Featured hikes
Douglas Family Preserve
Santa Barbara
The 70-acre Douglas Family Preserve (DFP) is located near the intersection of Cliff Drive and Las Positas Road in the Mesa neighborhood.
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Rattlesnake Canyon Trail
Santa Barbara
This is probably the most popular canyon trail hike in the Santa Barbara front country. It's especially popular with dog walkers due to the year-round stream and lush habitat that provide water and shade along the route.
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Arroyo Burro Trail
Santa Barbara
This hike is a challenge. It's one of the rare front country hikes that has uphill both on the way up and on the way back, and all of it is steep. It's a...
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Santa Barbara
Seven Falls Trail is a popular, dog-friendly hike in the Los Padres National Forest. It's best just after a rain, when the waterfalls are flowing and swimming holes are full.
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Central Coast nesting season: a dog owner’s calendar
Month-by-month guide to Central Coast beach closures for snowy plover nesting, plus dog-friendly beaches that stay open March through September.
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Santa Barbara with your dog: what locals keep quiet
Santa Barbara's dog-friendly secret isn't on the downtown wharf: it's in the foothills, the canyons, and a beach the locals still call Hendry's. Here's where we actually go on a Central Coast weekend.
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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 spring camping on California’s Central Coast
Why spring is the sweet spot for Central Coast camping If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to load up the car, leash the dog, and head for the coast, this is it. Spring on California’s Central Coast is…
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Dog-friendly patios in California: Your spring outdoor dining guide
Spring in California means one thing for dog owners: patio season is officially open. California legalized dogs on restaurant patios in 2014, and since then the dining scene for pup parents has only grown. Our statewide guide to dog-friendly outdoor…
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California’s best coastal dog-friendly towns
From Mendocino's Victorian headlands to Laguna Beach's gallery-lined streets, California's best coastal towns have quietly reshaped themselves around four-legged visitors. Expect water bowls at storefronts, treats at hotel check-in and patios where dogs are the guests of honor.
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