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Traveling with dogs: Portland tops the list for pet-friendly travel

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) on Jul 27th 2011 at 1:00PM

Pet-Friendly Travel at The Alexis in Seattle Your four-legged friends are part of the family, so it's no surprise that they want to come on summer vacation too. Many hotel chains (such as Ritz-Carlton and Kimpton, whose hotel, The Alexis, is featured at right) ensure that some or all of their properties are able to accommodate pets, but they cannot guarantee that Fido or Fifi can come with you once you choose to leave the hotel.

As all pet owners know, a bored dog is a destructive dog, and so we often choose to take our pooch to destinations where they can join us on sightseeing excursions. According to DogFriendly.com, the these top ten cities were chosen for their high quantity of pet-friendly accommodations, transportation, beaches, park, attractions, stores, dining and more.

The winner this year? Portland, Oregon, where dogs can explore Rose Gardens and the Lucky Lab. Other winners?

[Flickr via Jeffrey Beall]

Chicago
Home to the Navy Pier, pet-friendly boat tours and many parks.

San Diego
The country's best dog beaches and trails and world class pet-friendly shopping centers.

Seattle
Here, you can take public transportation with your leashed dog.

Philadelphia
Get a famous cheese steak. See historic early American sites and stay in a downtown luxurious hotel.

Minneapolis
Great hiking trails and parks, pet-friendly dining. A pet-friendly atmosphere throughout.

Austin
Dog-Friendly parks. Outdoor cafes. Take tours and see the sites. See the Zilker Gardens and the Congress Street bats.

Alexandria/ Washington D.C.
See the capital's sites, walk in charming Old Town, take a dog cruise on the Potomac.

New York
Luxury hotels welcome dogs, Central park beckons, off-leash parks everywhere. Shop the famous stores with your dog.

Indianapolis
Many historical sites, Nature preserves, trails and parks. Many of the cities tourist sites can be viewed with a dog.

Honorable mention cities include Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando and Raleigh.

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Marcy Walsh Jul 27th 2011 5:13PM

I learned the hard way that even pet-friendly hotels have restrictions that aren't that pet friendly! Several chains will allow pets under 25 pounds. My 65 pound dog wasn't welcome in 75 percent of the hotels we researched going from LA to Virginia. The truth is my other dog -- a small 20 pound poodle mix -- is way more destructive and barky than my big dog, but the size restriction made traveling with them across country very difficult. And some chains require a steep non-refundable pet deposit ($100 - $200).

Cynthia Gonzales Jul 31st 2011 12:26AM

Hi Marcy,
Carmel in California is pet friendly to large dogs also. It is a coastal town in Northern California.

Sarah Jul 27th 2011 5:30PM

This is good to know - we have an 80 lb. goldendoodle! I've heard that Austin is one of the best places to 'be a dog' - does anyone know if Austin is canine-travel friendly as well, or had any experiences there?

yeowzah25 Jul 30th 2011 6:09PM

Hi, there is a nice report on Austin here: http://www.fidofriendly.com/article/best-of
Also, I like this website since it lists restaurants where you can take your dog in Austin: http://www.fidofactor.com/austin-tx
And this site list hotels where you can stay:
http://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels/2018-Pet-Friendly-Hotels-in-Austin-TX

Jim Jul 27th 2011 9:42PM

Annapolis, MD is also dog-friendly. Lots of places to eat outside with your dog, and two good hotels (Westin and Loews) that are both pet friendly. Plus, the Watermark cruise tours allow well-behaved dogs on the boats.

Edmond Walsh Jul 28th 2011 7:53AM

When you said Porland I was thinking Maine! My wife and I spent the weekend in Portland Maine three weeks ago and I was surprised how pet friendly the city has become! Not only water dishes on the sidewalks but many had ice in them due to the heat,,,,,

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Rebecca Jul 30th 2011 6:02PM

Hi, the Kimpton chains do not have a weight limit or pet fee. They are not everywhere but there are quite a few and they are really cool 'boutique' hotels. We have stayed in Portland Oregon and Seattle Washington and they are always great. We found Fido Friendly magazine at a few of them, which is a really cool magazine with hotel reviews. We also stayed on the coast of Oregon in Arch Cape. There was a funky B&B, Shaws Oceanfront I think it was called. Right on the sand. You have your own part of the house and the beaches are great for walking off leash with your dog. I think all the La Quinta hotels accept dogs too without a pet fee. We used those quite often, you just need to check for weight limit. I agree w/above that the size of the dog does not matter and we have a Lab that weighs 75lbs so if we come across the weight issue, we just let them know he is a good dog. We have not been turned away. Pretty sure hotels want the revenue these days.