
Month: <span>June 2022</span>


Headed up Mendo County way?
Seclusion is the name of the game at The Other Place, a complex of four cottages on a 500-acre ranch outside Boonville overlooking the gorgeous Anderson Valley. The ranch is just three minutes from town, where Sheep Dung Properties has another dog-friendly cottage rental, Boonville Downtown. Bring groceries, books and your hiking gear and be prepared to explore and relax.

Mend your mind in Mendocino Village
A mere five minutes from Little River, much-photographed Mendocino Village, with its wealth of lacy Victorians and colorful saltbox cottages, is loaded with places to enjoy with your four-legged friend. Our top pick is Stanford Inn by the Sea, just south of the village across Big River. Once you’ve explored the compact downtown, get your tails over to Mendocino Headlands State Park, which surrounds the town on three sides.

Dog-friendly brags in Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, the largest dog-friendly community on the Mendo coast has much to recommend, including the Beachcomber group of properties offering variety and value close to the sea. The Beachcomber Motel itself is a luxury motel that offers panoramic views, fire pits and “pet suites” (rooms that open onto a deck with dog house and pet shower) with direct access to the property’s leash-free dog park.

River cruisin’ with your canine

Scenery rules at these dog-friendly campgrounds
Three pet-friendly campgrounds at MacKerricher State Park, just three miles from Fort Bragg in Mendocino County, put you smack on the scenic coast within sight and sound of the sea.

Airstreams, dog-friendly glamping and more
Vintage travel-trailers, “glamping” tents and luxury yurts are part of an outdoorsy trend that is spreading all up and down California.

Mendocino county ‘hole in one’
The Madrones, an Italian-style enclave in the Mendocino County town of Philo, is a multifaceted destination with a tasting room, five pet-friendly “guest quarters,” a wellness spa and a dog-friendly restaurant, Wickson Restaurant, specializing in wood-fired cuisine.

River dogs rule at Little River Inn
Little River Inn, in the coastal Mendocino County town of Little River, offers a River Dog package, good June through October, that includes two nights in a pet-friendly, ocean-view room with fireplace; a three-hour outrigger canoe excursion on the Big River for you and your pet; a $120 dinner voucher good for room service or service in the dog-friendly parlor; and a goodie bag packed with treats and tip sheets on where to hike, bit and boat with your four-legged friend.

New dog-friendly hotels in California

Emergency services/lost & injured dogs

Paws for a good read
Whether it’s a novel, a feel-good memoir, a training how-to or a delve into animal psychology, books about animals and the animal-human bond make cherished gifts for the dog-lovers in your life. Jeff Stanford, owner of the dog-passionate Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino, provided this list of favorites enjoyed by his guests.

A toast to Mendo festival season
Would you believe more than 1,000 varieties of mushrooms grow beneath Mendocino’s ferns and redwoods? It’s true—and also best to let the experts identify what’s edible and what’s not! You’ll find lots of edible varieties prepared in imaginative ways during Mendocino County’s Mushroom, Wine and Beer Festival. It takes place Nov. 3-12 with activities scheduled all over the county. Some activities are dog-friendly and some aren’t, so be sure to check before you go. A great option for day care if you plan to attend non dog-friendly events is Rover.com.

Paws for an overnight break in Mendocino County
The summer crowds are gone, cool weather has set in and Mendocino County lodging properties are tempting visitors with low-season specials.

Hop on over to Hopland
Winery rich Mendocino County home to 10 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), a half-dozen of which are smaller regions lumped together under the over-arching Mendocino County label. While there are many dog-friendly tasting rooms scattered about, it makes sense for newbies to follow one of two designated “wine roads,” one tracing Highway 128 through the famed Anderson Valley, the other centered around the Hopland area on Highway 101.

Kimpton Hotel Palomar

Breed restrictions are the pits

Beach it in Mendocino County
Whether you drive all or just some of the 102 intoxicating miles of Highway 1 hugging the Mendocino County shore, you’re sure to find many places to pull over and get some sand between Bella’s toes. Take it at a snail’s pace, but be sure to check out these highlights.

Little River with my little buddy
Kristina B. remembers a wonderful stay at the Cottages at Little River Cove with her best buddy.

White wine on a winter’s day
Mendocino County’s wineries produce many reds, of course, but crisp viogniers and other whites are also specialties of the region, even on a winter's day.

Dog-friendly lodging for you and yours
Mendocino County is big and diverse, but there’s something extra-soothing about making base camp within sight or sound of the sea. Settle into a king pet suite at the Beachcomber Motel & Spa in Fort Bragg, and both you and your four-legged loved one will enjoy direct access to the fenced, off-leash dog park right outside. Two suites have doggie doors opening onto gated outdoor kennels, and all pet suites come with a doghouse, pet beds and other woof-friendly amenities (not to mention fireplaces, microwaves, refrigerators and giant TVs for human occupants).

