So you’ve decided to go on a dog friendly vacation, but you don’t have any idea what you can actually do with your dog. Not all cities are the same, so you will find more or less dog friendly activities depending on where you are traveling. However, this post gives you activity ideas that most cities will have to help you plan dog friendly activities to do on your vacation.
Explore the Outdoors
The great outdoors is a great place to start when it comes to dog friendly activities. Research local trails, parks, or outdoor landmarks that are unique to the area. Your dog will most likely be welcome and have a blast exploring with you.
Make sure to check out the national park service website for dog friendly national parks nearby your destination.
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Eat Yummy Food
Dining with your dog does not have to be boring or limited to fast food drive-thrus. Outdoor dining is becoming increasingly popular. Most downtowns, big or small have patio dining where you can take your dog out to eat with you.
Be sure to call the restaurant in advance and confirm whether their patio is dog friendly or not. Look up local food trucks/food truck hubs that tend to offer picnic seating nearby.
Don’t forget, you always have the option for carryout and taking your food to a nearby park, so you aren’t missing out on dining at a popular restaurant that you really wanted to try.
TIP: Check out BringFido for dog friendly restaurant suggestions or blogs like mine!
Check For Dog Friendly Events
It’s always a good idea to research whether your destination has any dog friendly events that they put on. If they do, and it works for your schedule, go!
Dog friendly events will give you plenty to do and will be a more dog accommodating vacation.
Go Shopping
Believe it or not, there are quite a few stores that don’t mind having your dog shop with you. Definitely research outdoor outlet malls or shopping centers and see if they are dog friendly. If you are going to a downtown area with a lot of local shops, there will probably be a handful that will let you in with your dog.
Also, research if there are any specialty dog stores like treat bakeries or dog accessory stores. Those are almost always dog friendly and fun to visit.
Finding indoor shopping that is dog friendly is a great backup plan if it ends up raining on your trip.
Research Wineriers and Breweries and Make Your Own Tour
If the destination has a lot of wineries or breweries, you’ll find that a lot are dog friendly. And, if this is something you enjoy, it is a great way to spend a day with your dog. You probably won’t be able to take an actual tour with a company, but you can usually find a map with all the local wineries or breweries listed and create your own tour.
Just make sure to call and confirm that they are dog friendly.
Relax!
One thing that has become clear to me after many years of traveling, is that going on a dog friendly vacation forces you to relax.
I am a big culprit when it comes to trying to plan and do as much as possible on vacation. I just don’t want to miss out on anything. I’ve learned though, that you cannot travel that way when you take your dog with you. Traveling with Kirby has forced me to slow down and stay in one spot for longer than I normally would.
No matter where you end up going, I hope this list helps you with your research on finding dog friendly activities!
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