Butano State Park sits inland from Pescadero, surrounded by old-growth redwoods and dense forest that feels genuinely remote even though you’re only an hour or so from the Bay Area. Dogs can’t join you on the actual hiking trails, but they’re allowed throughout the campground and day use areas, which means you’ve got plenty of space to explore together without feeling confined to a picnic table.

The park has 21 drive-in campsites and 18 walk-in sites, so you can choose depending on how much gear you’re hauling. The drive-in spots work well if you’re bringing everything including the kitchen sink. The walk-in sites give you a quieter experience if you don’t mind carrying your stuff a short distance. All the basics are there—restrooms with running water and drinking fountains—so you won’t be roughing it completely.

The day use area is genuinely spacious. We spent an afternoon there with our dog just wandering around, and it never felt crowded. The open ground gives dogs room to move without being glued to your side, which is nice for letting them burn off energy before or after a camping night. You can also picnic here without a reservation if you just want to stop by for a few hours.

From Pescadero itself, it’s a straight shot down to some dog-friendly beaches where you can walk on the sand with your dog on a leash. Highway 1 runs right along the coast, so combining a night or two here with some beach time is an easy plan. The redwood setting is peaceful enough that you might just want to camp and stay put, sitting around the fire listening to the trees. Either way works—it’s genuinely one of the less touristy state parks on the peninsula, which means weekends here feel different than crowded spots closer to the city.