Dog Friendly Travel: 5 Places to Visit with your Dog

Have you been wanting to take your best friend on an unforgettable trip? More and more cities are catering to the dogs! Let’s normalize dog friendly travel.

Below are 5 places to give your pooch a weekend away. They deserve to unwind and explore. You’ll both walk, sniff, eat, drink, and relax!

1. Burlington, VT

2. NYC

3. Washington DC

4. Carmel, CA

5. Colorado Springs, CO

Let’s start with beautiful Burlington, Vermont, and surrounding areas.

The best time to take your dog to Vermont is late spring until fall. Of course, you can visit in the winter but it will be more difficult navigating the snow and cold weather with your pup.

Here are all the things you can do with your four-legged friend during your time in Vermont:

• Church Street Marketplace is an outdoor market in downtown Burlington with plenty of shops and dining options. The restaurants have outdoor patios that are dog-friendly, and many of the shops allow dogs inside.

• Lake Champlain offers picturesque paths and trails to hike with your dog.

• Cosmic Grind and Brio Coffee both allow dogs inside.

• Shelbourne Vineyard in Shelburne Vermont is a 20-minute drive from Burlington and dog-friendly even in the tasting room.  Relaxing with your dog and a glass of wine sounds like the best kind of day.

• Many breweries in Vermont allow dogs outside on the patios.  Queen City Brewery allows dogs inside and is right in Burlington.

• Dog Mountain in Saint Johnsbury, VT is the home of Stephen Huneck Gallery and is 2 hours from Burlington. Dog Mountain consists of 150 acres and is a dog and dog lover’s dream. It was started by artist Stephen Huneck and his wife in memory of his dogs. The couple has since passed but continues in their memory.

  
  

  Some of the ways to enjoy the space at Dog Mountain:

  Get out your pup’s energy by exploring one of the many trails.

  Look at the calendar of events, such as an outdoor concert you and your dog can enjoy.

  Visit the gallery to enjoy the dog-themed artwork.

  The dog chapel is full of heart-warming quotes and notes left by people who have lost a loved pet.

  
  

Dog friendly hotels:

• Paw House Inn is about 2 hours from Burlington. It is a bit of a drive BUT for the dog lovers, it may be worth it. This isn’t just a dog friendly inn. This could be described more as a dog lovers hotel or maybe dog obsessed. This inn doesn’t just cater to your dog they LOVE your dog.

Here are some of the amenities at Paw House Inn:

Rooms have built-in dog beds.

They are allowed at breakfast.

There is a playhouse with on-site sitters who will watch your dog while you explore Vermont.

Your dog will love running in the off-leash dog park.

• If you are looking to stay in Burlington there are many hotels that allow dogs including the Courtyard by Marriot and Hotel Vermont.

NYC is another dog friendly travel spot to enjoy with your fur baby. The weather is similar to Vermont, you can visit any time but may be more enjoyable during the warmer months.

What to do:

• The Grey Dog is a restaurant with several locations. The patios are heated in the winter to dine with your dog.

• The Brooklyn Brewery allows dogs in their tasting room.

• Evil Twin Brewing allows dogs in their taproom. They are located in Brooklyn and Queens.

• Bibliotheque in Soho is a bookstore that offers food, coffee, and wine. Bring your dog and unwind with a drink or snack.

• Look for your favorite authors in the Strand bookstore located in the East Village.

• Subways allow dogs if they are in a carrier. I’ve seen pics of people getting creative with their large dogs.

• The Barking Dog is dog-friendly inside and is a full-service restaurant, located in Hell’s Kitchen as well as the Upper East Side

• Chateau le Woof offers coffee, pastry, breakfast, and wine.  Dog ice cream and dog brunch allow your pup to be included in the experience.

• The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn will allow you to purchase romance novels with your dog by your side.

• Le Doggie Cool coffee shop in Brooklyn is also a groomer and a daycare facility.  

• The Museum of Illusions is pet-friendly all year round. Dogs need culture too.

• You and your dog can cross one off the bucket list after walking over the Brooklyn Bride.

