade room, a bar, fine dining, shopping, fitness center, golf, spa, and babysitting as well.  Their one and two bedroom condos come equipped with gas fireplace, television, DVD players, telephones, high-speed Internet, balcony, fully equipped kitchen and dining area, and it's a non-smoking facility.  It's so inclusive you may not want to venture off the property at all during your stay.

If you have a budding Tiger Woods in your household, why not consider a stay at Timbers at the Sierra Star Golf Resort.  The spacious bungalows, some able to accommodate up to ten people, offer garage parking, private spa/ Jacuzzi DVDs, in unit laundry, fireplace, kitchen, television, Internet access, Wi-Fi equipped, daily maid service, barbecue, balcony, and more, depending on the unit rented.  Some are conveniently located right on the golf course with panoramic views of the scenic mountains while others are located on the Green Line shuttle route.

Now really, do you want to spend hours arranging scratchy motel linens so that they no longer chaff your legs just so you can get to sleep?  Of course not, because you can imagine a peaceful night's sleep in your "home away from home" in Mammoth Lakes, California.

This guide to pet-and-people-friendly lodging in Mammoth Lakes was brought to you by Joanne Mansfield.