5 Steps to the Perfect Road Trip With Your Dog
Taking a road trip with your dog is a delicate balance between making sure they’re happy and you’re happy, so you can create fun memories with your pup while getting to explore and experience all you want to at your destination.
Our dog, Lincoln, has been road-tripping with us since 2019. She’s been on a 5-month road trip, a 3.5-month road trip, a 6-week road trip, and plenty of weekend getaways. She’s car camped, tent camped, stayed in fancy 5-star hotels, and seen more than her fair share of Airbnbs and hotel stays. The truth is, traveling with Lincoln is a large part of why we fell in love with road trips in the first place. She can go everywhere we go (and we’re pretty sure she appreciates that deeply).
Over the last five+ years, we’ve learned how to navigate the ins and outs of road-tripping with your dog. From our favorite dog-friendly routes to must-have gear, here are 5 steps to make road trips with your dog stress-free.
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1. Pick a Dog-Friendly Route
The ironic truth is: A road trip is both the best way to travel with a dog and a challenging way for a dog to travel. Meaning, road-tripping is a great way for your pup to join your travels, but traveling in a car for hours on end isn’t the most fun thing for a dog.
So, when you plan a road trip with your dog, spend a few minutes not just thinking about where you want to go, but also thinking about a pet-friendly route. You want to be sure wherever you’re headed includes at least a few pet-friendly activities.
Since Lincoln’s been going almost everywhere we go for the last decade, this often means we have to make tradeoffs when visiting destinations that aren’t super dog-friendly. Sometimes, we can’t stay where we want to stay, we have to miss out on popular hikes, or we can’t make spontaneous pit stops at non-dog-friendly restaurant patios on the way back from an excursion.
The tradeoffs are worth it to get to travel with Lincoln anyway, but it does mean we really, really enjoy when our travels take us to incredibly dog-friendly destinations, like many of the stops we made during our New England Road Trip. Seriously, if you enjoy national parks and want to road trip with your dog, Acadia National Park is a must-do. If you love to hike, head to Lake Placid and the Adirondacks or the White Mountains in New Hampshire. All are very dog-friendly destinations!
If you haven’t yet decided on a destination for your dog-friendly road trip, take a few minutes to research dog-friendly destinations.
If you already know where you’re headed, then make sure to at least locate a few dog-friendly activities and dog-friendly pit stops before you hit the road.
Our favorite road trip stops include dog-friendly hikes and local trails, dog-friendly bodies of water (like lakes and beaches), and dog-friendly breweries or cidery patios. We also make sure to stop at rest areas when possible to give Lincoln a few minutes out of the car during long drives.
Some of our favorite dog-friendly routes include:
2. Book Dog-Friendly Accommodations
When planning a road trip with your dog, one of the most important (and generally most time-consuming) aspects is finding accommodations that welcome pets.
Whether you prefer hotels, campgrounds, or short-term rentals, make sure to check the pet policies of each place you consider before booking.
Below, we’ll dive into each of these options to help you find the best pet-friendly accommodations for you and your dog.
Dog-Friendly Short-Term Rentals
We know it’s mildly soul-crushing to filter for “dog-friendly” on short-term rental sites like Airbnb and VRBO… and watch your options dwindle as they cut in half (or more), but there are lots of great places that welcome pets, and that number seems to be growing by the day!
With a little extra time to research and an additional trade-off or two that you’re willing to make, you should be able to eventually find something dog-friendly, within budget, and close enough to the area you’d like to visit.
Distance is usually the trade-off we make on short-term rental sites. We generally stay a little bit further outside our target area to have more options (and because prices generally decrease as distance increases).
The sooner you plan your road trip, the more dog-friendly options you will have as well. However, on short-term rental sites, that doesn’t necessarily mean planning as far in advance as possible. The policies for individual units will vary as some may open for booking 12 months in advance, and others will open for booking 6 months or even just 3 months in advance.