The dining with dog conundrum
While most Mendocino County restaurants with outdoor dining venues allow dogs to curl up under the table with their owners, winter weather can throw that option a curve ball. In inclement weather when patios aren’t open, your pup can always wait in the car while you dine. Or—if you know in advance—you can take an unconventional route to an indoor venue.

Fall trekking in the SLO lane
San Luis Obispo County encompasses just about everything California is known for, from mountains to ocean to wine country to laid-back vibe. Luis Obispo County encompasses just about everything California is known for, from mountains to ocean to wine country to laid-back vibe. Sure, you can shoot down from the Bay Area on Interstate 5 and Highway 46, but it’s much more rewarding to take the slow lane (Highway 101) all the way to Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and beyond.

North Coast winery ramble
If your dog is like most, she doesn’t give a sniff about how “approachable” the wine you’re sipping might be. She cares about how approachable the winery’s visitor facility is to canine guests. And in Mendocino County and elsewhere on the North Coast, you can pull up to any of scores of tasting rooms and be assured of a warm welcome.

Glamp it up with your pup in Mendocino
In Mendocino County, Mendocino Grove is the place to glamp it up with your pup in Mendocino. On 37 wooded acres between Mendocino Village and Big River, offers roomy safari tents that come fully outfitted.

Leash up for a fall trip to Mendocino
If peace, quiet and scenery are your vacation priorities, you’ll find plenty of all three in big, diverse Mendocino County—especially in September and October, when you’re likely to experience the best weather conditions of the year. For the ultimate in privacy, try a vacation rental like Redwood Majic, a two-bedroom home with fenced yard tucked deep into the forest just a mile from Mendocino Village.

Doggedly exploring Amador County
If there’s one part of California wine country getting an exceptional amount of buzz this past year, it’s Amador County—and specifically the Shenandoah Valley AVA, best known for its robust zinfandels. Most of the 20-plus wineries in this relatively compact area welcome dogs in their picnic areas if not their tasting rooms, but you’ll want to get settled into the night’s lodging before setting out to sip and swirl.

Chill out in Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg is the “big city” on the Mendocino Coast with 7,500 full-time human residents, many of whose households also count our-legged family members.

Onward and inland!
Drive north on Highway 1 from Fort Bragg, and you’ll soon turn away from the coast and enter the county’s “Inland Empire.” It’s about an hour to Leggett, where the road merges with Highway 101 and the Redwood Coast begins.

Wine, waves & woof in Mendocino county
Mendocino wine country can be broadly divided into two areas: the Highway 101 corridor encompassing Hopland, Willits and Ukiah; and the Yorkville Highlands/Anderson Valley growing areas along Highway 128. You’ll seldom be turned away for having a dog in your party.

Paddling Mendocino county rivers
Have you ever longed to kayak on a beautiful river but not been able to because you have your dog along? Come to Mendocino County, where it’s easy to go paddling with your pooch.

All aboard the Mendocino skunk train

Traveling the slo lane with your dog

Meandering the mendo coast with your dog
While you can drive from one end of Mendocino County to the other in a morning or afternoon (it’s 102 winding miles from Leggett to Gualala on scenic Highway 1) this intoxicating stretch of coastline is best savored at a snail’s pace. Our advice: Hang your hat (and leash) for at least a night in one of the many dog-friendly lodgings situated within sight and sound of the sea.

Adventure awaits on the north coast
California’s North Coast is a magical place made more magical still with the 2014 incorporation of Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands, a 1,132-acre coastal preserve in Mendocino County that you and your leashed dog are welcome to explore at your scenic-overload leisure.

The Stanford Inn: Dog & holiday passionate!
The holidays area beautiful at one of Mendocino’s favorite dog-friendly inns, Stanford Inn by the Sea. Driving up to the property after dark, with lights twinkling on the roof lines and surrounding trees, one has the feeling that Santa’s helpers just may have done some advance work this far south.

Waves & woof on the Mendocino coast
A mere glimpse of Mendocino’s gorgeously sculpted coastline is all it takes to turn urban angst into rural revelation. The scenery is so intoxicating you can yappily spend a week along the Highway 1 corridor without venturing beyond sight or sound of the sea. Visitors on a short leash, time-wise, will find plenty to occupy themselves and their pups along the 13 miles of coastline between diminutive Little River, to the south, and Fort Bragg, the county’s “big city” (population 7,500), just up Highway 1 to the north. Distances are short, so it’s easy to cruise from place to place and get back to base camp before dinner.

Mendocino’s inland empire
Many Mendocino County visitors stay glued to the scenic stretch of coastline between Little River and Fort Bragg, but to do so is to miss out on redwoods, wineries, off-the-beaten-path seaside preserves and small, inland towns that extend a warm welcome to travelers with pets.

Now wear this!
What’s the world look like from your dog’s point of view? Get her geared up with a GoPro action camera, and you’ll get a whole new perspective.

Moseying through Mendocino county
Happy dog in Gualala If you haven’t been to Mendocino County in a while, consider following coastal Highway 1 through a scenic wonderland touched by many trails where you and your dog can sniff out your own discoveries.

