Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast – Looking for the best dog walking tours on the West Coast? As a dog mom who has traveled all over California with her pets, I’m here to give you all the fun facts about two of the best California dog trips that are sure to brighten up your travel plans. . This guide to dog-friendly travel in Northern California has lots of information on the best dog-friendly places, hikes, beaches, restaurants , and accommodation; everything you’re looking for when traveling with dogs.
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Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast
If you are a pet parent, like me, who swears that “owning a dog will travel,” one of the items on your bucket list should include at least one dog friendly trip to Northern California. In our 10+ years of traveling with Babu (our Tibetan Spaniel mix) in Northern California (we live in San Francisco), we’ve taken several dog-friendly trips from San Francisco, two of which we still enjoy. the date These dog-friendly trips through Northern California are clear winners thanks to the various attractions and restaurants throughout the trip to welcome your best friend.
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Exploring the California redwoods in the north and the famous 17-mile loop in the south (between Carmel and Monterey) are great Coastal trips to West two and your dog can get you, especially in the winter. So, without further ado, here are the details on all the dog-friendly things, stops, and things to do on these two dog-friendly tours in Northern California on the Pacific Coast.
PS I’ve done my best to provide up-to-date information on dog friendly accommodation based on my stay, however it varies. in any pet policy. So call and confirm before making reservations.
1) Road trips with dogs should be comfortable! Traveling with dogs isn’t always easy, and you can read this post about traveling with pets for tips and advice on how to plan a successful trip with your furry friend. As for us, make sure there is enough space in his back for Babu to rest comfortably in his portable bed with food and water nearby.
Make sure your dog is comfortable on car trips and try not to make long trips (ours is 3-4 hours max). For longer trips, break them up into shorter 2-3 hour trips and look for dog-friendly parks, hiking trails, towns and restaurants along the way to stretch your legs or grab a bite to eat.
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For the two routes I mentioned here, I strongly recommend using Mendocino (read all the things to do in Mendocino in this post) or Guerneville / Gualala (depending on where you start) north and Carmel-by-the . -South Sea as anchorage. Both cities are dog-friendly and there are many dog-friendly hotels and restaurants, like these cozy hotels in Carmel.
2) Northern California summers are cloudy along the coast and contradict the idea that “it’s always sunny in California.” It’s cool and breezy along the coast, so dress accordingly and maybe even get a coat for your furry friend.
3) Not all California beaches, trails, restaurants and attractions are dog friendly. You can save yourself the hassle and headache of finding dog friendly kennels by reading my California dog boarding trips here!
If you’ve never traveled in a car before or if this is your dog’s first trip, it’s understandable that you might be nervous. So, to get you started, here are some great resources to help you plan your dog trip:
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Starting from the north, the coastal highway (Highway 1) that runs from Mendocino County to Sonoma County not only offers spectacular views of the California coast, but also has the house in the famous tree on the coast. Although very scenic, this trail includes many stops where dogs are allowed. the road, including the small towns you have to explore, so you should have at least half a day free for your trip.
We’ve visited Mendocino and nearby Fort Bragg (a dog-friendly town with many dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions) several times in the past and it was a dog-friendly road trip up the Pacific Coast is our favorite. Read my dog-friendly guide to Mendocino to find all our dog-friendly activities we can do there.
Your first stop as you drive south from Mendocino is the 152-year-old Point Arena Lighthouse, perched atop a piece of land that juts into the ocean and doubles as a lighthouse for the south coast. The lighthouse requires $5 to enter, and dogs are allowed in the museum and gift shop along with the lighthouse, a great place to watch whales in California.
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Then comes the beautiful town of Anchor Bay in Gualala, the last point of Mendocino County on the Redwood Coast, then on to Sonoma County. Gualala is famous for its lodges, many lodges and viewpoints that offer whale watching from December to March, and is another resort town. dogs
We explored the dog-friendly Gualala Cliff Trail, part of the Coastal Redwood Conservation initiative, and the trail that starts at the Surf Motel (you can’t park there and have to park on the road). The road is short and offers amazing views of the coast and ocean for half a mile, parallel to the cliff as it heads west of the commercial town.
If you want to have more fun with your dog, a short trip down will take you to the Gualala Point Regional Park and Beach, and you can read the details of our dog friendly vacation in this post.
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Stop at this non-denominational church in Sea Ranch, off Highway 1. This church, a generous gift from Sea Ranch residents Robert and Betty Buffum, was completed in 1985 by architect and architect house of James Hubbell. The church and its surroundings are open to the public 365 days a year.
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Timber Cove is the next Sonoma Coast town you’ll visit on this friendly West Coast trip. I highly recommend stopping at the dog-friendly Timber Cove Resort for a break (restaurant by the sea) and heading down for a walk through their sea gardens with stunning coastal views.
Fort Ross State Park should be your next stop as you travel along Highway 1 toward Jenner, where the Russian River flows into the Pacific Ocean. Besides the Jenner Lookout (where you can watch the seals from outside on the Pacific Harbor) and the Gleason Overlook, the main attraction here is the Fort Ross State Park, a place Russian-Americans in the 19th century.
This is a very dog friendly park where dogs are allowed in the first kennels inside the castle walls. Pay the daily fee at the car park and walk along the paved path to the wall where some of the original buildings, including the church and the Rotchev House, remain. There are also wonderful beaches and coastal paths to explore in Fort Ross.
There are many dog-friendly beaches and scenic views along Highway 1/Shoreline Highway from Jenner to Bodega Bay, part of Sonoma Coast State Park. These dog-friendly beaches (from north to south) are Russian Gulch State Beach, Blind Beach (south of Goat Rock Beach where the seals sleep), Shell Beach, Furlong Gulch, Wright Beach, Duncan’s Landing Overlook, Duncan’s Cove, Portuguese Beach, School Beach, Carmet Beach and Marshalls Gulch.
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Please note that many of these beaches are only accessible by steep stairs from the pick-up/parking area off Highway 1. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. all. Remember to dress warmly as these beaches are windy and cold, like all Northern California beaches.
Looking for a dog-friendly place to dine while enjoying spectacular views of the Russian River and Pacific Ocean? Then head straight to Café Aquatica’s outdoor lawn with your snack or coffee and watch the kayakers sail away or the sun set over the coast. We love this place and hope you can stop here on your dog friendly trip to the California coast.
Bodega Bay is the last town on the Sonoma Coast you’ll visit on your friendly West Coast trip along Highway 1. This coastal town has plenty of beaches and trails that your dog will love. Next, you have the quiet town of Bodega, which is Alfred Hitchcock