We recommend looking for pet-friendly lodging at the 12 and 6-month mark* if you’re able to plan that far in advance. Then, look again at exactly the 3-month mark if you haven’t found anything you like.
*Note: When we say the 6 or 3-month mark, that means 6 or 3 months prior to the date you’d like to check out.
Dog-Friendly Hotels
We spent the first three years of our Travel Seasons staying almost exclusively in short-term rentals. We loved having more room, sometimes having a backyard for Lincoln, and staying in neighborhoods with great walking trails.
However, for our 2023 Travel Season, we decided to switch to hotels for loyalty programs, pricing, and better personal amenities. While hotels are generally less dog-friendly than short-term rentals, more and more pet-friendly hotel options are becoming available, making hotels a good pet-friendly option for your road trip.
We have found this comes with a catch, though: Although more hotels are pet-friendly than ever before, most of them still have high pet fees. And heads up: hotels are not always upfront about this, nor do they always make it clear if it’s a one-time fee or nightly fee. While we thought most pet fees were one-time fees, we had to recently switch hotels after stumbling upon a $100 per night pet fee.
When looking for places to stay while road-tripping with your dog, make sure to confirm:
A hotel is pet-friendly (and confirm any breed or size restrictions)
Whether or not a hotel charges an additional pet fee
How much the pet fee will be, including whether it’s a one-time fee or nightly fee
For hotels, we usually lean Marriott. Their properties tend to be reliable and well-located, plus pet policies are usually well-detailed on the website and in the app.
👉 Not sure where to find a hotel’s pet policy? For Marriott, go to the hotel’s individual website (example: Aloft Denver Downtown) and scroll to “Hotel Information.” There, you’ll find whether or not the hotel accepts pets, as well as pet fees, pet size restrictions, etc. If you’re on the app, we prefer to filter for pets upfront so we’re not wasting time looking at hotels that aren’t pet-friendly. (You can do this by clicking “Filter,” then scrolling to “Amenities” and tapping the box next to “Pets welcome.” Then, hit “Show results.”)
Even if you prefer another chain, we recommend picking one loyalty program (hotels, flights, or rentals) and committing. It pays off in free nights and upgrades later!
Some of our favorite dog-friendly hotels (Marriott and otherwise):
Aloft: This is our current top choice if we don’t need a kitchen. Aloft is generally pet-friendly. Element is another brand choice that generally welcomes pets across the board.
La Quinta Inns & Suites: Pets under 40 lbs often stay for free. This used to be our top choice for pet-friendly hotels, particularly when traveling on a budget.
Red Roof Inn: Generally allows one pet per room, free of charge, with no weight or breed restrictions.
Kimpton Hotels: Kimpton properties are known for being pet-friendly and generally do not charge any additional fees for pets. In fact, here’s what they say: “At Kimpton, we invite you to bring your furry, feathery or scaly family member—no matter their size, weight, or breed, all at no extra charge. If your pet fits through the door, we’ll welcome them in.” So not just dog-friendly, but truly pet-friendly!
Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites: Dog-friendly hotels like these that offer suites and rooms with full kitchens are great for longer stays and eating meals at home. They generally charge at least a one-time pet fee.
Fairmont Hotels: Perfect for road-tripping with your dog in luxury! Lincoln’s already had her fair share of 5-star stays on the road, including a magical 24 hours at Lake Louise during our Icefields Parkway road trip (and yes, it feels just as ridiculous to write as you’re probably thinking). But we were so happy we could bring her along and not miss out on this incredible stay!
Westin Hotels & Resorts: Westin is one of Marriott’s most consistently pet-friendly upscale brands. Some Westins waive pet fees entirely, while others charge a one-time fee (typically $50-$100). Policies vary by property, but overall, Westin is a reliable choice if you’re traveling with your dog and want a more elevated hotel experience.
Although these hotel brands generally allow pets, we highly recommend double-checking the specific policies of the hotel before booking. A call to the front desk is typically the best way to confirm a specific hotel is pet-friendly (and to confirm any pet fees).
