Want to travel around the United States with your best buddy? Traveling with a dog can turn any trip into an adventure and make any new place feel like home.
Dogs help you get out, stay active, and explore new places at home or on the road. In addition, you don’t need to worry about leaving your best buddy with a dogsitter or boarding while you are gone.
Traveling with your dog is a winning solution for everybody involved.
As a professional who travels for work, I’ve traveled across the United States with my pup, Puka. We started in Hawai’i when he was a pup and made our way to the East Coast and everywhere in between.
Puka gets lots of pets from strangers while we travel. Many say, “I miss my dog” or “I wish my dog were here with me now.”
I’m here to share the essentials for traveling with your dog so you don’t have to leave them at home for your next adventure.
Traveling With A Dog: Essentials
- Pick a destination that has plenty to offer for you and your pet. Not all cities, states, national parks, etc, are created the same. Do your research to find what will work for you and your pup.
- Figure out dog-friendly transportation. As somebody who travels primarily around the United States, driving is my go-to method of transportation.
- Ensure you have pet-friendly accommodations.
- Have digital and/or paper copies of your dog’s vaccine history and any other health certificates required for the travel you’re completing.
- Plan pet-friendly activities. Be mindful of the weather, especially when traveling during the summer.
- Search for kennels or boarding facilities where you can leave your pup if needed.
- Pack all of the traveling with dog essentials you need for your trip.
Finding a Dog-Friendly Destination
Finding a dog-friendly location and destination depends on many factors.
- How far from home can you travel?
- Can you travel by airplane with your dog?
- What do you want to do on vacation?
- Wanting a more active versus relaxed vacation?
As somebody who has traveled the United States with a large breed pup, here are my recommendations for the top dog-friendly locations from coast to coast. These make the top of the list because they have dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, and exciting things to do in nature with your pup.
- Bay Area, California
- Sedona, Arizona
- Durango, Colorado
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Grand Canyon National Park
- While I’ve never been, I’ve heard Arcadia National Park and Shenandoah National Park are wonderful dog-friendly east coast National Parks
Best Hotels For Traveling With A Dog
Finding a hotel for traveling with a dog will depend on several factors, including your dog’s size, budget, and where you are traveling. Since I drive a lot, I primarily stay at popular hotels along American interstates, such as Hilton Hotel brands, which have many dog-friendly hotels. Even at large chains, each hotel has a pet policy and fee. When a hotel says they are “pet friendly,” you must look at the individual property’s definition of pet friendly and compare if it matches your needs.
Things to Consider When Booking a Dog-Friendly Hotel Room
- Just because a hotel says they are “pet-friendly” or “dog-friendly” doesn’t mean they will accept your dog. Many hotels have size restrictions for dogs.
- Is there a weight, breed, or size restriction for dogs?
- What are the pet fees? Is there a nightly fee or a one-time deposit?
- Does the hotel have a pet waste area, or is it somewhere easily accessible to trails to walk your dog?
- Are dogs allowed in the hotel room alone? Some hotels will allow you to leave them alone in the room if they are in a kennel or if you put the appropriate “pet in room” sign on the door.
- Does the hotel provide dog beds, bowls, kennels, etc?
Dog-Friendly Hilton Hotel Brands
Hilton is one of my go-to brands for dog stays because many of the Hilton Garden Inn and other brands accept large breeds. For someone like me, who travels by car often, there are a plethora of Hiltons across the United States. Here’s a list of their dog-friendly hotels:
- Hilton Garden Inn
- Canopy
- Hampton
- Tru
- Home2 Suites
- Homewood Suites
IHG Hotels
IHG hotels are often referred to as one of the most dog-friendly hotel chains due to their Kimpton brand, which allows dogs at no extra charge and spoils them with essentials like a dog pet, bowls, etc. Garner is a newer brand that has more budget-friendly dog accommodations. While I enjoy IHG hotels generally, I haven’t managed to stay at any Kimpton or Garners, mainly because I haven’t crossed paths with any. I’ll surely update this blog once I stay at a Kimpton.
Motel 6
Motel 6 believes the best trips are better with your best furry friends. They allow service animals and well-behaved pets to stay for FREE, making them a top choice for dog owners. Up to 2 pets per visit are permitted with no weight or breed restrictions, and some exceptions apply.
Marriott Brand Hotels
Here’s a list of the hotel brands that Marriott lists as dog-friendly. Again, check with each property before you book, as I’ve seen a lot of discrepancies. For example, one Westin I stayed at did not have a weight or size restriction for dogs, while another had a 50lb restriction.
- Westin
- Aloft
- Element
- Moxy
- W
- Residence Inn
- The Luxury Collection
- AC Hotels
Red Roof Inn
Red Roof Inn allows one pet per room for free at most locations. They recommend calling the property you want to stay at directly to inquire about any restrictions.
