Calling All Canines: Top 5 Places to Take Your Human

One sentence gets my tail wagging and ears perked more than anything in the world: “Charlie! Let’s go on an ADVENTURE!” Those six words mean one thing and one thing only: I’m going to be spending time with my human for hours on end as we exhaust our senses—smelling, running, swimming, eating and just having a grand ol’ time.

Having been a canine companion for years, I’ve learned my human occasionally needs a little extra motivation to shout that sentence. I get it—being a human is hard work. While we canines could excel at the “couch cuddle” all day, every day, our humans sometimes need a weekend or vacation to let loose, put the keys in the ignition and set off on a trip.

To my fellow canines: Prepare now so that when the moment comes, you’ll be ready to nudge your human out the door! Whether spur-of-the-moment or well-planned, these five adventures at dog friendly places are sure to be a tongue-lolling great time.

Cool mountain trails in Denver, Colorado

The three-mile hike to Mount Sanitas’ summit in Boulder, Colorado, is exhausting, but the views make it all worthwhile! Photo Credit: Nicole Esplin

There’s no better time than spring to take your human to the Mile High City. The trees have just bloomed the most magnificent green, and the mountain springs are still crisp from the melted snow. Your human will love renting a paddleboard on Cherry Creek Reservoir, and dogs are even allowed to sit at the front of the boards and navigate. There is no shortage of dog friendly places to take a walk: The foothill towns of Golden, Morrison and Boulder are just a 25- to 45-minute drive from Denver and feature miles of trails that lead to mountain peaks (try Mount Sanitas for a moderate, three-mile summit). Or pick a historic trail close to your pet-friendly Denver hotel, such as Dinosaur Ridge Trail, where you’ll find fossilized dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic era. After a hike or paddle, I always treat my human to a cold beverage at one of Denver’s many dog-friendly breweries.

Salty breezes and salty dogs in San Francisco, California

Time your visit to the Marin Headlands to capture picture-perfect sunset views of San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean.

If I could beg my human to roll down the windows for only one drive, it would be along the 45-mile stretch from Muir Woods to San Francisco. With the salty breeze wafting through the air on one side of the car and the rich redwood forest on the other, there is no better-scented (or scenic) drive. I also love waking up early at a pet-friendly San Francisco hotel to take a morning trip to Baker Beach, where my human throws a ball for me into the refreshingly cool Pacific. Afterward, we stroll through several dog friendly places, including the winding trails of the Marin Headlands, and end the day with a sunset hike on Lands End Lookout.

Breweries and the Blue Ridge in Asheville, North Carolina

At the self-proclaimed kid- and canine-friendly Asheville Brewing Company in North Carolina, “well-behaved pups—and their people” are welcome on the patio. Photo Credit: Nicole Esplin

If your human is anything like mine, he or she tugs on your leash with a little more excitement when you’re heading for a brewery. Be prepared for tired legs when in Asheville, the land of dog-friendly travel. Of this mountain town’s 26 craft breweries, my favorite is Asheville Brewing Company, where you can relax on the patio and enjoy more belly scratches than you can count, plus cool water and maybe even a few French fries. It’s important to give humans a rest after these microbreweries, so I typically wait until 5 a.m. the next morning to remind my owner that it’s time to leave our hotel for a sunrise drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then we go to our favorite trail, John Rock, at Pisgah National Forest.

Doggone fun at dog friendly places in Dallas, Texas

Booking a pet-friendly stay in Dallas is great for a dog-friendly vacation. Always start with the McKinney Avenue Trolley. My human loves the century-old trolley cars and the easy jaunt from the arts district to uptown. I love the wind-in-my-face, open-air feeling and the furry friends I meet along the way. Once uptown, I lead my human toward my all-time favorite drinking hole, Mutts Canine Cantina. The entire place is centered around dogs! With human-friendly movie nights, a dog park (where I play and my human eats—and gives me her scraps), a patio perfect for napping and even the option of a party to celebrate yours truly with the help of a doggie Pawty planner. I can’t stop wagging my tail at this spot!

Boat rides and bakeries in Boston, Massachusetts

Just a 40-mile drive from Boston, Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts, has miles of shoreline with great bird-watching—for water-loving canines and their humans.

In Boston, even though there are plenty of dog friendly places, I try to let my human do all her favorite things. After checking into our hotel, we start at Crane Beach, less than an hour from downtown, where dogs are allowed to tear around in the sand and water (off leash during the months between October and March!). Nothing makes my owner happier than seeing my tongue and ears flap as I race along the water’s edge. On the days we want to stay dry, we hop on a Boston Water Taxi for a trip across town by boat. Humans love sightseeing, so take yours to the Freedom Trail, which offers 2.5 miles of historic sites. Afterward, reward him or her with a treat at the SoWa Open Market. Then it’s your turn! At the Polkadog Bakery, choose from dozens of biscuits, nuggets and jerky treats—just for dogs!

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