Mistral about the city

Mistral Visits Corona Heights, San Francisco Kala Sherman-Presser and her nine year old black lab Mistral have this urban waves and wilderness thing pretty well figured out as these photos show. Taken in San Francisco and neighboring Marin, they prove that us city dwellers and our pups can find beauty and solitude just minutes away from our doorsteps. Read more.

Save our access to GGNRA lands

Rohn at Crissy Field As DogTrekker.com first reported in an editorial last September, the then recently revised 1,900 page plan did little to improve the outlook for dog owners who have used the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) lands for decades to walk, run and recreate with their dogs. Just one percent of the 80,000 acres managed by the GGNRA in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties allow dogs, and if the current plan is put into play, it would reduce this access to only .1 percent. That would leave 99.9% of the lands off-limits to dogs and their owners.   Read more.

Step up to a summit in San Francisco

Dog hiking Mount Davidson - Sharon Hahn Darlin (CC) Everyone who comes to San Francisco catches a glimpse of the deep green hill topped by a 103-foot-cross that serves as a kind of subliminal city landmark. But while many seek out the views at neighboring Twin Peaks, relatively few bother to find their way to the top of Mount Davidson, whose 938-foot summit is the highest point in a city said to be built on 44 hills.  Read more.

Paws on pillows

Maximo, Hotel Rex Ambassador 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! Read more.

Park it in San Francisco

What’s the biggest park in San Francisco after Golden Gate Park (1,017 acres)? We were stumped, too, until our staffers stumbled upon John McLaren Park, a hidden gem in south San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley. Read more.