Dog-friendly Vacations In Southern California – Is supported by the player. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
If sun, sand and surf sound like your idea of a good time, Southern California is the place to be! Whether you’re a resident or passing through, you can easily find a beautiful beach to spend the day on. The good news for dog lovers is that many of these beautiful beaches also welcome puppies who can play on and off leash. Here are the 10 best dog-friendly beaches in Southern California.
Dog-friendly Vacations In Southern California
Whenever you and your dog enjoy one of these 10 Southern California beaches, remember to respect others who share the space. Not everyone likes to be approached by dogs, so always maintain control of your puppy’s voice or leash. Pack water, snacks, dog sunscreen, and extra poop bags just to be safe before you hit the beach. Remember that dogs can overheat quickly, so keep an eye on the weather and give your pup plenty of breaks in the shade if needed.
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Nicole has loved animals of all sizes her whole life, so it’s no wonder she’s dedicated her career to helping them do what she loves most: learning, writing and sharing knowledge with others. She is the proud mother of two dogs, a cat and a human. With a degree in education and over 15 years of writing experience, Nicole wants to help parents and pets all over the planet live happy, safe and healthy lives. Looking for dog-friendly day trips in Southern California? Then I have just the right post for you with 10 great Southern California dog vacations that you can cover as day trips from Los Angeles or San Diego. Read on to find the best dog-friendly spots in Southern California that you can explore as quick day trips within a 2.5 hour drive (one way)!
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I’m based in San Francisco and have dedicated tons of blog posts about dog-friendly Northern California vacations covering small towns. However, there are plenty of dog-friendly trips to Southern California when the sun is shining, beach resorts with warm waters (Northern California beaches are notoriously cold and windy), plenty of hiking, wine tasting, and of course, good food—all of it. it’s waiting for you. dogs welcome.
Although our Southern California travels with our pups (Babu: 2010-2021 and now Gunda) were limited compared to our extensive Northern California travel, we were able to explore quite a bit of the state from Santa Barbara down south during our time. many winter vacations where the drive to Los Angeles was a vacation tradition for us.
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In that spirit, here are 10 great Southern California dog vacations that can easily be turned into dog-friendly day trips from one of SoCal’s big cities, namely Los Angeles or San Diego, and are about 2.5 hours away by car. a car. , in each direction (traffic permits).
These include beach towns, small towns, wine tasting vacations, desert vacations, and even a popular national park to visit with your dog if you’re visiting Southern California. I hope this guide to dog-friendly places in Southern California that are easily accessible from Los Angeles or San Diego will help you better see the diversity of Southern California outside of the big cities.
A) Southern California has the proverbial warm, sunny California climate almost year-round, with warm ocean water for swimming. However, summer is hot, which can be painful for you and dangerous for your pup (especially his tender feet). So if you’re planning dog-friendly Southern California day trips from June to September, be sure to stick to beach towns rather than inland destinations.
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November-March is the best time to visit inland destinations like Palm Springs, Ojai or Joshua Tree, popular winter destinations in California. However, winter is California’s rainy season, so prepare for showers and be flexible with your plans.
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B) If you plan to start dog-friendly day trips from Los Angeles or San Diego, it’s best to drive your own car. You can rent a car from Los Angeles or San Diego or any of the major airports serving Southern California.
Los Angeles is incredibly dog-friendly, but thanks to its location, it’s close to some spectacular dog-friendly spots in Southern California that you should definitely check out if you have more time. Another thing is that no Los Angeles beaches allow dogs, so this is even more of an incentive to venture outside of Los Angeles on day trips with dogs. Here are my picks based on our repeated trips with Babu and Gunda during our winter vacation:
Long Beach, just a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles, has the most popular dog beach in the county, namely Rosie Dog Beach. Additionally, the stores, shops and restaurants in Belmont Shores are very dog friendly.
Long Beach boasts 11 dog parks, including the local favorite Recreation Park, El Dorado Park, Uptown Dog Park, K-9 Corner Dog Park, and Bixby Dog Park. In addition to these, there are plenty of dog-friendly restaurants on 4th Street, Uptown, Belmont Heights, and downtown, and you can try them all at this dog-friendly Long Beach location!
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Check out this Instagram post shared by fan page Rosie’s Dog Beach (@rosiesdogbeach)
Malibu may be synonymous with Hollywood celebrity vacations and weddings, but it’s also popular with furry friends! Leo Carrillo State Beach is dog-friendly, and there are plenty of dog-friendly hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains to keep your pooch busy. Plus, there’s the little-known Malibu wine region where you can go wine tasting with your dog.
I recommend stopping at Escondido Canyon Park to hike the dog-friendly Escondido Falls Trail, explore the Soludnik Canyon Trail, hike the Zuma Canyon Loop Trail, or hike the Miche Mokwa Trail to Allen Mountain for dog walking in Malibu. There are plenty of dog-friendly restaurants on Highway 1 in Malibu to stop at after a day of hiking—here’s a handy Bring Fido post that lists them all.
Ojai is one of the best dog-friendly trips in Southern California and one that completely surprised us when we visited in 2019 on our trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles. While this downtown area doesn’t have any dog-friendly beaches, there are plenty of other fun dog-friendly activities to explore in this artsy Southern California city.
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Explore the dog shops at Arcade Plaza, stop by Barts Books, do a Kombucha tasting at Revel Kombucha Bar, and walk your dog in Libby Park. Ojai has many dog friendly restaurants and cafes such as Farmer and The Cook, Beacon Coffee Company, The Nest (large patio) Lebanese Ojai Rotie. which are good for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ojai has plenty of dog-friendly wineries, such as Topa Mountain Winery and Old Creek Ranch Winery, which you should check out if you’re a wine lover. We loved our short stay in Ojai in the winter and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Santa Barbara is often referred to as “America’s Riviera” thanks to its postcard-perfect beaches, swaying palm trees, and a summer vibe that’s hard to beat year-round. Santa Barbara is also extremely dog-friendly, with plenty of dog-friendly beaches, restaurants, and other attractions. If your dog loves the sea and the sand, Santa Barbara is really a dog day trip from Los Angeles to consider.
We have visited Santa Barbara many times over the past 12 years, and rain or shine, the city has always been a lot of fun to explore with our dogs. There are several beaches and dog parks that you can visit even if you only have one day in Santa Barbara.
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My recommendation would be to start your day at Hendry Beach (aka Arroyo Burro Beach County Park) near the Douglas Family Preserve or explore One Thousand Step Beach or quiet Mesa Lane Beach, walk along the park’s waterfront and walk through Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens.
Both Santa Barbara Harbor and Santa Barbara Mission Rose Garden are dog-friendly, and the District Court Gardens are not to be missed. If that’s not all, the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens also accepts dogs, and for free!
Downtown Santa Barbara, La Arcade Plaza, the Funk District are great places to explore and grab a bite to eat with your dog on a leash. Additionally, there are plenty of dog-friendly wine tasting rooms in Santa Barbara where you can have a great time.
