Top Pet-Friendly Vacation Ideas and How Much They Cost

Americans are taking advantage of state reopenings by getting out and traveling again with renewed vigor. So much travel means that pet sitters are in high demand and may be challenging to find — and expensive. So why not consider using that money and taking a vacation where you take your pets with you?

Whether you’re looking for a hotel, a restaurant or an activity to do with your favorite Fido or Fluffy, we explore some great ideas that will keep both you and your pets happy, with suggestions from BringFido.com.

• Hotel stay: $490 and up
• Animal fee: $45 per stay for one, $22.50 per stay for each additional

Get away to cool, stunning, oceanside Mendocino, California. At the Stanford Inn by the Sea you can bring three pets of any size, including dogs and cats. Your animals are welcome in all rooms except The Garret Suite, the pool house and the massage area, but you can’t leave them unattended. While this is the priciest hotel on this list, at around $490 per night, the experience is worth every penny. You’ll pay an additional fee of $45 per stay for one pet, and $22.50 per stay for each additional pet. The Inn provides pet treats, pet towels, bowls and sheets for furniture. Walk your pups on the property’s 10 acres of green space.

• Rooms: $200 and up

Keeping with the California theme, take a beach trip to sunny San Diego and bring your dogs (sadly, no cats) to the Westin Gaslamp Quarter. The hotel allows two dogs up to 40 pounds for no additional fee. Rooms run around $200 and up, though you might be able to get that price down with a AAA membership or other discount coupons.  If you have a larger dog, you may be able to receive approval by contacting the hotel directly. Don’t leave your dogs unattended — and lucky for you, you can walk them anywhere on the property.

• Campsites: $145 and up plus $5-$50 (if in a cabin) for two dogs

If you’re in a Disney kind of mood and don’t want to leave your dogs behind, check out Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. You can bring two dogs of any size for an additional $5 per night in campsites, and $50 per night in cabins. Standard campsites start at $145 per night (with full hookups for RVs). Your dogs will receive Pluto’s Welcome Kit at check in, which includes a mat, bowls, pet ID tag, poop bags, puppy pads and a dog walking map. Proof of vaccinations is also required. Dogs are allowed on the Magical Express complimentary airport shuttle and Minnie Van but only in a carrier. You’ll have to leave your cats at home, however.

• Hotel stay: around $307 per night
• Animal fee: $140 per stay

Enjoy a Gulf of Mexico beach vacation in the less traveled town of Destin, Florida, with your pets. While you can’t bring your pets out for jet-skiing or dolphin watching, you’ll have lots of room to spread out with them in this five-bedroom vacation rental. You do have to pay a $140 fee for your animal per stay, but you may be able to add additional animals by request. A stay here averages about $307 per night, depending on time of year, but with five rooms, you can split that cost with friends or family.

Tips:

• Pet fee: $25 plus tax per pet, per night

You can engage in tons of fun outdoor activities with your pets in historic Jekyll Island, Georgia. And the Holiday Inn Resort, Jekyll Island allows you to bring pets of any size (dogs and cats) for an additional fee of $25 plus tax per pet, per night. Your pets can be left unattended only if they are crated in the room. Otherwise, there’s plenty of grassy area to walk them on the property.

Smart Money Move:

• Food for your dog: $2.50-$12.95

The wonderful seaside town of Carmel, California, a place full of beaches and natural parks, also caters to dining with your pups. Check out The Forge, a bistro-style restaurant where your dogs can join you on the The Pound Patio. You can even order specialty items from a Canine Cuisine menu. Or order yourself the Hot Diggity Dog or the Quarter Hounder.

More Travel Tips:

• Food for your dog: $5-$25

If you’re planning to hit up the resorts and casinos of Las Vegas, be sure to bring your dog to the Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, which serves up American fare. Your dog can join you at one of its pet-friendly outdoor tables. It offers a dog-friendly menu of items such as hamburger patties or grilled chicken and brown rice.

Read:

• Dinner costs: $5.95-$27.95

New York City is the perfect place to bring your dog, for its many outdoor options and walkability. Your dog won’t want to miss out on a meal at The Barking Dog, not only is it dog friendly, but it serves up dishes like crab cakes, buttermilk battered fried chicken, old fashioned Yankee pot roast and Cajun po’boys.

Helpful:

• Rates: starting at $35

If you have a high achieving, creative pup, check out Puppy Picasso, a pet-friendly Airbnb Experience in New York. A local artist will teach your pup to paint, using non-toxic paint, of course, a theme from rainbows to flowers to animals. Rates start at $35.

Find Out:

• Cost: free

Sometimes a dog just wants to run on the beach, and what better beach than The Original Dog Beach, at the northern end of Ocean Beach in San Diego. Here, dogs are allowed to run off leash at any time of day (though please do pick up after your pet). And, afterward, you can take your dirty dog over to the Dog Beach Dog Wash at 4933 Voltaire Street, just two blocks away.

Flying Soon?

• Rates: starting at $65 per person

For the more adventurous dogs, you can book a Clear Kayak Tours Through Jupiter in Jupiter, Florida. This is a pet-friendly Airbnb Experience involving a kayak lesson in a clear bottom boat. Dogs are welcome, but you must bring a towel for them to lie on. The experience lasts 2 1/2 hours and can accommodate up to 10 guests of all ages. Guests (and dogs) will need to be comfortable on the water and around marine life. Rates start at $65 per person.

Be Aware:

• Rates: starting at $22 per person

Yet another pet-friendly experience offered by Airbnb Experience is the NAWLINS SH’NANIGANS Scavenger Hunt. Take your pup on a scavenger hunt of Louisiana’s most famous city.  Your event starts with instructions and a warmup. Then you’re on your own to solve clues as you take in key sights of New Orleans. The experience lasts two hours and can accommodate up to 30 guests of all ages. Rates start at $22 per person.

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