For Tom and Michele Willetts, long-time members of Admirals Cove, life is an endless adventure shared with their beloved four-legged companions, Gigi the Bichon Frisé and Moxie the Maltese. These pint-sized explorers have turned every journey into a family affair, proving that the best travel companions sometimes come in small, furry packages—and don't hog the armrest.

The Willetts' story in Admirals Cove began in 2004 with what might be the quickest Florida retirement decision in history. During a January birthday party for a Florida friend, Michele looked at Tom and declared, "I'm not going home." Tom's response? He went straight to their Lake Forest, IL, basement and started pricing items for a garage sale. Yeah, he clearly got the hint.

Finding Gigi was its own adventure. After losing their previous Bichon, Michele woke up one morning with tears in her eyes and told Tom, "It's got to be a Bichon. It HAS to be a Bichon." Tom, channeling his inner detective, began a six-state phone marathon calling breeders scattered around the Southeast. Their search finally led them to a breeder in Tennessee with an available puppy. The Willetts, never ones to pass up a good excuse for a road trip, turned the puppy pickup into a mini-vacation, playing golf and hiking in the Smoky Mountains as they charted their course to meeting their new family member. Michele remembers the moment clearly: "I remember opening the door, and Gigi was sitting there staring up at me, and she just had this little face with an expression of, 'What's my life gonna be like?'" Little did Gigi know she was about to become a globe-trotting superstar and live with two humans who would shower her with affection and love.

Moxie joined the family about a year later, though her arrival was Michele's secret operation. While Tom was away, she had been quietly searching for another dog to fill the home after the loss of their royal princess Maltese, Cici. When she found a puppy at Diamond Maltese in Orlando, the same breeder of Cici 18 years later, she simply walked around the corner and showed Tom the picture she had just snapped. His response proved why these two are perfect together: "Okay, let's go." The next day, they drove to Orlando, where Gigi, playing the role of senior sibling, gave her approval during a meet-and-greet at the breeder's office located inside a jewelry store. Because... where else would you find a sophisticated Maltese puppy?

These tiny travelers have developed their own unique personalities. Moxie, living up to her name, has become something of a belly rub connoisseur. Her most memorable performance? Spotting a stranger's foot at the Atlanta airport and deciding it was the perfect opportunity for an impromptu massage. The woman, who was in a wheelchair, was happy to oblige, turning the terminal into an impromptu spa day, much to the delight of many others patiently waiting to board their flights. Meanwhile, Gigi maintains a more "dignified" approach to life, acting like a total angel on earth and watching every move her mommy makes – including sitting in front of the garage door for hours until mommy returns. As Tom tells it, "It's like a bond I have never seen before."

Their adventures would make any travel influencer jealous. Last year alone, they completed a 2,400-nautical-mile journey from Seattle to Juneau, Alaska, and back on their own motor yacht. Whether they're riding a paddle board, kayaking, or rolling in style in their custom-made milk crates on Tom and Michele's electric bikes, these adorable pups tackle each new experience with the confidence and curiosity of seasoned explorers.

You might wonder why the Willetts keep their boat "Kismet" docked in Seattle rather than the Caribbean. The story begins with their marriage, when Tom asked Michele, "Big Wedding or Boat?" The answer was clear, and they bought their first boat in the Pacific Northwest. As Tom explains, one sweltering day while maintaining their Florida-based boat years later, dripping with sweat and cleaning sea strainers, he had an epiphany: "We either move this boat where we like to boat, or I want to sell it." Their solution? The Pacific Northwest, where they've been spending their summers for the past 24 years. "It's like having a cabin in the woods," Tom explains, "but we get to move it." Michele adds that with endless anchorages, hiking & biking trails, and stunning vistas, the Northwest offers something the Caribbean can't – the ability to wear a sweater in July without getting strange looks.

The decision has worked out beautifully for their four-legged crew members, too. Gigi and Moxie have become experts at spotting orcas (from a safe distance), though they're still working on telling the difference between seals and partially submerged logs. Their seafaring adventures have included everything from crabbing and prawning, where they both delight in the active sea creatures on the back deck before they get turned into dinner, to watching their humans navigate through pods of killer whales – all while maintaining their sophisticated doggy dignity.

The Willetts' home showcases their dedication to their furry family members. In a stroke of genius, Tom transformed an old TV cabinet into a professional grooming studio for Michele. She learned her grooming skills from professional groomer and TV show host Jonathan David, proving that sometimes the best pet parents are the ones who aren't afraid to turn furniture into a doggy salon.

The adventures never stop for this intrepid family. This February will see them jet off to the Virgin Islands for a 10-day bareboat charter, with Captain and Chef, of course—nothing but the best for these girls. They leave for a friend's wedding in May and will head to a six-day 230-mile ride on the famous Katy Bike Trail across Missouri. And next year, the pièce de résistance: a Norwegian cruise with a twist – instead of buffets and shuffleboard, they'll be cycling 30-40 miles each day through Norway's stunning fjords.

The Willetts' suitcases are already packed – well, the dogs' suitcases are, anyway. While most cruise passengers worry about formal night attire, the Willetts are focused on ensuring their four-legged companions have the most comfortable milk crate seats in Norway, complete with 3-inch foam mattresses. "When you're cycling through fjords, you want your co-pilots well-rested," Michele adds with a smile.

As Tom puts it, summing up their philosophy about life with their four-legged family members, "We hate to say it, but sometimes, we'd rather be around these two than most people." Given that these dogs have better travel resumes than most humans and never complain about travel delays, can you blame them?

The Willetts' story proves that the best adventures often come with a wagging tail – or in their case, two. Just don't ask them about their brief attempt at RV life while renting a rig in the Mighty Five parks of Utah. As Michele puts it, with the diplomatic skill of someone who's learned her lesson, "We enjoyed it. It was nice. We'll never do it again." Some tales are better left in the rearview mirror, preferably with a Four Seasons reservation on the horizon. But Gigi and Moxie loved hiking to the bottom of the canyons at Bryce and Zion... well, sorta hiking.