Bringing your pet along for your vacation this year? Not a problem! We put together this list of the eight best places to go if you’re traveling with an animal. These places are so beautiful that your pet will be just as happy and relaxed as you are. So pick out a pet-friendly vacation rental and plan a trip to one of them for some much-needed R&R.
1. Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores is home to many pet-friendly hotels, motels, restaurants and bed and breakfasts. For a fun beach day with your animal, you’ll want to spend the day on Dauphin Island and let your pup roam the coastline. The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Orange Beach is also a great place to go for a quick hike with your pet to check out the scenery. If you’ll be traveling around Easter, the Baldwin County Humane Society puts on an annual Easter Bonnet Doggie Parade, so be sure to add this event to your schedule.
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2. Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Cape Cod is a great place to go if you want to spend a relaxing vacation with your pet. In Buzzards Bay, you and your pet can find a variety of different places to stay and things to do, but in Provincetown you can visit the Pilgrim Bark Park—a park that received the #2 rank on Dog Fancy’s Best Dog Parks list in 2010. Provincetown is also a great place to be to do a little shopping with your pet, with cool places like the Wellfleet Flea Market offering a variety of different antiques.
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3. Napa Valley, California
Wine lovers will love spending some time in the Napa Valley with their pet. In Yountville, you and your pet can enjoy a nice lunch at Bouchon Bakery, or take a walk through the Veterans Memorial Park. For a little nature adventure, travel to the Petrified Forest in Calistoga and explore the beauty of the 3-million-year-old petrified redwood trees. Feeling some signature wine-tasting action? You and your pet can head out to the Napa Good Dog Wine Tour, and sip a selection of wines while spending time with some friends and your pet.
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4. Gatlinburg, Tennessee
The Smoky Mountains are a great place to bring your pet for some adventures out in nature. While there aren’t many places you’ll be able to take your pet inside the Smoky Mountain National Park, the Oconaluftee River Trail and the Gatlinburg Trail allow you to hike with your pet on a 6-foot leash. You and your pet are also permitted to hang out at the park’s campgrounds and picnic areas. If you’re traveling during the Fourth of July holiday, travel out to Gatlinburg and enjoy the 4th of July Midnight parade with your pet.
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5. Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
For a small seaside vacation, head to Martha’s Vineyard and enjoy a cozy vacation by the beach. You can explore the outdoors at the Trade Wind Fields Preserve, or let your dog hang out at Martha’s Vineyard’s official dog park. When it’s time to eat, stop for lunch at Espresso Love and enjoy a nice dinner at home with fresh food from the West Tisbury Farmers Market. If you visit the area in the summertime, you and your pet might make it on to the Dog Days of Summer photo gallery page!
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6. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Relaxation is guaranteed at Myrtle Beach. Bring the dog along on a six-foot leash as you go fishing at the Myrtle Beach State Park. You and your pet can also lodge at a variety of cool resorts, including Surfside Beach and Pawleys Island. Spend the day relaxing on the beach with your pet on a six-foot leash at the Huntington Beach State Park. There are a variety of pet-friendly restaurants to check out along the Grand Strand as well; some of these places include Liberty Pub and Grill, Sharkey’s Beach Bar and Banditos on the Boardwalk.
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7. Grand Canyon National Park
The beautiful Grand Canyon is a more scenic place for you and your pet to visit. While you may be limited to the South Rim and a few narrow trails on the North Rim, there are plenty of other things you can do around the canyon. Stop and dine on the patio at Big E Steakhouse and Saloon, or plan a fun camping trip with the family at the Mather Campground. You and your pet could also have a more indoors-y adventure at the Canyon Plaza Resort.
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8. Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Need a slower-paced, quiet vacation? Pennsylvania Dutch Country is the place for you. Spend your days relaxing countryside with your pet at one of the many pet-friendly hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts. Buy a new quilt for the house at the Quilt Barn, or go for a carriage ride in Abe’s Buggy. Later in the fall the county hosts an annual Whoopie Pie Festival, where you can watch or participate in activities like a pie eating contest and a treasure hunt.
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