10 Dog and Cat-Friendly Vacation Destinations Where Four-Legged Friends Are Celebrated

A lot of the time, going on vacation means leaving your furry friends behind at home. Most dedicated pet parents don't like being separated from their fur babies for days, even weeks, on end, but sadly, traveling with pets can be tricky. But what if you didn't have to choose between going on your dream vacation and hanging out with your favorite four-legged friend?

Some of the best vacation destinations in the country - and around the world - also happen to be extremely welcoming to pets and pet parents alike. Here are ten examples of some incredible destinations, both in the US and abroad, that are perfect for your next pet-friendly vacation!

Domestic Destinations

Who's up for a road trip? Technically speaking, you can find pet-friendly places to visit in just about every state in the country. But if you're searching for scenic vistas, adventurous opportunities, and tons of locales you can easily explore with your furry friend, it's tough to beat these five:

1. Maine

Maine has consistently ranked among the most pet-friendly states in the US, and it's not hard to see why. According to Roscoe's Bed & Bark, a dog-friendly inn in Portland, Maine has nearly 1,000 pet-friendly hotels, 76 dog-friendly beaches, and an abundance of lakes, mountains, hiking trails, national parks, and other amazing outdoor destinations to explore (Maine is around 90% forested, after all). On top of that, Maine also boasts some of the best animal protection laws in the nation!

Maine is already the perfect destination for lovers of the great outdoors; and some of the state's biggest attractions, including Acadia National Park, are welcoming to pet visitors. BringFido (a great website for pet owners looking into travel destinations) has lists of Maine's dog-friendly beaches and pet-friendly hotels. Suffice to say, you won't be hurting for great options while visiting the Pine Tree State!

Highlight- Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay Harbor, a small coastal town an hour south of Augusta, is a pet-friendly paradise. You'll find lots of pet-friendly restaurants like the Boothbay Lobster Wharf and Shannon's Unshelled, harbor cruises like Cap'n Fish's that welcome four-legged sailors, and several highly-rated pet-friendly hotels. Plus, Mount Pisgah is about an hour and twenty minutes' drive away if you're up for a big hike!

2. Colorado

It probably comes as no surprise that Colorado is also an incredibly pet-friendly state for many of the same reasons as Maine: strong animal protection laws, plenty of pet-friendly accommodations, and all the wide open spaces you and your furry friend could ever wish for. It even boasts the current most pet-friendly city in the US, with Petco Labs ranking Colorado Springs at the #1 spot last year!

Pet owners should still do their due diligence, as some state and national parks either do not allow dogs or limit where they can go in the park. Even with that caveat, though, there are tons of pet-friendly parks to explore, including Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I doubt you'll have any trouble putting together a perfect pet-friendly itinerary for a Colorado visit!

Highlight- Golden

Golden, a historic gold mining town just outside of Denver, is a dog-friendly destination in general, but something special happens there every year in early February. To celebrate National Golden Retriever Day, the town hosts an annual "Goldens in Golden" event where hundreds of golden retrievers and their humans visit from all over the country, taking over the city's downtown for the day!

3. Florida

The Sunshine State is currently ranked #1 on Dogster's "Top 10 Dog-Friendliest States" list for 2024. Florida's world-famous coastline is a huge draw for visitors, and that coastline is dotted by dozens of pet-friendly beaches from Pensacola to the Florida Keys. Florida Rambler lists 35 of the state's best pet-friendly beaches, grouping them by region so that you can easily find the perfect beach getaway for you and your "pawsome" pal no matter where you go!

Highlight- Dinosaur World (Plant City, FL)

Want to take your dog on a prehistoric adventure? If so, Dinosaur World in Plant City (roughly a half-hour's drive west of downtown Tampa) is the place to be. This outdoor theme park is home to hundreds of life-size dinosaur sculptures spread out over 20 acres and has other family-friendly activities like a gem mine and fossil dig. Touted as one of the few pet-friendly theme parks in Florida, Dinosaur World proudly welcomes four-legged visitors everywhere except inside their indoor museum.

4. Oregon

Oregon is another nature lover's paradise that's paws-itively perfect for pet lovers of all stripes. Portland, Oregon, alone currently ranks among the most pet-friendly cities in the US, with dozens upon dozens of parks, trails, breweries, and restaurants catering to friendly Fidos. Outside of Portland, the entire state is home to hundreds of pet-friendly parks, forests, and trails ripe for exploration - and let's not forget about the beaches. Nearly all of the beaches along Oregon's coastline are pet-friendly, though some may require dogs to wear a leash for their safety and the safety of local wildlife.