• There are plenty of exciting spots to sniff around Central Park.

central park in the fall

Dog friendly hotels:

• Life can be stressful. The Plaza is for dogs who really need to get away and be pampered. Their pampered pup package includes a bed, bathrobe, and dog-friendly macarons. Sometimes we just want to forget our troubles.

• If the plaza is not in your price range The Evelyn Hotel and the Maritime Hotel offer cheaper alternatives. The Maritime does not charge a fee for dogs and allows any size. The Evelyn Hotel allows dogs under 40 lbs. with a $150 fee.

Washington DC- our nation’s dog loving capital!

What to see and do:

• Dog Daze restaurant has a large outdoor dog garden. Enjoy a meal and drink while you watch your dog run and play.  

• National Mall offers miles of paths and grassy areas. Walk by and sniff around the many monuments and statues while absorbing some history.

• Many bookstores are always welcoming to the dogs. Visit East City Bookshop and Solid State Books.

• Theodore Roosevelt Island offers 88 acres of trails to explore.

• Many pedicab tours are dog-friendly so everyone is included.

• Lost Generation Brewing Company allows dogs inside when you are ready to stop for a brew.  

• Enjoy some pastry and coffee at Junction Coffee with your pup.

• Stone Tower Winery is about an hour away in Leesburg, VA. The tasting room is dog-friendly. Virginia has some beautiful vineyards and so many of them are dog-friendly.

  

  enjoying some wine

Where to stay:

• The River Inn is a top-rated hotel on Trip Advisor and their website has a list of dog-friendly parks and things to do.

• Hotel Hive allows two pets of any size with no additional fee.

  
  

Carmel, California (Carmel-by-the-sea) has a perfect climate for a trip any time during the year. While exploring you will find so many dog inviting spaces.

Dog friendly travel list of things to do:

• Scenic Road Walkway allows you to enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean.

• Carmel Beach offers space for your dog to run and enjoy the sand but they must be leashed.

• Enjoy some wine at De Tierra Vineyards. Dogs are allowed to accompany you inside.

• Hidden Hills Brewery has space for dogs to either be inside or outside.

• Many Ocean Avenue stores and restaurants allow dogs even providing water bowls and treats.

• The Fountain of Woof is available to hydrate your pup after all the activity.

  
  

Where to stay:

• Forest lodge. They have wash stations for your dog and suggest pet-sitting services if you will be leaving your pet

• The Cypress Inn is not only dog friendly but also has a restaurant that allows your dog. Enjoy dinner at Terry’s Lounge, even inside. Doris Day was a joint owner of the Cypress Inn for many years and an animal activist. She has been credited with Carmel being such a pet friendly destination.

Explore more Carmel, CA dog friendly hotels.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

At the base of the Rocky Mountains and near Pike’s Pike Colorado Springs is for all the hiking and nature-loving dogs out there.

Things to do:

• Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum allows you to bring your dog with you as you explore the dwellings and learn about the ancestral Puebloan ruins.

• Peterson Air & Space Museum is an Air Force Field Museum that allows dogs to accompany you as you learn about aviation.

• Pub Dog Colorado.  This is an absolute must! This is a restaurant and bar with an indoor and outdoor dog park.

• Metric Brewery is dog friendly to stop for a pint.

• Bear Creek dog park includes 25 acres to explore off leash, including a creek and an agility training area.

• Cheyenne Mountain State Park provides 3 dog-friendly trails.

• Fuel up with your pup and visit Jives or Corter Coffee Roasters

  
  

  

  Pike's Peak

  
  

Where to stay:

• The Broadmoor will recommend pet sitters and pet walkers in the area. They provide a dog map to pet-friendly trails and room service options for your dog.

• Cheyenne Mountain Resort allows 2 dogs up to 80 lbs. They offer information on veterinarians as well as dog services in the area.

  
  

Traveling with our dogs requires a little more planning but is worth it. Now you are ready to sniff a new spot!  Dog friendly travel is becoming more popular, let’s hope we find more places to explore. Many of the travel booking sites offer dog friendly as a filter option to make the process a little easier.