Dog-Friendly Campsites
Camping is one of the best, most budget-friendly ways to road trip with your dog.
Many campgrounds are pet-friendly, but before booking a campsite, you’ll want to confirm that the activities you’re planning to do are also pet-friendly. Unlike a short-term rental or hotel, unless you’re camping in an RV, you won’t be able to leave your dog behind in a crate in your tent. They’ll need to go wherever you go.
That means making sure all the trails, restaurants, overlooks, activities, and destinations on your itinerary are pet-friendly or making arrangements with a local dog daycare (or a family member or friend who’s willing to stay behind).
We generally only camp in dog-friendly national or state parks that we can explore with Lincoln or when we need a place to stay for just a night along our route. For the latter, we’re okay with being at the campsite exclusively if no trails are dog-friendly since we plan to be up and out the next morning. Overnight stops at campgrounds are a great way to reduce costs when on a road trip with your dog.
If you’re road-tripping with your dog to a national or state park, be sure to verify the pet policies for campgrounds and the overall pet-friendliness of the park. Acadia National Park is one of the most dog-friendly national parks in the United States, while parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park have limited dog-friendly activities, making it more challenging to explore these parks extensively with your pup.
Generally speaking, state parks and especially national forest areas are pretty dog-friendly. If you can’t find a dog-friendly campground in a national park, try state parks or national recreational areas nearby.
3. Research Dog-Friendly Restaurants and Activities
When it comes to eating out with a dog, we most often prefer restaurants with dog-friendly outdoor patios, but sometimes we’ll pack a picnic lunch and find a scenic spot to enjoy a view while giving Lincoln time outside.
Several popular restaurant chains, such as Shake Shack, Starbucks (ask for a pup cup!), Panera Bread, and In-N-Out Burger, are known for their dog-friendly patios. (However, it's still a good idea to call ahead and confirm a specific location's rules regarding dogs.)
In addition to chain restaurants, exploring local dog-friendly establishments is usually one of the best parts of taking a road trip with your dog!
Use resources like Google, TripAdvisor, and recommendations from locals to find dog-friendly restaurants, breweries, cideries, and wineries when you’re traveling.
Burlington, VT, and Bar Harbor, ME, are two super dog-friendly cities we've visited, but we’re typically able to find at least a few dog-friendly options in any area.
Note: BringFido and TripAdvisor are great for finding dog-friendly restaurants and activities.
On TripAdvisor, search for “dog” or “pet” in the reviews. Just remember that sometimes information can become outdated. If a third-party site claims a restaurant is dog-friendly, it’s a good idea to confirm this on the restaurant’s website or call the restaurant for confirmation.
To find nearby hiking trails that are dog-friendly, we love AllTrails. Click here for more of our top road trip planning tips!
4. Invest in Dog-Friendly Travel Gear
Thanks to 5+ years of road-tripping with Lincoln, we’ve picked up a few must-have packing items that make traveling with a dog a better and easier experience for everyone.
Here are our top essentials for roadtripping with your dog:
🧳 Dog Travel Crate
This travel-friendly dog crate is our #1 must-have for road-tripping with a dog. (Lincoln’s about 50 lbs and uses size 42 x 31 x 31 inches.)
We love this packable dog crate so much because it (1) packs well, fitting vertically behind the two front seats in our Prius or horizontally on the back seats when folded down, and (2) is sturdy enough for use on the road or at home, which provides a secure and familiar space for Lincoln year-round. That alone has been a game-changer for Lincoln’s comfort and confidence while traveling!
Before we bought this crate, we had a hard time leaving her in the hotel or short-term rental while we were out for a few hours at a time. She experienced a lot of separation anxiety from being in an unfamiliar place, and that made it challenging for us to explore without her. And while we love bringing Lincoln along as much as possible, some things you want to do and see when traveling are just not dog-friendly.