Highlight- Cannon Beach

Oregon's most famous beach destination is also an extremely pet-friendly place. Dogs can be allowed off-leash on the beach as long as they are under voice control of their owners, and there's plenty of room to relax and explore. The city's quaint downtown is also home to lots of shops, galleries, restaurants, and hotels that are not only pet-friendly, but encouraging of four-legged visitors!

5. North Carolina

From the ethereal beauty of the Smoky Mountains to the sandy Atlantic beaches at the state's eastern tip, North Carolina is an incredibly diverse and beautiful state that's welcoming to visitors of all kinds, whether they walk on two legs or four. You'll find a wealth of pet-welcoming businesses and accommodations in all of North Carolina's biggest cities, and with the state's mild weather, there's always something to do year-round, whether you like hiking, beach trips, visiting lush farms and vineyards, or chilling out in a quiet, pup-friendly mountain cabin getaway.

Highlight- Asheville

It likely comes as no surprise that North Carolina's biggest tourism hotspot is also super pet-friendly. The nearby mountains are full of dog-friendly hiking trails, and many of the city's patio restaurants and breweries proudly welcome furry friends to join them at happy hour. As if that wasn't enough, the world-famous grounds and gardens of Asheville's Biltmore Estate welcome leashed doggy visitors, though dogs aren't allowed inside the Biltmore home itself.

Related: Traveler Abandons French Bulldog at Airport After Being Told the Dog Needed a Crate to Fly

International Adventures

Traveling with your pets stateside is fairly doable, but taking them abroad is more of a challenge. Many countries have strict certification requirements and quarantine procedures for bringing pets into the country, which can discourage some pet owners from visiting. However, if you're determined to go on an international adventure with your pet pal, these locales are ideal. I've detailed some of the important pet travel requirements you'll need to know, but always double-check and do your research when planning for international travel.

6. Canada

According to the USDA, as of June 2024, you do not need a health certification to bring cats or dogs older than 8 months into Canada, as long as you have proof of an up-to-date rabies vaccination! Canada is the second-largest country in the world after Russia, and across its millions of square miles, there are thousands of national parks, beaches, forests, mountains, and more that welcome pet visitors (some places do have restrictions, however, so always research your locales carefully).

You can find lots of pet-friendly hotels and businesses in just about every major city in Canada. As for which Canadian city is the single best one for pet visitors, that depends on who you ask, but Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, and Kelowna in British Columbia all rank highly across various lists!

7. Italy

According to the US Embassy, US visitors can bring their cat or dog to Italy as long as the animal is older than three months, has a valid rabies vaccine, is tattooed or microchipped, has a labeled cage or carrier, and has a valid veterinary health certificate. Once in Italy, pet owners can get a EU Pet Passport from an Italian vet, which will allow them to travel throughout Europe!

Italy is broadly considered to be among one of the most dog-friendly countries in the world, with pets being allowed in most public places, restaurants, stores, and on public transport. As always, you should check the rules for specific sites you want to visit, but you should have little difficulty traveling anywhere in Italy with your furry friend!

8. Germany

Like Italy, Germany tends to be extremely accommodating of doggy visitors in most cities and in most businesses/public places. As long as you follow local rules and keep a leash close by as needed, you should have no issue bringing your furry friend on sightseeing adventures, long hikes, or even out on souvenir shopping trips. Germany's rules about transporting pets into the country are pretty similar to Italy's (and most of the EU in general), but if you want to read them over, you'll find them linked on the USDA website here.

9. Switzerland

Seeing a trend yet? A lot of countries in the EU tend to be fairly welcoming of pet visitors, so long as all the requirements (as outlined previously) are followed correctly. Swtizerland, like Germany, is a fantastic place to bring your dog, especially if you want to go on a sojourn through the Swiss Alps. There are tons of great hiking trails to explore in the summer, and you'll find no shortage of excellent pup-friendly ski resorts for a winter visit. To get you started on your vacation planning, I've included this list of 20 dog-friendly hotels in the Swiss Alps compiled for DogFriendlyHotels.me.

10. Sweden

Sweden more or less follows the general EU requirements when it comes to pet visitors, though American pet owners will also need to fill out a pet owner's declaration from the Swedish Board of Agriculture. If you don't mind clearing that additional administrative hurdle, however, Sweden is the perfect place for a dog-friendly adventure!

Sweden's historic "Allemansrätten" law, or "Right of Public Access," gives everyone the freedom to explore and even camp on almost any land in the country, with the exception of some private properties and farms. Allemansrätten largely extends to dogs as well, although dogs are required to be leashed in the countryside between March 1 and August 20. Some areas do have other pet restrictions, which are broken down more thoroughly on the Visit Sweden website. However, if you do your research and respect local laws, you and your furry friend should have no problem hiking, camping, and sightseeing all across the Swedish countryside!

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