Dog-friendly AirBNB about two hours from Berkeley?
Our vacation patterns have changed since my husband has chronic back pain and we have a large dog.
The big dog is very solicitous of the husband.
Can anyone suggest good options for finding an AirBNB where we would not have a long road trip to find a dog-friendly place for short hikes?
Point Reyes has dog restrictions due to wildlife protection; we watched a lot of people take dogs onto Limantour Beach where there were flocks of endangered snowy plovers, but that does not make it OK. We will adhere to any rules that are protective of wildlife.
Wineries vary in their enthusiasm for people with dogs, and it would be embarrassing if our well-behaved but fierce-looking K-9 had a dispute with a winery's resident pooch.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Mar 23, 2023
Parent Replies
Point Reyes would still be my pick. Dogs are permitted on Limantour Beach (and also on Kehoe Beach) as long as they are on leash--just follow the well-posted rules on which side of the beach allows dogs. NPS has a good map of where they allow dogs and where they don't, and some of the adjacent Marin County trails also allow dogs. There are also fire roads in that part of Marin where dogs are welcome. If you're specifically looking for off-leash hikes, other parts of Marin have open space preserves that allow dogs off leash--that would be my second choice. There are lots, so I'd pick a city you might like to stay in and then see what's nearby. Sonoma and Napa and most of the Peninsula are on-leash only, for the most part. Also consider a staycation somewhere nearby--hard to beat the EBRPD off-leash trails!
I highly recommend www.dogtrekker.com. I get it as a regular newsletter. It’s advice for dog owners on dog friendly hotels, restaurants, hiking trails, wineries, etc. Bay Area oriented and chock full of fabulous information. I think it will be the perfect resource for you!
I would check out Arnold, about 2.5 hours from East Bay. There's some great hiking there. I'll send you a msg!
Berkeley to Arnold is 2.5 hours without traffic. Arnold Rim Trail is right there. Further up 4 are many trails around Lake Alpine and other trailheads.
Berkeley to Gualala is 2.5 hours without traffic. If you stay within The Sea Ranch there are many dog friendly trails open to renters.
Berkeley to Felton is 1.5 hours without traffic. A few trails in Henry Cowell are dog friendly.
Parts of Point Reyes (including part of Limantour) do allow dogs! The NPS has a handy map:
https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/upload/map_dogareas_beaches.pdf
Guerneville is a nice option that’s on the Russian River, near Korbel and some other wineries but they tend to be more low key than Sonoma/Napa prime location ones, there’s a redwood state park just out of town and easy drive out to the coast at Jenner. We also love Mendocino/Fort Bragg for even more of the same vibes, but that’s 3+ hours (but if you go, worth driving home along route 1).
What about the Russian River area? I have friends who had a lovely time in Occidental and there's a great farmer's market there. Or you can stay at a home on the river (provided your dog likes to swim!). Armstrong Woods is in Guerneville, and it does allow dogs on paved roads which still allows you to visit the big trees. There are lots of other places to hike in the area and lots of wineries.
Here is a rental company that says 80% of their rentals are dog friendly: https://www.riverhomes.com/amenities-type/dog-friendly#q=im_nid%24rc_co…
It's a bit farther than 2 hours, but we recently had a great trip with our big Labrador Retriever to Mendocino. AirBnB (or maybe it's VRBO, or both) have a box you can check in your search that specifically filters for properties that allow dogs. We stayed in a gorgeous historic home with ocean views and a fenced yard that was happy to have our dog come too (and even left him a little welcome basket w/ treats). The beaches in Mendocino are dog friendly (leashed) and there is a ton of great hiking too, if that's your thing. In general, the cafes in town seemed cool w/ dogs as well, however we mainly cooked at the house or got take-out. Feel free to message me if you'd like the exact listing of the house we rented.