Dog Friendly Road Trips East Coast – We call this trip “Lincoln’s List” because we created this itinerary with our beloved best friend in mind.
Our dog, Lincoln, has been traveling with us since 2019 and is a big part of why we love road trips. Simply put, jumping in the car is the most affordable way to travel with him (and we take Lincoln with us almost everywhere).
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(2) spend a lot of time in the woods, hiking, and outdoors (and you probably want to tell us that they prefer places with few people but lots of squirrels and smells);
(3) beaches and lakes where you have easy access to water where you can cool off, with sand and mud where you smell again, and
So we brainstormed our travel catalog and put together this trip with Lincoln’s wish list in mind. If you are looking for ideas for traveling with your dog because you have a dog that wants to do everything you do while traveling, this is for you!
Lincoln brings you on this journey to New England with great summer and fall temperatures, tons of outdoor activities, and one of the most dog-friendly national parks in the United States.
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This itinerary is similar to our Wicked Good: 10-Day NE Road Trip, but includes only the essential stops and tips on how to take your baby!
In the summer, take advantage of longer daylight hours and cooler temperatures than many other states this time of year. Or take a road trip to enjoy spectacular fall foliage in the fall at one of the world’s best leaf peeping spots.
During the 2022 tourist season, we spent 5 months in Ontario and New England. We spent two weeks in Virginia in July, a long weekend camping on the Scoodick Peninsula in Acadia National Park in early August, three weeks near Lake Placid, New York in mid-to-late August, a month in Kempton, New Hampshire , in September . Ellsworth, ME in early October and three weeks in Attleboro, MA in late October. (We also spent three weeks in Ontario at the beginning of our trip.)
It really was a good time to be in New England these months. Sure, it can be hot at night in the summer months, but make sure your rental has air conditioning and you’ll be fine. (Honestly, we say this as people who live in Texas anyway, so our tolerance for heat is probably higher than someone who lives up north year-round. Mind you, our tolerance is probably lower. , if! )
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However, we would say that if you want to plan your trip for the beautiful fall foliage, travel in the second week of October. Although popular plant spots will be busy (like Kancamagus Highway and Stow, Vermont), the view is worth it!
RTL Tip: Need more time for hiking or the beach during your trip? Visit in July or August. Fancy a relaxing walk through the autumn leaves with a hot cider in hand? Visit in October. Want a lower temperature but less weight? Visit in September.
Lincoln is definitely a fan of the roads we can drive on because it makes it easier to join us. If you are close enough to any point on the road to drive by, we recommend it. Take this route to the nearest point and make a full circle back home.
However, if you can’t get here by car and you have a dog that can handle the plane, you can land at Boston International Airport and rent a car after landing. If you’re flying, we suggest changing your route a bit and starting here: Boston > Lake Placid > Stowe > Lincoln, NH > Acadia National Park > Portland > Boston.
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Note: If you live too far to go anywhere and there’s no way your kid is getting on a plane (not in Lincoln, unless he’s flying alone in the seat next to us, ha!) then let it go. Tell us where you live in the comments below and ask Lincoln to make another list closer to your original destination.
We recommend treating this route like a traditional road trip where you stop at a different location for each stop along the way. You can check campsites near each destination or stay in nearby towns.
For Lincoln, New Hampshire, consider Pimi River or Lost River Valley Campgrounds or the City of Lincoln. (Can’t find anything in Lincoln? Check out Kempton, New Hampshire, just 20 miles south. We had a great month in one of the red sleighs in Kempton.)
For Lake Placid, consider Rollins Pond Campground, the affordable Chisum Campground, or the Village of Lake Placid. (Want a truly breathtaking view? Find a place to stay in Lake Placid Village.
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Mirror Lake The Mirror Lake Inn offers dog-friendly guest rooms and a dog-friendly restaurant with a patio. Can’t find anything in Lake Placid? (Try nearby Wilmington.)
For Stow, consider Smugglers’ Notch State Park Campground or the town of Stow. (You can also find it about 40 minutes away in Burlington. Downtown Burlington is incredibly dog-friendly!)
For Acadia National Park, consider Blackwoods Campground or the town of Bar Harbor. (Can’t find anything there? Try Ellsworth, ME. If you’re in Ellsworth, check out the Blue Hill Mountain Hike at Sunset. It’s scenic, dog-friendly, and 1 to match the Acadia scenery. /100 packed !)
Lincoln (the city, not to be confused with our dog of the same name) is located in the middle of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. That’s what makes it a great place to start your dog-friendly journey.
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You could easily spend a week exploring this part of New Hampshire on your own because there are so many great dog-friendly hikes and activities nearby! (We spent a month here and didn’t get to see everything on our list!)
But since we’re only planning one day to enjoy the White Mountains on this highway, here are our top tips for making the most of it.
This is a bonus because you can drive the Kincamagus Highway on your way from Portland to Lincoln. (So come back to this section whenever you’re on the road. If you don’t do a full loop on this route, consider a two-hour detour on the Kinkamagus Highway during your time in Lincoln.)
If you go in the fall, Kinkamagus Highway is one of the most beautiful parts of the entire trip. And if you’re not going in the fall, this will work.
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Kinkamagus Highway is a 34-mile stretch between Lincoln, New Hampshire and Conway, New Hampshire. This is one of the most popular roads in New Hampshire and one of the best places in the United States to see fall foliage. Although there are many viewpoints and hiking trails along this beautiful trail that can keep you busy throughout the trip, we recommend that you only stop at a few viewpoints rather than a single hike. (Will be better!) Note: Going in the fall? Get up early. This road gets crowded quickly, so either go the night before or get up early to avoid long lines and heavy traffic to your next destination. Kinkamagus Highway is great, but not ideal for daily activity!
Let’s get out of the car and into the forest with the dog! During our month in New Hampshire, hiking was our most active activity. We searched every weekend and many weekday evenings. One of the best things about New Hampshire is spending time outdoors on the trails.
You can check out our favorite New Hampshire hikes here, but if you want our top recommendation, we recommend heading to Welch-Dickie Mountain. This approximately 4.4 mile loop is a great southbound hike with incredible mountain views. Dog friendly, good exercise and lots of fun if you want a variety of terrain between open rock and forest trails.
If you are looking for this hike by all routes, look for the Welch-Dickey Loop Trail (not “Welch Mountain Rockies” or “Welch and Dickey Mountains”). A full loop provides cliff edge views.
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Both Welch and Dickey Mountain. We recommend going counter-clockwise so you also climb the steepest part. (This is especially helpful if it’s wet or you’re going in the fall planting season when the leaves are on the ground. Take your time because the terrain can be slippery.)
Dog friendly? fully. Everything on this hiking trail is Lincoln (the dog) approved! Just be aware that this hike has steep sections on exposed rock.
RTL advice: go for it
