Lodging and camping Blog

The DogTrekker.com research and editorial teams are experts at California dog travel, with great stories about the best lodging and camping places across the state to stay where your dogs are as welcome as you are. Get the scoop on dog-friendly hotels and lodging, from luxury resorts to economical motels, rustic cabins to campgrounds, vacation rentals to B&B’s.

Paws overnight at North Lake Tahoe

North Lake Tahoe has plenty of dog-friendly places to stay, from charming Tahoma Meadows B&B Cottages on the West Shore to cabins at Cedar Glen Lodge. Vacation rentals, motels, and boutique hotels round out the options.

Amazing Mendocino County

Mendocino County rolls out the red carpet for dogs like few other California destinations. Pet-friendly inns offer treats and amenities, wineries welcome four-legged visitors inside, and activities range from Skunk Train rides to outrigger kayaking on the coast.

Make a splash in Marin

Marin County is loaded with dog-friendly beaches, from off-leash Muir Beach to the magical shores of Point Reyes National Seashore. Kehoe Beach, Limantour Beach, Dillon Beach, and Rodeo Beach each offer stunning scenery and room for your pup to romp.

dog in a vineyard in nature. A pet in the summer, a toller. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Trekking in Temecula

Temecula's high-desert wine country welcomes dogs to over a dozen tasting rooms, patio restaurants with doggie menus, and a strollable Old Town district. Stay at a golf resort or vineyard inn and explore local parks.

Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego

Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego welcome dogs in campgrounds and along hundreds of miles of dirt roads, even though trails are off-limits. Dog-friendly lodging surrounds both parks, and winter through early spring brings ideal weather and spectacular desert wildflowers.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley in winter offers mild temperatures and over 700 miles of backcountry roads where leashed dogs are welcome. Stay at dog-friendly Stovepipe Wells Village and take in salt flats, mountain vistas, and geologic wonders on scenic driving routes.

Nip into Napa

Winter in Napa Valley means mustard-covered vineyards, easy restaurant reservations, and hotel deals that make a midweek getaway with your dog especially appealing. From cozy Calistoga cottages to luxury retreats with private patios, the valley rolls out the welcome mat.

Clearly Clear Lake

A road trip from Santa Rosa to Clear Lake makes for a great dog-friendly getaway. Stop to hike Hood Mountain, lunch on patios in Healdsburg, browse dog-welcoming wine bars, and float the Russian River before heading north to Lake County.

Yearning for Yolo

Yolo County rewards those who pull off the highway with dog-friendly tasting rooms in Winters, farm tours in the Capay Valley, new wineries along the Sacramento River in Clarksburg and patio dining throughout.

Moseying through Mendocino County

A dog-friendly road trip up the Mendocino coast covers bluff trails in Gualala, the Stornetta National Monument near Point Arena, Victorian Mendocino village, and Fort Bragg, with cozy inns and vacation rentals along the way.

Huge fields of lupines blooming near Folsom Reservoir.

Gold Country flower power five favorite dog-friendly hikes

Spring wildflowers light up Gold Country trails from February through May. Here are five favorite dog-friendly hikes, including Hite Cove near Yosemite, Hidden Falls in Placer County and Buttermilk Bend along the South Yuba River.

Lola and Leroy on an adventure in Gold Country.

El Dorado County’s adventure loop

The El Dorado County Adventure Loop packs 45 miles of Gold Country exploration into one weekend, with dog-friendly hiking at Cronan Ranch, wine tasting at Jose Wine Caves and Gold Rush history in Coloma.

Kayla puttin’ on the Ritz

DogTrekker's Kayla put on the Ritz at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, where dogs get cozy beds, gourmet treats, and weekend Yappy Hours on the Backyard Terrace featuring canine cocktails and locally made dog bones. The pampering starts the moment you…

Meandering the Mendo Coast with your dog

Mendocino County's 102 miles of winding coastline reward slow travelers with leash-free beaches, Glass Beach, botanical gardens, scenic trails through MacKerricher State Park and cozy seaside lodgings from Fort Bragg to Gualala.

Traveling the SLO lane with your dog

San Luis Obispo County's 70 miles of Highway 1 coastline offer dog-friendly beaches, off-leash coves, patio dining and charming inns from San Simeon to Pismo Beach. Your pup will love every sandy, sun-soaked mile of this Central Coast road trip.

Discover the ‘Lost Sierra’

The Lost Sierra region in Plumas County, an hour north of Lake Tahoe, offers a refreshing alternative to crowded mountain resorts. Dog-friendly lodges like Chalet View and Gray Eagle pair with over a million acres of Plumas National Forest trails.

Shasta County gushers near Redding

Spring is prime time to hike to the four major waterfalls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area near Redding. This is one of the rare National Park Service sites that allows leashed dogs on dirt trails.

Lots to wag about in Tri-Valley

The Tri-Valley communities of Pleasanton, Danville, Livermore, and Dublin are loaded with dog-friendly restaurants, pet boutiques, wine bars, and street fairs. Four adjacent valleys offer a refreshing weekend escape for San Francisco and Sacramento day-trippers with dogs.