Best Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast – Looking for the best dog-friendly West Coast road trip? As a dog who traveled through California with his furry munchkins, I’m here to share all the fun details about two of California’s great dog-friendly road trips that are sure to spice up your travel plans! This guide to dog-friendly travel in Northern California is packed with information on the best dog-friendly stops, hikes, beaches, restaurants, and accommodations—basically what you need when traveling with dogs.
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Best Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast
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If you’re a pet parent like me who swears by “dog travel,” one item on your bucket list should include at least one dog-friendly trip to Northern California. Traveling throughout Northern California (we live in San Francisco) with our 10+ year old Babu (our Tibetan Spaniel mix), we’ve been on many dog friendly trips from San Francisco, two of which are our favorites so far. This dog-friendly road trip in Northern California is sure to be a winner thanks to the many attractions and restaurants along the way that welcome your best friend.
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Exploring California’s coastal redwoods in the north and the famous 17-mile loop (between Carmel and Monterey) in the south is one of the best west coast road trips with dogs, especially in the winter. So, without further ado, here are two dog attractions, stops and details on the two Northern California Pacific Coast Dog Tours.
P.S. I have tried to provide up-to-date information on dog-friendly accommodation based on my stays, but pet policies change frequently. So please confirm before calling and booking
1) Traveling with dogs should be comfortable! Traveling with dogs isn’t always easy, and you can read this post about traveling with pets for tips on how to have a successful trip with your animal friend! For us, make sure there is enough space on our back for the baby to rest comfortably on a portable bed in a car with food and water.
Make sure your dog is comfortable in the car and try not to make the trip too long (our maximum is 3-4 hours). For longer trips, break them up into 2-3 hour drives and look for dog-friendly parks/walks/towns and restaurants to stretch your legs or grab a bite to eat.
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For the two road trips I’ve mentioned here, I recommend using Mendocino (read all there is to do in Mendocino in this post) or Guerneville/Gualala (depending on where you’re starting from) North and Carmel Sea . – South as an anchor point Both cities are very dog-friendly and have plenty of dog-friendly hotels and restaurants, such as this dog-friendly hotel in Carmel.
2) Northern California summers defy the idea that it’s foggy on the coast and always sunny in California. It can be cold and windy on the coast so please dress appropriately and maybe even get a jacket for your furry friend.
3) Not all beaches, trails, restaurants and attractions in California are dog friendly. You can save yourself the hassle and headache of finding a dog-friendly place to stay by reading my dog-friendly California road trip!
If you’ve never traveled by car or if it’s your first trip with your dog, you’re probably a little nervous. So to get you started, here are some very helpful resources to help you plan your dog-friendly trip:
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The Best Bike Rides in Northern California with the Dog: Drive down Highway 1 from Mendocino to San Francisco.
Starting in the north, the Coastal Highway (Highway), which runs from Mendocino County to Sonoma County, offers not only great views of the California coast, but also the famous Coastal Redwoods. Although the route is very winding, there are many dog-friendly stops along the way, small towns to explore, so allow at least half a day for your journey.
We’ve visited Mendocino and nearby Fort Bragg (a dog-friendly town with lots of dog-friendly hotels, restaurants and attractions) many times in the past, and this is one of the most dog-friendly trips we’ve had. We have never been on the Pacific Ocean. Coast. Read my guide to dog-friendly Mendocino to find out about the best dog-friendly activities to do there.
As you head south from Mendocino, the first stop is the 152-year-old Pointe Arena Lighthouse, which serves as a fog breaker for the south coast on a cliff jutting into the ocean. The lighthouse requires a $5 admission fee and dogs are allowed in the museum and gift shop, as well as on the lighthouse grounds, a great spot for whale watching in California.
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Then comes the small town of Anchor Bay in Gualala, Mendocino County’s endpoint on the Redwood Coast, which then enters Sonoma County. Gualala is famous for its kennels, has plenty of dog rentals and overlooks from December to March, and is another dog-friendly town.
We explored the dog-friendly Coal Bluff Trail, part of the Redwood Coast Conservation Effort, with a trail starting at the Surf Motel (you can’t park there and have to park on the street). The track offers spectacular views of the sea and the sea for a short half-mile stretch that parallels the edge of the hills and the commercial district of the city to the west.
If you’re looking to have more fun with your pooch, a short drive takes you to Guala Point Regional Park and Beach, and you can read details about our dog-friendly hikes in this post.
Stop by the unassuming church in Sea Ranch off Highway 1 The church and its surroundings are open to the public 365 days a year
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Sonoma Coast is the next pint town you’ll hit on this dog friendly west coast road trip I recommend stopping at the dog friendly Wood Cove Resort for lunch (Coast Restaurant) and walking down the stairs to the Seaside patio with stunning coastal views.
Fort Ross State Park should be your next stop as you head down Highway 1 toward Jenner, where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean. In addition to the Jenner Belvedere (where you can admire the seal of the Pacific Ocean in the distance) and Glasson Overlook, the main attraction here is the unique Fort Ross State Park, which was a Russian-American settlement in the 1800s.
This is a rare dog friendly park where dogs are allowed inside the main building inside the ramps A daily fee is paid to use the car park and walk along the paved path to the walled complex, which contains many original buildings such as the church and the house of Rocheve. Dun Ross has wonderful beaches and coastal paths
There are many dog-friendly beaches and overviews of part of Sonoma Coast State Park along the Jenner Highway // Shoreline Highway to Bodega Bay. Dog-friendly beaches (north and south) include Russian Gulch State Beach, Blind Beach (south of Girl Rock Beach where the seals sleep), Shell Beach, Furlong Gulch, Wright’s Beach, Duncan’s Landing, Duncan Cove, Portugal Beach, School Beach, Carmet Beach and Marshall’s Wharf
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Note that many of these beaches are only accessible by stairs from the pull-out area/parking lot from Highway 1. Be sure to dress warmly beforehand as this beach, like all beaches in Northern California, is windy and cold.
Looking for a dog-friendly place to eat while enjoying a beautiful view of the Russian River meeting the Pacific Ocean? Then head straight to Cafe Aquatica’s grassy exterior with your food or coffee order and watch the kayaks sail by or the sun set on the shore. We love this place and hope you find relaxation on your dog friendly trip along the California coast.
Bodega Bay is the last town on the Sonoma Coast you’ll visit on your West Coast dog trip along Highway 1. You also have the sleepy town of Bodega, home of Alfred Hitchcock
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