Are there places on California’s Central Coast–parks, beaches, trails, etc.–that are especially dog-friendly? We’re considering a quick weekend trip with the pooches, and would like some place to take them where it’s cooler temperature-wise.
Thanks,
Bruce
P.S. Looking for something within a reasonable driving distance of LA.
Cambria has several dog-friendly places. We have stayed at Cambria Shores Inn, which is basically a very (very) nice motel facing the ocean and Moonstone Beach with lawns and other areas that are okay for dogs. The only problem is that the beach itself is open to dogs.
The Inn provides a breakfast basket in the morning with dog treats, too.
The town has a number of restaurants that will let you take your dogs on the patio.
Ken–Thanks. So the beach at Cambria is open to dogs?
Bruce
Sorry, no, meant to say that it isn’t, but there is a wooden path that runs along the beach that is.
The Douglas Family Preserve in Santa Barbara is a moderate size park on a bluff above the ocean with great views and trails. Your dog can run off-leash and there will be many other dogs there.
The trails in the hills are great for dogs also.
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Bruce,
I’m realizing reading this that “Central Coast” can mean a pretty large area. My recommendation was going to be Carmel-by-the-Sea whose picturesque town and off-leash beach is famous for its dog-friendliness.
These should help:
Pismo Beach is dog-friendly but they must be leashed. We’ve stayed at Cottage Inn by The Sea with the hounds a few times the last one being 2010.
One of the larger national hotel chains (which one escapes me) is dog-friendly and has a property close to the beach in Santa Barbara. We were also able to walk them on that part of the beach on leash but that was probably ~ 5 or 6 years ago.
We’ve also taken them to the Santa Ynez Valley. The Marriott and Quality Inn in Buellton are dog-friendly. La Purisima Mission is a blast for them. There are some trails in the hills surrounding the mission. They’ve also put a lot of work into maintaining a population of historically accurate livestock so there were some wild-looking animal breeds for our greyhounds to sniff at. That was also ~ 6 years ago.
Of course, the added bonuses in Santa Ynez/Lompoc for the humans are the wineries and the Hitching Post.
Not sure how much cooler those places with be though.
It’s the Fess Parker Doubletree. Stayed there once with our dog.
Didn’t see this earlier, but the part of Avila Beach I usually go to is dog friendly, and no leash required. You go past the beach front off the town, and cross the bridge (on the way to Port San Luis).
Thanks for all the suggestions. We ended up going up to SB, since it’s a fairly quick drive from LA. The Douglas Family Preserve was a great idea, since it’s off-leash and the pooches really liked wandering around on an overcast Sunday morning.
Good call!
Bruce