Vacation ideas for dog-friendly destinations​

Pennsylvania will add 130 pet-friendly campsites and cabins to six state parks in 2022, but there are already plenty of outdoorsy dog-welcoming destinations throughout the Keystone State,

from the 60-plus mile Montour Trail in Allegheny and Washington counties to Presque Isle State Park, about 15 minutes from Erie (dogs are allowed on certain beaches). GoPetFriendly.com 

maintains a list of pet policies and pet-friendly amenities — from campgrounds to beaches — for every state in America. HOTELS, INNS AND RESORTS From bed-and-breakfasts to vacation rentals,

pet-friendly lodging is plentiful these days. But there’s a Great Dane-sized difference between hotels that allow pets and those that pamper them. “Hotels have become so accustomed to

people traveling with pets that offering a dog bed, a welcome biscuit and a water bowl outside the entrance have become the bare minimum,” says Pavia Rosati, founder of the travel site

Fathom and coauthor of _Travel North America (and Avoid Being a Tourist)._ In June 2021, Fathom and animal wellness company Pumpkin created a list of 23 dog-friendly destinations,

highlighting such unique options as The Cottages in Nantucket, where pooch perks include souvenir dog tags, dog-walking services and even doggie turndown service. The Paw House Inn in

Rutland, Vermont, has an intriguing twist on pet fees. Instead of charging extra for bringing a dog, they charge $10 if you don’t bring a dog. The inn features a football field-sized dog

park (complete with tennis balls and agility equipment) and a dog-sitting facility. Other possibilities: The Lora hotel in Stillwater, Minnesota, has a pet-friendly room service menu; the 

Quirk Charlottesville hotel in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, uses “dog in room” door hangers; and the Kimpton Gray hotel in Chicago gives pets a handmade bow-tie and a hand-drawn

charcoal portrait by a local artist (you need to provide a photo seven days before arrival). Need something more spacious? The new apartment-style Morton Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan,

was designed for travelers with dogs. Amenities include indoor and outdoor pet areas, a dog wash, dog beds and leash hooks in each room. At Barkwells, an eight-acre, eight-cabin “dog

lover's vacation retreat” just minutes from Asheville, North Carolina, dogs can play in a fenced-in meadow and leap into a pond for swimming and ball chasing. The cabins have dog doors

and fenced-in yards, so Fido is free to roam. (Barkwells also has a two-cottage property near Brevard.) If you’re traveling by RV, the Waggin’ Tail Ranch RV Resort in Pilot Point,

Texas, has an agility course, doggie day care, dog wash stations and a swimming pond. You can also find a wide range of home rental properties that allow dogs on sites like VRBO and Airbnb

(filter your search for “pets allowed”). Depending on the owner, you might pay a modest cleaning fee.  For info on pet-friendly lodging, visit PetsWelcome.com, Bring Fido, AAA and Pet

Travel. Rosati’s hotel advice: Before booking, ask about extra fees for pets, whether animals are welcome in public areas like lobbies and restaurants, and if the hotel offers a pet-sitting

option.