Welcome to DogTrekker.com, fun for dogs and the humans who follow. We've checked out the best places in Northern California for you and your pup to stay, eat, hike, swim and play. Please explore our site, sign up for our weekly newsletter… and be sure to take us along on your next DogTrekking adventure.
Bring your dog to San Francisco? Why not? If you’re coming from an inland region of the state, you know how perky the air-conditioned climate can make you both feel. At DogTrekker.com, we feature dozens of dog-friendly places to stay, more than 40 restaurants where Fido can join you for a meal, and more than 70 local services catering to four-legged companions. And that’s not to mention all those places for the two of you to hike, splash and play. So come, enjoy—just don’t forget to pack a sweatshirt!
Most visitors to San Francisco never make it to the upper reaches of the
Presidio, a 1,500-acre former U.S. Army base transferred to the national park system in 1996. And that’s a doggone shame, especially for DogTrekkers unaware of the 24 miles of trails winding along the Presidio’s coastal bluffs, through shady forests and past historic sites and neighborhoods that seem a world removed from the bustling city below.
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Since we last checked in with
Grateful Dogs Rescue in San Francisco, they've been hard at work, rescuing the dogs who are too untrained, terrified, sick or injured to make the "adoptable" list in shelters. Grateful Dogs gives these needy souls the TLC they require to get into loving and well-suited homes. Volunteers tell us that lately the group often finds mother dogs languishing in shelters after their puppies have been snapped up, and gets them to safety.
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The
America’s Cup sailing showdown comes to San Francisco this summer and fall, and there’s no reason you and your four-legged friend can’t share the excitement sure to be generated by those high-tech yachts hydroplaning around the bay. They’ll be visible from many vantage points; if you can see the bay, you can watch the races live (although you’ll get better interpretation on TV).
Crissy Field, one of San Francisco’s most cherished dog-friendly places, may be inundated by crowds for a few hours on race days, but the rest of the time, Fido can romp off-leash along designated areas of the shoreline.
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When it comes to dog-friendly hotels in the City by the Bay, two trustworthy brands and many individual stars stand out.
Joie de Vivre, largest operator of boutique hotels in California, has
seven dog-friendly properties in San Francisco, none of which impose breed or weight restrictions or charge extra for canine guests. Policies vary a bit from hotel to hotel, but in general, you can expect Fido to be welcomed with a soft bed, food and water bowls, tasty treats and clean-up bags. We at
DogTrekker.com are such JDV fans that we’ve teamed up with the brand’s
Hotel Rex, a Union Square property that takes its inspiration from literary salons of the 1920s and ‘30s, to offer a two-night “DogCation” for one (or two!) lucky dogs and their humans. Sign up
here for a chance to win!
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What’s the biggest park in San Francisco after Golden Gate Park (1,017 acres)? We were stumped, too, until our staffers stumbled upon a hidden gem of a park in south San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley.
John McLaren Park, part of the San Francisco Rec & Parks system, is a 312-acre oasis laced with seven miles of meandering hiking trails and also sporting the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. Named for the Scotland-born horticulturalist who served as superintendent of the Golden Gate Park for 53 years, the park features two of the largest off-leash dog-play areas in the city, one behind the amphitheater and one near the Crocker Amazon playground at the intersection of Mansell Street and John F. Shelley Drive. It’s definitely off the beaten track—and definitely worth discovering.
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Vet Buzz from Erin Troy, DVM, CCRP
Muller Veterinary Hospital, Walnut Creek
Summer is upon us and we are all eager to be out and about with our canine companions. There are trails to be blazed and hills to be climbed and new adventures to be had by all. As you and your dog head out this for fun and exercise please keep in mind there are hazards to be aware of around many corners, especially foxtails.
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