Once we started using the same crate at home or on the road, Lincoln immediately became more comfortable traveling. Previously, we’d need to wait a few days in a new location before heading out solo, so she had time to adjust. Now, we can head out much sooner, leaving her in her crate within minutes of arriving somewhere new if needed. Seriously, this crate is a game-changer!
Note: If you have a crate-trained dog, we highly recommend this crate. However, if your dog is not crate-trained or they’re a big chewer, this may not be the best travel crate for you. This is a soft-sided crate, meaning it could be easy for a dog to chew through sections.
🛏️ Dog Bed
We haven’t found the most convenient travel bed (meaning one that’s great for carrying, packing, and moving from destination to destination), but we have found a bed that fits into the crate linked above (and one that Lincoln loves). I can’t find a link to the exact bed we use, but it’s similar to this one. (She looooves having sides on her bed.)
Similar to her crate above, we always bring her bed from place to place to keep that consistency and stability while traveling. I’ll be honest, this is my least favorite thing to pack because it’s bulky, but it’s worth it to keep her comfortable.
🚫 “Do Not Pet” Dog Harness
This “Do Not Pet” dog harness is our second travel must-have, particularly for shy or anxious dogs. (Lincoln wears size: girth 24-31" and we attach saddlebags to the harness to carry waste bags and other items while hiking.)
This harness has worked incredibly well for limiting the number of people trying to engage with Lincoln (i.e., say “hi” or pet her), which has increased Lincoln’s confidence in exploring new places. (She’s anxious around strangers and not interested in making friends or being approached.)
If you avoid traveling with your dog, going on hikes together, or taking your dog to dog-friendly patios or places because of crowds and possible human interaction, this could be a great option for you both to feel more comfortable out and about. Although it won’t stop everyone 100% of the time, most people quickly notice the “do not pet” sign and respect it and Lincoln’s space.
Try this harness if you’re planning a road trip with an anxious dog or one who just doesn’t want to be pet!
🍲 Dog Travel Bowls
Collapsible bowls keep meals simple and easy to pack on the road. We use them daily for food and water, whether at rest stops or on trails.
🦮 Dog Leashes
We love finding off-leash areas for Lincoln to roam on road trips, but sometimes we want to give her space without taking her entirely off-leash. This long leash is great for that. We also love it for car camping.
This leash is my go-to everyday leash on the road and at home because it’s so lightweight.
🚙 Pet Backseat Cover
Pet backseat covers protect your seats on long drives and gives your dog a stable surface. We flip this pet backseat cover upside down so the rubber side is up, giving Lincoln traction to sit and look out the window comfortably. Also great if you take your dog to a lot of outdoor destinations and want to protect your seats from mud and water.
🌞 Window Shades
Window shades are great for blocking the sun while driving to help your dog be more comfortable. Lincoln can quickly overheat in the car, especially if the sun is beating in through her window. Sometimes, I’ll just hang an old jacket or towel in front of the window, but these shades make it even easier.
Packable Crate
“Do Not Pet” Dog Harness
5. Pack For a Road Trip With Your Dog
Make sure to also pack your basic dog-friendly travel essentials.
This includes things like food, treats (Lincoln is picky and loves small training treats + milk bones), a travel water bottle, waste bags, 1–2 favorite toys, a fetch ball, and any medications. We pack all of this in a standard backpack and pick up additional supplies, like food and treats, on the road as we need.
Bonus: If your dog suffers from allergies when traveling, this supplement can be added to water and has worked very well for Lincoln. She also does well on these chews for separation anxiety support. (But we’re just sharing what has worked for us to travel with Lincoln; make sure to check with your pet’s vet before making dietary or otherwise changes.)
Keep Planning
Want to browse our full packing list? Check out our complete Road Trip Packing List for the exact things we use and love on every trip.
Ready to plan your next adventure? Explore our Free Resource Library for road trip itineraries, planning guides, and stories from the road.
And if Yellowstone’s on your list, don’t miss our Yellowstone Travel Guide: your step-by-step companion to planning an unforgettable trip to Yellowstone National Park!
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