Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast

Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast – In this post, I wanted to look at the most dog-friendly destinations in the West ~ with an emphasis on California and Oregon, two states where you can easily travel with pets (I know, because I travel all the time)! Within these states, I wanted to find places that go above and beyond when it comes to dog-friendliness: which means great dog parks or dog beaches, great pet-friendly hotels, and a laid-back city atmosphere that makes it easy for pets to go on adventures together. And I found some great places like Bend, Oregon and Carmel, California…among many others. Join me and my dog Dylan as we search for the “Best Dog Destinations on the West Coast!”

While my only dog-friendly beach in Oregon is Cannon Beach, please note: almost EVERY beach in Oregon is dog-friendly, with far fewer rules and restrictions than California beaches! Translation: The Oregon Coast is an IDEAL dog-friendly travel area. Photo of Gold Beach, Oregon.

Table of Contents

I love Cannon Beach for so many reasons: charming town, dozens of great restaurants, COFFEE (Sleep Monk!!), tons of top-notch pet-friendly hotels, and of course: 100% pet-friendly BEACH. No leashes needed here!! Oregon is much more relaxed about this than California. And the views from Haystack Rock will mesmerize you, especially at sunset. Stroll down Ocean Avenue with your pup, grab a bowl of chowder on one of the many outdoor patios, and be sure to stop by the cute pet store on the corner: Puppy Love by the Sea.

Dog Friendly Beaches In Padstow

***My pick for the best pet friendly hotels in Cannon Beach: This is a tie between: The Ocean Lodge and Surfsand Resort. Both are luxury hotels by the sea and are very pet friendly. Ocean Lodge rooms are bigger and take better advantage of the view ~ but Surfsand is closer to town and Haystack Rock, the rooms are more comfortable, and their Wayfarer restaurant is my favorite place in town (and offers room service)…

Bend is my current residence in the United States, and honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever lived anywhere that loves pets. Bend’s number of great dog parks puts California’s dog parks to shame, and nearly every restaurant in town with a patio is dog-friendly, including: McMenamin’s St. Francis School (which is a bar, brewery, movie theater, concert venue, cigar bar and hotel all in one former Catholic school), Naked Winery, Avid Cider, Crux Brewing, 10 Barrel…..and the list goes on. .. & NEXT .

Bend has more dog-friendly parks, hotels and restaurants per capita than any other city on this list! Dylan pictured on the popular Deschutes River Trail in downtown Bend.

***My pick for the best pet-friendly hotels in Bend: Tetherow Golf Resort. At Tetherow, you have luxury golf resort accommodations with STUNNING mountain views ~ and you’re only a 5-minute drive from downtown Bend and the popular Old Mill District. It’s the best pet-friendly place in town. Otherwise, head to Sunriver Resort, about 20 minutes south of Bend: one of the best family resorts in the US.

Best Guide To Dog Friendly Fun In Port Dover, Ontario

Carmel’s main beach is my favorite off-leash beach in the world: legendary Pebble Beach lies to the right, and if you follow the crescent-shaped beach to the left, you’ll find cypress trees framing the view, from multi-million dollar homes of all kinds. ..from lovely, homey to modern and trendy. Clint Eastwood lives here for a reason: Carmela is something special.

And this place loves dogs: they are welcome almost everywhere ~ but I especially like Forge in the Forest on the cozy outdoor terrace, with its menu specifically for dogs…

Carmel isn’t the only Monterey Bay town with a killer ocean view: head to Pacific Grove and stroll along the waterfront for views of this…

***My top pick for dog-friendly hotels in Carmel: The Lodge at Pebble Beach. Yes, it’s expensive~ but according to my parents and work: every room here is pet friendly! And you can bring any size dog. For a cheaper option in Carmel, try the dog-friendly Cypress Inn Doris Day.

