Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast – Looking for the best dog road trips on the West Coast? As a dog mom who travels all over California with her furry Munchkins, I’m here to give you all the fun details on two of the most epic dog-friendly road trips in California that are sure to spice up your travel plans! This dog-friendly Northern California road trip guide is packed with information about dog-friendly stops, hikes, beaches, restaurants, and accommodations—basically everything you need when traveling with your dog.
Disclaimer: This post may contain some affiliate links. If I click on it, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you for the product. This small commission will help pay for my blog hosting and other maintenance costs. Thank you!
Dog Friendly Vacations West Coast
If you’re an avid “dog travel” pet parent like me, one of the items on your bucket list should include at least one dog-friendly road trip through Northern California. We traveled around Northern California (we lived in San Francisco) with Grandpa (our Tibetan Mastiff mix) for over a decade and took several doggy road trips from San Francisco, two of which are still our favorites. These dog-friendly road trips in Northern California are the clear winners, as there are a variety of attractions and restaurants to welcome your best friend.
Dog Friendly Hampshire
Exploring the California Coast Redwoods in the north and the famous 17-mile loop (between Carmel and Monterey) in the south are two of the best West Coast road trips you can take with your dog, especially in the winter. Without further ado, here are the details on all the dog-friendly attractions, stops, and activities on these two dog-friendly road trips along Northern California’s Pacific Coast.
PS: I have tried my best to provide the most up-to-date information on dog-friendly properties based on my stay, but pet policies change frequently. So please call and confirm before booking.
1) Road trips with dogs should be centered around their comfort! Road trips with dogs aren’t always easy, you can read this article about traveling with pets for tips and advice on how to have a successful road trip with your furry friend! In our case, make sure there’s enough space in the back for Grandpa to lie comfortably in his portable car bed with food and water nearby.
Make sure your dog can ride in the car and try not to do it for long periods of time (ours lasted 3-4 hours max). For longer trips, break it up into shorter 2-3 hour excursions and make sure to stop at dog-friendly parks/trails/towns and restaurants along the way to stretch your legs or grab a bite to eat.
17 Best Dog-friendly Cafes And Restaurants In Singapore
For the two road trips I mentioned here, I recommend either Mendocino (read all the places to see in Mendocino in this post) or Guernanville/Gualala to the north (depending on where you’re coming from Beginning), and Carmel-by-the-Sea to the north. South as anchor. Both cities are super dog-friendly and have many hotels and restaurants that welcome dogs, such as Carmel’s Dog-Friendly Hotels .
2) Summers in Northern California are foggy along the coast, which disproves the “it’s always sunny in California” narrative. The beach can be cold and windy, so dress accordingly and maybe bring a coat for your furry friend!
3) Not all California beaches, trails, restaurants, and attractions are dog-friendly. Save yourself the hassle of finding businesses that accept dogs by reading my Dog-Friendly Travel Guide to California!
If you’ve never traveled by car before, or this is your dog’s first road trip, it’s understandable to be a little concerned. To help you get started, here are some super helpful resources to help you plan a dog-friendly road trip:
Dog-friendly Beaches In Padstow
Best Northern California Road Trips with Dogs: Highway 1 from Mendocino to San Francisco
Starting in the north and stretching from Mendocino County to Sonoma County, the Coast Highway (Route 1) not only offers beautiful views of the California coast, but is also home to the famous Coast Redwoods. Although extremely winding, this route has several dog-friendly stops. This road includes small towns for you to explore. So allow at least half a day for your road trip.
We’ve visited Mendocino and nearby Fort Bragg several times in the past (it’s a dog-friendly city with many dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions) and this was a dog-friendly Pacific Coast road trip, Still our favorite. Read my Dog Friendly Guide to Mendocino to learn more about our favorite dog-friendly activities.
The first stop heading south from Mendocino is the 152-year-old Point Arena Lighthouse, which perches precariously on a piece of land that juts into the ocean and doubles as the South Coast’s fog eliminator. . Admission to the lighthouse is $5, and dogs are allowed in the museum and gift shop, as well as on the lighthouse grounds, which are also great places for whale watching in California.
Road Trip With Your Dog
Next, enter the quaint town of Anchor Bay in Gualala, the terminus of Mendocino County on the Redwood Coast, before heading into Sonoma County. Known for its hotels, Gualala is another dog-friendly city with many dog rentals and whale watching spots from December to March.
We explored the dog-friendly Gualala Bluff Trail, part of the Redwood Beach conservation effort, starting from the trailhead at the Surf Motel (no parking allowed here, parking must be in on the street). This short 800-metre walk runs parallel to the cliff edge west of the city’s business district and offers stunning views of the estuary and ocean.
If you’d like to have more fun with your dog, Gualala Point Regional Park and Beach are just a short drive away and you can read more about our dog-friendly walks in this article.
Visit this non-denominational church in Sea Ranch off Highway 1. The church was built in 1985 by artist and architectural designer James Hubbell through a generous gift from Sea Ranch residents Robert and Betty Buffum. The church and grounds are open to the public 365 days a year.
West Coast Road Trip Vlog
Timber Cove is the next Sonoma Beach town you’ll encounter on your dog-friendly West Coast tour. I highly recommend stopping for lunch at the dog-friendly Timber Cove Resort (an oceanfront restaurant) and then taking a walk around their ocean-facing property to enjoy the stunning views of the beach.
Fort Ross State Park should be your next stop on Highway 1 to Jenner, where the Russian River empties into the Pacific Ocean. Overlooking the Jenner Belvedere (where you can admire wintering Pacific harbor seals from a distance) and Gleason Lookout, the main attraction is the unique Fort Rose State Park, a former Russian-American settlement in the 19th century point.
This is a rare dog-friendly park that allows dogs within the sturdy walls of the original building. Pay your daily fee at the car park and walk along the cobblestone path to the walled entrance, which houses some of the original buildings such as the church and Rochev House. Roseburg also has beaches and scenic coastal trails to explore.
There are many dog-friendly beaches, and you can look out to Bodega Bay from Highway 1/Shoreline Highway in Jenner, where Bodega Bay is Part of Sonoma Coast State Park. These dog-friendly beaches (from north to south) are Russian Canyon State Beach, Blind Beach (south of Goat Rock Beach where the sloths sleep), Shell Beach, Furlong Canyon, Wright Beach, Duncan’s Landing Lookout, and Duncan Bay , Portugal Beach, School Beach, Carmet Beach, and Marshall Canyon.
Top Dog-friendly Vacation Destinations
Please note that many beaches are only accessible via steep stairs from the Highway 1 exit/station. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Remember to dress warmly as these beaches can be windy and cold, like all beaches in Northern California.
Looking for a dog-friendly place to grab a bite to eat while enjoying views of the Russian River and Pacific Ocean? Then head straight to Cafe Aquatica’s grassy outdoor area, order a meal or coffee, and watch the kayaks go by, or watch the sunset on the beach. We love this place and hope you can relax here during your pet-friendly trip to the California coast.
Bodega Bay is the last Sonoma Beach town you encounter on the dog-friendly West Coast Highway 1. This beach town has plenty of dog-friendly beaches and trails to keep your pup happy. Alternatively, you can visit the small town of Bodega, the hometown of Alfred Hitchcock.
