Travel Blog
Dog-friendly Ojai and Ventura: a Southern California escape
Ojai and Ventura: two dog-friendly towns, one unforgettable trip The Ojai Valley and the coastal city of Ventura together make one of the most appealing dog-friendly getaways in Southern California. Just 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, these two destinations…
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Dog-friendly Santa Cruz: spring guide to beaches, trails, patios
Santa Cruz in April delivers off-leash beaches like Its Beach, greenbelt trails through Pogonip, walkable coastal paths, and dozens of dog-friendly patios and hotels. It is an easy weekend from the Bay Area before the summer crowds arrive.
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Dog-friendly Temecula wine country: wineries, restaurants, and hotels
Temecula Valley welcomes dogs across more than 30 wineries, 16 patio restaurants in Old Town, and 13 pet-friendly hotels and resorts. Tucked between San Diego and Los Angeles, it is Southern California's most dog-friendly wine country weekend.
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Dog-friendly Big Sur: what’s allowed and what’s not
State parks ban dogs from Big Sur trails, but beaches on Los Padres National Forest land welcome leashed dogs. We map the off-limits parks, the beaches where dogs can run, and dog-friendly lodging across every budget.
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Dog-friendly Santa Barbara: guide to the American Riviera
Santa Barbara runs deep on dog-friendly options. From the off-leash sand at Arroyo Burro Beach to Douglas Family Preserve blufftops, Funk Zone wine tasting, and patio dining citywide, we map the best spots to bring your dog.
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Dog-friendly Bodega Bay and the Sonoma Coast
Bodega Bay and the Sonoma Coast deliver 17 miles of rugged beaches, coves, and bluffs where leashed dogs are welcome. We map Doran Regional Park, Sonoma Coast State Park beaches, dog-friendly lodging, and a loop through western Sonoma County.
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Dog-friendly Marin County: trails, beaches, and patios
Why Marin County is a dog's paradise in spring If you haven't taken your dog across the Golden Gate Bridge yet this spring, you're running out of excuses.
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Earth Day 2026 with your dog: 5 California parks
Earth Day lands on April 22 this year, and we think the best way to mark it is exactly the way we mark most days at DogTrekker — out on a California trail with a happy dog.
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Dog-friendly Gold Country: exploring the Sierra foothills in April
There’s a sweet spot in the California calendar when Gold Country is at its absolute best — and we’re in it right now. The foothills are green, the wildflowers are putting on a show along Highway 49, and the historic…
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Dog-friendly San Diego: the complete guide
San Diego offers one of California's deepest dog-friendly lineups: off-leash beaches at Ocean Beach and Fiesta Island, 60-plus pet-welcoming hotels, dozens of patio restaurants, and easy day trips to Coronado, Del Mar, and Temecula wine country.
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Spring in Paso Robles with your dog
Paso Robles wine country has a short window every year when the hills turn electric green, the vines are just starting to leaf out, and the tasting rooms…
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Dog-friendly North County San Diego coast
North County San Diego's coast links Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, and Carlsbad by Highway 101 and Interstate 5. Expect off-leash beaches, resort and boutique lodging, walkable village districts, and a deep bench of dog-friendly patio dining.
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Dog-friendly Laguna Beach and the Orange County coast
The Orange County coast is a dog-friendly paradise The Orange County coastline — stretching from Huntington Beach through Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point — is one of the most dog-friendly stretches of coast in Southern California. With dog…
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The simple phone script that bypasses hotel pet restrictions
A simple phone call and a "canine resume" can help your large dog get past strict hotel weight limits. By proactively marketing your pup's good behavior, training credentials and calm temperament, you can open doors that online booking cannot.
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Northern California coast trails, Pacifica to Bodega Bay
The Northern California coast between San Francisco and Bodega Bay is one of the best stretches of shoreline in the country to explore with a dog. Bluff trails, wide beaches, hidden coves, working harbors, redwood-shaded ravines that drop straight to…
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Which airlines allow large dogs in the cabin?
Most airlines have a firm rule: dogs over 20 pounds fly in the cargo hold or don’t fly at all. But a handful of carriers have quietly changed that, letting large dogs ride in the passenger cabin alongside their people…
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Why spring is the best-kept secret in Gold Country
If you've been waiting for the right moment to load up the car and point it toward the Sierra foothills, this is it.
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The best dog-friendly hotels in Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe's clear blue water, miles of shoreline, and endless trails make it a top destination for dog owners. From the modern Basecamp Hotel to the luxury Landing Resort and the quiet Cedar Glen Lodge, these are the best dog-friendly…
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The best ultra dog-friendly hotels in Southern California
Southern California's best dog-friendly hotels go far beyond a simple pets-allowed policy. From Loews Coronado Bay's bayside paths to La Quinta Resort's 45 acres of gardens, these properties treat dogs like honored guests with dedicated amenities and genuine hospitality.
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9 dog-friendly bed & breakfasts on the Mendocino Coast
9 dog-friendly bed & breakfasts across the Mendocino Coast, from Albion to Westport, drawn from DogTrekker’s directory of vetted pet-welcoming properties. Every property below links to its full DogTrekker listing with photos, pet policies, booking details, and directions. Blair House…
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California’s best dog-friendly resorts
Resorts are different from hotels. A hotel is somewhere you sleep between activities. A resort is the activity — grounds you can walk for an hour, restaurants and bars on the property, water access, real space for a dog to…
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Where to play in the snow with your dog
California’s SNO-Park system is the best-kept winter secret for dog owners. They are state-managed parking areas at trailheads where you can pull off the highway, park in a lot that actually gets plowed, and walk straight into the snow with…
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Idyllwild with your dog: a complete mountain-town weekend guide
Idyllwild is the rare California mountain town where the entire community operates as if dogs are part of the deal. The lodging is dog-friendly, the restaurants have proper dog-friendly patios instead of one bench out back, the trails out of…
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Dog-friendly breweries in California: your spring patio season guide
Spring patio season is here, and California has more than 350 dog-friendly breweries across the state. From Lagunitas in Petaluma to Firestone Walker in Paso Robles and Cool Beerwerks in Gold Country, here is where to start your paws-and-pints tour.
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