Dog Friendly Days Out In Scotland

I grew up in Orange County and last week I met up with some friends in Huntington Beach at the new Pacific City outdoor mall. When I traveled home for Christmas, I had Dylan with me ~ which meant I had to take him to the mall with me… and I was shocked at how pet friendly he was! Luxury boutiques won us over, he drank coffee with us and we all had lunch on Simmzy’s terrace overlooking the pier and sea. I would go back in a heartbeat! And there’s another reason to visit Huntington with your dog: It’s the ONLY off-leash beach in Orange Country.

***My top pick for dog-friendly hotels in Huntington Beach: Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach. Kimptons are notoriously stylish and always dog friendly…they even offer dog classes! This one is especially romantic, with ocean views and a light blue color palette ~ and you’re just one block from the pier, Main Street and the ocean. And Huntington’s Dog Beach is just a few miles north…

San Diego has not one, but two off-leash dog beaches, both in densely populated areas: Del Mar and Coronado. Last year Dylan and I tested the Del Mar dog beach, which is south of Encinitas. Although it’s not as big as Carmel Beach, it’s still awesome. Happy dogs ran in and out of the water, people were relaxed and friendly, and parking was easy since the spots were on the same street as the beach entrance. Coronado Dog Beach has pristine white sand and is just steps away from the pet-friendly historic Hotel Del Coronado.

Coronado’s Dog Beach is one of the best places to play with your pup on the sand in Southern California.

Dog Friendly West Coast

***My Top Dog Friendly Hotel in San Diego: San Diego is big, so it depends on where you want to be. For the Northern District, try the luxurious L’Auberge Del Mar, which accommodates two dogs of all sizes. If you’re in the Gaslamp Center, try the modern Hotel Indigo with its trendy rooftop bar. And if you want to be near Coronado’s legendary dog beach, check out the Hotel del Coronado ~ where three restaurants are pet-friendly! (Only dogs up to 40 pounds in Del…)

That rounds out my pick of the best dog-friendly destinations on the West Coast! One thing I’d like to add: More and more of the travel articles I’ve been reading lately seem to be powered by A.I. or out-of-touch editors who haven’t actually been to the places they recommend. Rest assured: I’ve visited every city on this list in the past year, so my recommendations are timely and relevant for 2020 and beyond!

Since 2010, I’ve traveled between California and Oregon every year, with Dylan ~ so all of these places are places I really visit and look forward to returning to year after year. Looking for the best dog-friendly trips on the West Coast? As a dog mom who has traveled all over California with her furry munchkins, I’m here to bring you all the fun details about two of the most epic dog-friendly California road trips that are sure to spice up your travel plans! This dog-friendly travel guide to Northern California has tons of information on the best habitats, hikes, beaches, restaurants, and dog-friendly accommodations—basically everything you’re looking for when traveling with dogs.

Disclaimer: This post may contain some affiliate links. By clicking on it, I can earn a small commission at no additional cost to the product. This small fee will help support my blog hosting and other maintenance costs. Thank you!

Dog Friendly Camping & Accommodation

If you’re a pet parent like me who swears by “dog travel,” then one of your bucket list items should include at least one dog-friendly trip to Northern California. In our 10+ years of traveling with Babu (our Tibetan Spaniel) across Northern California (we live in San Francisco), we’ve been on several trips from San Francisco, two of which are still our favorites to this day. These dog-friendly trips in Northern California are clear winners because of the many attractions and restaurants on the trip that welcome your best friend.

Exploring California’s Coastal Redwoods in the north and the famous 17-mile loop in the south (between Carmel and Monterey) are two of the best West Coast road trips you can take with your dog, especially in the winter. So, without further ado, here are the details on all the dog attractions, stops, and things to do on these two dog-friendly tours in Northern California along the Pacific Coast.

P.S. I’ve tried to provide the most up-to-date information on dog-friendly accommodations based on my stays, but pet policies change frequently. So please call and confirm before making any reservations.

1) Traveling with dogs should only be for their comfort! Traveling with dogs is not always easy and