Airbnb
Airbnb has some incredible pet-friendly stays. You can find pet-friendly units on the beach, in the mountains, and in fenced yards. If I stay at a place for longer than a night or 2, I’ll book an Airbnb with a yard.
Locally Owned Inns
Locally owned inns and bed and breakfasts can provide excellent pet-friendly accommodations. For instance, the Brass Lantern in Nantucket had pet-friendly rooms with beds, bowls, and a fenced dog yard. To find these gems, search Google for “pet-friendly hotels + (insert the town you’re going to)” and see what appears.
Traveling With A Dog By Car
My go-to means of transportation with my large-breed dog is the car. I enjoy the road trips we’ve taken together and traveling by car feels far less stressful than by plane.
Recommendations for road-tripping with a dog by car:
- Make sure your dog has adequate room to move in the car
- Get a seat belt to attach to their harness
- Stop for rest breaks at dog-friendly spots
Dog-Friendly Rest Stops
Does your dog need to run off some energy after spending hours in the car? Many rest stops across the US offer fenced dog parks, which was a pleasant surprise.
- Love’s Travel Stops: Offer 350 locations with fenced dog parks
- TravelCenters of America (TA) offers pet-friendly areas: some fenced, some open.
- Buc-ee’s offers pet-friendly areas.
- Use the AllTrails app to find dog-friendly walking paths or hikes along your way-
Traveling with a Dog By Plane
Multiple US commercial airlines allow your dog to travel in the cabin with you if they fit in an airline-approved carrier under the seat in front of you, and you pay an extra fee. Again, double-check all airline policies before you book. You’ll also need to follow their policies for vaccinations and health certificates. These airlines include:
- Alaska
- American
- Delta
- Frontier
- Hawaiian
- JetBlue
- Southwest
- Spirit
- United
What if Your Dog Doesn’t Fit in This Space?
We large-breed dog owners face that problem. If your dog and its carrier are under 50 pounds, they may be eligible to fly as checked baggage, depending on which airline you are flying. If your dog and carrier are over 50 pounds, they may still be able to fly with you on the same flight but as cargo. This means that you’ll have to drop off and pick up your pup at the cargo center, which is usually approximately one to two miles from the people part of the airport.
For your pup to fly cargo, you’ll first need a flight ticket to book your dog in the cargo hold. As an individual, you cannot transport anything in commercial airline cargo unless you have a ticket for the flight. I recommend calling the cargo center before booking your flight to get pricing and ensure your pup has room. Next, book your ticket. Finally, contact the cargo customer service number to book your pup’s transit.
Alaska Airlines has an excellent reputation for transporting animals in cargo. When I lived in Hawai’i and met dog owners traveling from the mainland, most flew their larger dogs through Alaska Airlines Cargo.
Do Any Airlines Allow Your Large Dog to Fly in the Cabin?
There are some options, albeit pricey, if you want to bring your loved pup in the cabin with you on your travels.
JXL operates jets that allow you to bring a dog up to 79lb in the cabin for a $100 fee. They operate in select cities across the US. When I looked up the prices, a trip from Destin, Florida, to Houston, Texas, was $668 round trip for a person, plus the pet fee.
Bark Air is revolutionizing the way people fly with their dogs. It is a 100% dog-friendly airline that operates flights between major US and European airports. There are no breed or weight restrictions. As of this writing, it is expensive. A one-way flight from Los Angeles to New York is currently priced at $6,000.
How Did I Get My Dog From Hawai’i to the Mainland?
Puka was born in Hawai’i, and honestly, I never planned to take him off the island until I broke up with my ex and decided it was time to relocate to the mainland. We flew together on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to San Francisco, with Puka in the cargo hold. Since he is so large, I had two choices for getting him to the mainland: a private cargo flight such as Aloha Air or the Hawaiian Airlines flight, which was a wide-body.
I chose the Hawaiian flight because I wanted to be on the same flight as him so he could (hopefully) smell me and know he was not alone. Island Pet Movers helped me with the move’s logistics, and they booked the flight for me.
I highly recommend Island Pet Movers if you bring a dog to or from Hawai’i.
What Should You Pack When Traveling With a Dog?
What you need to pack to travel with your dog depends on where you’re going and for how long. Here are some other essentials for traveling with your dog:
- Digital copies of their vaccination records and anything required by your hotel or airline
- Food and treats
- Bowls
- Bed
- Old towels (in case your dog gets wet/muddy/dirty)
- Harness and seat belt
- Collapsible water bowls
- Any medications they need
- Toys/balls
You can shop my favorites at my “Travel with Dog” store here.
Final Thoughts on Traveling With A Dog
The days of traveling and missing your dog have ended. You can now bring your dog on your next adventure. Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know your favorite pet-friendly destinations across the US.