Tail-Wagging Tour of Mendocino’s Most Dog-Friendly Escapes
Mendocino, Calif.- Mendocino County is famous for being one of the best places on earth to take a vacation with a furry friend. Not only is the weather at the coast delightfully temperate in summer, but there are hundreds of breathtaking shady trails begging to be hiked, and places run by dog devotees who make every visit to the county super special time spent with a pet.
Pups are Pampered at Little River Inn
One of those pet-centric places is Little River Inn, a charming ocean-view resort. The Inn’s fifth generation owner Cally Coombs believes that dogs are part of the family, and she’s created warm, welcoming environment for both pets and their people. There are no size or breed restrictions (limit of two dogs per room), and every canine guest receives a Goodie Bag containing dog treats and a fact sheet on where to hike, bike, and boat with dog.
The Inn also provides water and food dishes, a pet towel, cover sheets for furniture, and disposable waste bags. Pups can explore the spacious property (there are designated on-leash walking areas complete with waste bag dispensers and receptacles), enjoy nearby hiking trails, or frolic on the pet-friendly beach across the street. Best of all, during dinner four-legged friends can chill with their owners while they dine in the Inn’s new dog-friendly cabanas in the lush gardens. Each cabana offers a cozy, casual setting with space for people and pups-one accommodates up to six people and three dogs, while the remaining four seat four people and two dogs each.
Guests dining in the cabanas enjoy the acclaimed cuisine served in the Inn’s restaurant, where the menu highlights fresh, local ingredients, such as foraged mushrooms, freshly caught crab, and produce from their own Laughing Duck Farm.
Water Dog Package
Little River Inn even has a boating package specifically for owners and their dogs. Available May 1 through September 30, the Water Dog Package includes two nights in an ocean-view, gas fireplace room, a dog-friendly kayak sea cave tour or an outrigger canoe journey on the scenic Big River, and a $120 voucher to use towards dinner.
Floating down the Big River with Fido
Catch a Canoe and Bicycles Too! at the nearby Stanford Inn by the Sea Historic Farm and Eco-resort, has purpose-built carbon catamaran canoes with a design that caters to people who want to bring their canine companions aboard. Known for their ultra-stability and easy steering, these canoes are only found on the gentle Big River in Mendocino where Catch a Canoe are the leaders in pet-friendly canoe design.
Wags and Wine Tasting
Mendocino’s verdant Anderson Valley wine region is a recommended stop on the way back from the coast to sample some of the best under-the-radar wines in the world. The first winery when leaving Highway 1 for Route 128 through the valley is Lula Cellars, which welcomes dogs both inside their laid-back tasting room and outside on their beautiful 22-acre spread. The stunning vineyard property includes picnic tables for those who bring snacks and a refreshing pond for pooches to cool off in. Lula’s knowledgeable staff are happy to chat about their award-winning wines, with intense flavors that are influenced by the fact that they have one of the very few vineyards close to the coast. They are particularly known for vibrant Pinot Noirs and their light and floral Gewürztraminer, redolent of stone fruits and citrus.
Whether wine-tasting, boating, hiking, or dining, Mendocino has it all for pet owners. A trip to this picturesque county with a pooch is a must at any time of year.