Rebecca Chille
Dog-friendly Vacations In Southern California – Readers are encouraged. When you make a purchase through a link on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more
If your dog doesn’t like the beach, why not spend time together enjoying some of the best hikes in Southern California? Mountains, forests, and deserts can all be found within a short drive of most residential areas in Southern California, sometimes even within the city limits! Here are 13 dog-friendly hiking trails in Southern California that you can explore in 2024.
Dog-friendly Vacations In Southern California
Features vary greatly among the 13 hiking trails in Southern California. To be safe, always bring water and a trash bag. Keep your dog on a leash unless on leash, for your own safety and to protect local wildlife. Southern California is home to many predators and snakes that can threaten your dog. Be alert, alert and always pay attention to the weather. These precautions will help you and your dog safely enjoy the beauty of Southern California.
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Elizabeth Gray was a lifelong lover of all animals, large and small. She got her first cat when she was 5, and at 14, she started working at a local vet. Elizabeth spent 20 years working as a veterinary nurse before becoming a stay-at-home parent to her daughter. Now, he’s more than happy to share his hard-earned knowledge (literally – he’s got scars) with his readers. Elizabeth lives in Iowa with her family, which includes two charming children, Lynard, a husky mix, and Algernon, the sickest cat in the world. When not writing, he enjoys reading, watching all sports, especially football, and spending time outdoors with his family. Are you looking for a dog-friendly day trip in Southern California? I’ve got the perfect post for you with 10 dog friendly getaways in Southern California that you can cover as a day trip from Los Angeles or San Diego. Keep reading to discover the best dog-friendly places in Southern California that you can explore as quickly as a day trip in 2.5 hours driving distance (one way)!
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I’m a San Francisco native who has contributed several blog posts to dog friendly Northern California getaways covering small towns. However, a dog-friendly Southern California vacation includes sunny weather, beach towns with warm water (Northern California beaches are very cold and windy), lots of sightseeing, wine tasting, and great food. Dogs are welcome.
Although Southern California with our dog (Dad: 2010-2021, and now Gangster) is limited compared to extensive Northern California jaunts, we can explore quite a bit of the country, starting south in Santa Barbara. Many winter vacations to Los Angeles have become a holiday tradition for us.
Delightful Dog Friendly Day Trips In Southern California
In that spirit, here are 10 dog-friendly vacations in Southern California that can be an easy day trip with your dog from the big SoCal cities of Los Angeles or San Diego, and within about 2.5 hours, each way (then crossing). permission).
These include beach towns, small towns, wine tasting spots, desert retreats, and even popular national parks that are a must-visit with your dog if you’re visiting Southern California. I hope this guide to dog-friendly places in Southern California that are easily accessible from Los Angeles or San Diego helps you see the diversity of Southern California through the big cities.
A) Southern California has warm, sunny California weather almost year-round for swimming in warm ocean water. However, summer can be hot, which is painful for you and dangerous for your dog (especially his sensitive paws). So if you’re planning a day trip with your dog in Southern California in June-September, make sure you stay in the beach towns, not the inland areas.
November-March is the best time to visit the interior of California, such as popular winter resorts such as Palm Springs, Ojai or Joshua Tree. However, winter is the rainy season in California, so please prepare yourself for rain and be flexible with your plans.
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B) If you want to start a dog-friendly day trip from Los Angeles or San Diego, it is best to drive your own car. You can rent a car from LA or San Diego or any major airport serving Southern California.
Los Angeles is very dog-friendly, but because of its location, it’s close to some dog-friendly places in Southern California that you should check out if you have some extra time. Another thing is that none of the beaches in LA allow dogs, so this is an incentive for dog-friendly day trips from Los Angeles. Here are my picks based on back-to-back trips with Dad and Ganga over the winter holidays:
Just 30 minutes from Los Angeles, Long Beach is home to the county’s most popular dog beach, Rosie’s Dog Beach. Additionally, many stores, shops and restaurants in Belmont Shores are dog-friendly.
Long Beach has 11 dog parks, including Locals Amusement Park, El Dorado Park, Uptown Dog Park, K-9 Corner Dog Park, and Bixby Dog Park. In addition to this, there are many dog-friendly restaurants on 4th Street, Uptown, Belmont Heights, and Downtown, and you can check them out in this Dog Friendly Long Beach post!
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Check out this post on Instagram Posts shared by Rosies Dog Beach fan page (@rosiesdogbeach).
Malibu may be synonymous with Hollywood celebrity retreats and weddings, but it’s also popular with our furry friends! Leo Carrillo State Beach is dog-friendly and the Santa Monica Mountains have plenty of dog-friendly hikes to keep your pooch busy. Plus, there’s Malibu’s lesser-known wine country, where you can go wine tasting with your dog.
I recommend taking the friendly Escondido Falls Trail, exploring the Solstice Canyon Trail, hitting the Zuma Canyon Loop Trail, or stopping at Escondido Canyon Park to conquer the Mishé Mokwa to Mount Allen Trail for a dog-friendly hike in Malibu. There are plenty of dog-friendly restaurants along Malibu’s Highway 1 where you can stop after a day of hiking — here’s a handy post from Bring Fido that lists them all.
Ojai is one of the best dog-friendly places in Southern California and it was amazing when we visited in 2019 during our trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles. While this inland town doesn’t have dog-friendly beaches, there are plenty of other fun dog-friendly activities to explore in this artsy Southern California town.
Best Dog Friendly Lakes In California
Explore the dog-friendly shops of Arcade Plaza, stop by Bart’s Books, go for a kombucha tasting at Revel Kombucha Bar, and take your dog for a walk in Libby Park. Ojai has many dog-friendly restaurants and cafes such as Farmers and Cooks, Beacon Coffee Company, Nest (large patio area) Ojai Lebanese Bread. What is good for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ojai has several dog-friendly wineries like Topa Mountain Winery and Old Creek Ranch Winery that you should check out if you love wine. We love our short stay in Ojai during the winter and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Santa Barbara is often referred to as the “American Riviera” for its beautiful beaches, swaying palm trees, and summer vibes that are hard to beat. Santa Barbara is very dog friendly with many beaches, restaurants and other attractions that accept dogs. If your dog loves the sea and the sand, Santa Barbara is definitely a dog-friendly day trip from Los Angeles that you should check out.
We have visited Santa Barbara many times over these 12 years and rain or shine, the city is always a lot of fun to explore with our dog. Santa Barbara has plenty of beaches and dog parks that you can hit even if you only have a day.
Pet Friendly Island Paws Program
My recommendation is to start the day at Hendry’s Beach (Arroyo Burro Beach County Park) next to Douglas Family Preserve, or explore Thousand Steps Beach or quiet Mesa Lane Beach, walk along Shoreline Park and walk through Alice Cake Park Memorial Gardens. .
Not to be missed are the Santa Barbara Pier and the Santa Barbara Mission Rose Garden, both dog-friendly and the County Courthouse Gardens. If that’s not all, the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden even allows dogs for free!
Downtown Santa Barbara, La Arcada Plaza, Funk Zone are great places to explore and eat with your dog. Well, there is
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