A dog friendly guide to Mendocino
Are you looking to visit Mendocino with your pup and wondering about the best dog friendly activities to enjoy during your visit? As someone who has been there and done that, here is my tell all dog friendly Mendocino guide where I cover everything that you can enjoy with your dog in this beautiful coastal town on Pacific coast highway. With plenty of dog friendly beaches, parks, restaurants and other attractions welcoming canines, this dog friendly guide to Mendocino tells you where to stay, eat and enjoy with your dog in California’s gateway to the Redwoods!
From dreamy coastal views, sandy beaches, popular dog friendly hotels, delicious food and even a fun train ride through the Redwoods, Mendocino will welcome your dog heartily! Having visited Mendocino and adjoining Fort Bragg and Little River many times over the last few years, I cannot recommend this town enough.
PLANNING A DOG FRIENDLY VACATION IN MENDOCINO? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Mendocino is about 3.5-4 hrs north of San Francisco (distance of 170 miles), depending on your route (scenic coastal route along Highway 1 or inland via 101N and 128). This town is also one of the best winter getaways in California if you are looking to venture out of San Francisco during your visit in December or January and makes for a great weekend trip from the Bay Area.
The weather in pet friendly Mendocino county is one deceptive beast, because of beach vs. inland micro-climes. A very hot inland may cause the coast to remain foggy all day (such as what we experienced during our stay several times) or it may clear up and you might experience a very hot and humid day.
It is best to dress up in layers and wear sturdy footwear since you will be doing a lot of outdoor activities, specially with your dog. I highly recommend hiking shoes for exploration and a medium weight jacket for foggy, chilly evenings. The weather is cold, yet pleasant in winter with warm days in cold, windy nights
Dog Friendly hotels and accommodations in Mendocino
As mentioned before, Mendocino county is known for its tall, majestic redwood trees, the breathtaking beautiful California coast and pristine beaches, plus the wineries along the Upper Russian River valley and Anderson Valley. All these places are dog-friendly to different extents, but overall Mendocino is very welcoming to dogs. Although there are plenty of dog friendly hotels in Mendocino, I recommend the following based on my experience from our last few visits.
Stanford Inn by the Sea : This dog friendly hotel is located at the mouth of Comptche-Ukiah road and has been rated the best due to its impeccable hospitality and its world famous dining option Ravens, which has a dining hall that welcomes dogs.
Little River Inn: This hotel, a few miles down the road, is perched close to the ocean with a fantastic view of the coastline, that is simply unmatchable. Little River Inn is a series of Victorian houses overlooking the coast and sprawled over acres of land encompassing a beautiful garden.
Imagine dining in a beautiful room with a vintage piano with your furry friend or sipping a glass of Pinot on your rocking chair on the deck and watching the sunset on the Pacific with the waves crashing on the beach. Now make that vision come true by booking a dog friendly room at Little River Inn!
This inn has an excellent dining room offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with focus on local, sustainable produce and catch, but the best part of this again is the fact that they have a separate dining room for guests with dogs which you have to reserve slightly beforehand if you want to dine with your pooch there.
For these reasons and the warm hospitality that they extend to dogs (welcome treats, food and water bowl, doggie towels in the room), we chose Little River Inn as our pet friendly Mendocino hotel. Pricey, yes you bet, but worth every penny for the view, the food, the hospitality and above all, Pokey’s comfort.