Lead me to lodi
Lodi is a San Joaquin County town and wine region 35 miles south of Sacramento. It is an up-and-coming visitor destination that boasts some 90 wineries, many with dog-friendly grounds and tasting rooms that are sure to impress.

Dogtrekkers visits the dog passionate Stanford Inn in Mendocino county
Sydnie and Siskiyou on the coast "If you're ever in the Mendocino area, I highly recommend the Stanford Inn. We went there with three of our fur babies, and were greeted with "welcome" chocolates for us AND "welcome" doggies treats for the dogs. The room we stayed in also included a fireplace and had a couch with special doggie blankets!

Make it Mendocino
Dog-friendly vacation rentals in Mendocino County are as abundant as scenery is beautiful, so you and your four-legged pals should have no trouble snagging a retreat for a week or a long weekend.

Riverside romps
If you and your pup prefer paved trails to dirt ones, seek out the Truckee River Legacy Trail next time you head up to Lake Tahoe.Truckee River. Photo: Karen (CC) If you and your pup prefer paved trails to dirt ones, seek out the Truckee River Legacy Trail next time you head up to Lake Tahoe. Your furry companion will enjoy meet-and-greets with lots of other canines out for morning walks with their people, and you’ll enjoy watching the river roll by. The paved trail hugs the river for 2.5 miles northeast of Truckee River Regional Park, just outside the downtown district. Eventually, it will extend from Donner Memorial State Park to the community of Glenshire.

Pet-passionate Stanford Inn
One of Mendocino's favorite dog-friendly inns is the Stanford Inn By the Sea. Featured in Oprah Magazine and more than 139 other publications, as well as on TV, this hillside resort overlooking the rugged Mendocino coast was one of the first inns in North America to adopt sustainable practices. On top of that, the “pets welcome” sign has been out for decades!

Take a bragg-adocious break
With a whopping 7,500 full-time residents, Fort Bragg is the “big city” on the Mendocino coast. It’s also a very dog-friendly place, thanks largely to the tireless advocacy efforts of the Mendocino Coast Dog Owners Group (McDog).

Mendocino’s inland charms
Drive north on Highway 1 from Fort Bragg, and you’ll soon leave the coast and turn inland. It’s about an hour to Leggett, where the road merges with Highway 101 and the Redwood Coast begins. Leggett is home to one of the North State's most enduring roadside attractions, the Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree, a centuries-old coast redwood that was transformed into a tourist stop in the 1930's, when a 6-foot-wide tunnel was bored through it. Visitors ever since have been driving their cars into the opening and snapping photos with kids and dogs waving hands and paws out the windows.

17 miles of magnificence
It’s just 17 miles along scenic Highway 1 from the coastal village of Albion to the more muscular city of Fort Bragg, but considering how much lies in between, you could take an entire, leisurely week to go the distance. In Little River, just north of Albion, the charming Little River Inn welcomes four-legged family members as well as their uprights, offering bed, breakfast and majestic views of the sea.

Mendocino magic
Many Mendocino County visitors stay glued to the gorgeously sculpted coastline, but to do so is to miss out on star attractions such as the Anderson Valley wine region, an area bisected by Highway 128 and encompassing the Boonville, Philo, Yorkville Highlands and Navarro wine regions.

Mendocino coast humane society 2013

Amazing Mendocino county
If there’s one destination in Northern California that really rolls out the red carpet for your pooch, it's Mendocino County. Pet-friendly properties such as Stanford Inn by the Sea, Little River Inn, and the Beachcomber Motel properties welcome you and your pup with open arms, treats and amenities, while dozens of restaurants have patio tables set aside for diners with four-legged companions. In addition to great places to stay, many wineries welcome canine companions with water, treats and a place to curl up by the bar.

Dog-friendly hide-aways in Mendocino
If seclusion is your thing, you’ll find plenty of it in big, diverse Mendocino County. DogTrekkers who love being shooshed to sleep by the waves should check out the possibilities at Serenisea, a blufftop cluster of cottages and vacation-home rentals, many of them dog-friendly, three miles north of Gualala on the county’s south coast. Also near the water is Howard Creek Ranch Inn, a historic, 60-acre, family-owned, waterfront homestead bordered by redwood-clad mountains. Cabins are furnished in antiques, full breakfast is included in the rates and many wineries are nearby.

Catch a ride on a canine cruiser
A summertime trip up the Mendocino County coast isn’t complete without a paddle excursion along the beautiful Big River estuary. And now there’s a novel new way for you and your four-legged companions to share the adventure.

The many sides of Mendocino county
If there's one destination in Northern California that really rolls out the red carpet for your pooch, it's Mendocino County. Pet-friendly properties such as Stanford Inn by the Sea, Little River Inn, and the Beachcomber Motel welcome you and your pup with open arms, treats and amenities, while dozens of restaurants have patio tables set aside for diners with four-legged companions.