Summer lasts just 92 days, so it’s wise to make the most of it. An absolutely splendid idea is spending some of these precious days in Yosemite. This beautiful region is home to a DogTrekker favorite,
Tenaya Lodge. Located just two miles from Yosemite National Park, Tenaya Lodge specializes in memorable summer moments for the entire family—including your four-legged friend.
Here’s how to enjoy a wonderful summer escape packed with family-friendly fun.
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After spending a long day exploring the awe-inspiring Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, you’ll be ready to relax at the
Ascent Spa at
Tenaya Lodge. From soothing facial and body therapies to deep-tissue massage and relaxation time in the sauna, Ascent Spa has a full menu of calming services. Ready for dinner?
Jackalope’s Bar and Grill features made-to-order burgers, sandwiches, gluten-free dishes and vegan bites, plus local wines and beers.
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Not surprisingly, a place as big as Yosemite is home to plenty of outdoor and indoor activities for children of all ages. Of course, there’s the seemingly-endless natural beauty waiting in Yosemite Valley. As just one example, Glacier Point offers outstanding stargazing.
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You’ll fetch a trip you’ll both enjoy at
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. If you're planning to visit Yosemite National Park, including Badger Pass and other areas in the park that have restrictions on dogs, you have the option of reserving a limited spot at Tenaya Lodge’s
indoor dog kennel.
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Dog-friendly cabins dot the California landscape, connecting four-legged family members with best-in-show adventures. Whether you prefer a
farm stay in Gold Country, a trek along
Yosemite trails, or a Marin County
coastal stroll, you’ll always find great options. Because DogTrekker.com readers tell us that cabins and cottages are their top lodging preference, we asked Maya, DogTrekker’s Director of Barketing, to do some digging. She’s traveled California in search of dog-friendly cabins and cottages, and here are three of her favorites.
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We all love exciting, dog-friendly lodging and family experiences, and the
farm stay adventure at
Dog & Pony Ranch in Amador County stands out on that list.
DogTrekker Barketing Director Maya spends her days hiking off-leash and running around this scenic, 60-acre ranch in the Sierra foothills. She splashes and swims in the dog-friendly pond. She gets nose-to-nose with horses, llamas, mini-donkeys and chickens (with extensive fencing to keep dogs safely separated, of course). She also loves evening downtime with her parents in the
luxury lodge-style home.
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Feeling a little spring fever? Now is the perfect time to plan a getaway with your furry friend. The
Explorer Cabins at
Tenaya Lodge are designed for pet-lovers, making dog travel a breeze. These modern, two-bedroom cabins are tucked on 27 wooded acres—perfect for adventuring with two- and four-legged family members—and they’re just minutes from the main lodge and more resort amenities.
To fetch the best deals on dog-friendly travel, book the
Fido-Friendly Pet Package at Tenaya Lodge.
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Sacramento has a couple of nicknames. For the last decade or so, it’s prided itself as “
America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital” due to its location in the agriculture-rich Central Valley. But it’s been known since the mid-1800s as the “
City of Trees” for the robust canopies that shelter its many parks and older residential neighborhoods. The tree-planting binge started by early residents never stopped, and today, Sacramento’s parks provide shady refuge for DogTrekkers, even on the hottest summer days.
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Winter officially begins on December 21, but you wouldn’t know it by the snowflakes piling up throughout the Yosemite region. This beautiful region is home to a DogTrekker favorite, Tenaya Lodge.
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After spending an active day skiing, snowboarding, exploring
Badger Pass on a guided cross-country tour, or snowshoeing near Tenaya Lodge, you’ll be ready to relax at the
Ascent Spa at Tenaya Lodge.
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If you're planning to visit Yosemite Park, including Badger Pass and other areas in the park that have restrictions on dogs, you have the option of reserving a limited spot at Tenaya Lodge’s
indoor dog kennel.
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Yosemite’s
Badger Pass Ski Area is set to open this weekend, and you’ll find plenty of outdoor and indoor activities for children of all ages. Embark on downhill skiing and snowboarding adventures (or set beginners up with some lessons!), slide down the rugged hills by
snow tube, or explore the scenery on snowshoes.
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As of Friday, October 1, guests will no longer need advance reservations to enter Yosemite! And remember, you never need reservations to visit Yosemite’s Highway 140 gateway, magnificent Mariposa County.
In celebration of fall, our friends at
Visit Yosemite Mariposa County have outlined a wonderful dog lover’s itinerary that helps you enjoy the best dog-friendly fun this region has to offer. You’ll find sunny days, cool nights, fewer crowds, and lots of tail-waggin' things to do. Now is the time to visit, you lucky dog!
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Just up Highway 50 from
Sacramento, the city of
Folsom is a superb dog-friendly destination with a handsomely renovated Old Town just a block or two from the Sacramento River. Cuddle up in
dog-friendly lodging and spend a weekend exploring with your four-legged friend. Get your bearings on Sutter Street (the main drag), where you can soak up some local motion at a dog-friendly
taproom or
restaurant.
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Just 15 miles south of downtown
Sacramento, the
scenic Sacramento River Delta opens up, city life slows to a crawl and the Clarksburg American Viticultural Area offers all kind of dog-friendly, small-batch wine-tasting experiences, along with a few good places to eat. If you’re not from Sacramento, it’s probably all new to you, so take a leisurely drive of discovery and find out more.
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As the seasons change and the smoke from Northern California wildfires gives way to crystal-blue skies, opportunities for exploring Sacramento and the destinations in its “big back yard” expand. Make the state capital your home base and take off from there. Here is the best of dog-friendly Sacramento and neighboring communities:
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Anybody who has ever traveled with their canine companion knows that some accommodations are more dog-friendly than others. At
Tenaya Lodge, you can fetch a trip you’ll both enjoy.
If you like adventuring with your dog and have always wanted to experience Yosemite National Park, then Tenaya Lodge is perfect.
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Yosemite is now open, as are the 50 new two-bedroom
Tenaya Lodge Explorer Cabins that opened in 2019. Tenaya Lodge, a luxury establishment in Fish Camp, just two miles outside the park’s southern (Wawona, Highway 41) entrance, has long been a DogTrekker favorite. The dog-friendly
Explorer Cabins are scattered over 27 forested acres walking distance from Tenaya Lodge,
Jackalopes Bar & Grill and activities, including hiking.
Book direct and save.
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Heads up: you will once again need reservations to visit Yosemite National Park this summer, whether its for day-tripping, camping or lodging. But no big deal, just keep
checking on protocols and procedures so you don’t travel all that way just to be locked out.
At any rate, you don’t even need to enter the park to get an eyeful of scenery in Mariposa County, which is bisected by Highway 140 leading to the park’s El Portal entrance on the west and Highway 41 on the south.
Spring is the perfect time to visit with your pup, as temperatures are on the rise, waterfalls are gushing and wildflowers are starting to bloom. You’ll find dog-friendly lodging, dining, hikes and historic sites in small towns including
Mariposa,
Coulterville,
Fish Camp,
Midpines/El Portal and
Catheys Valley.
You’ll find fun places to stay with your pup, too.
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite in Fish Camp, just two miles from the park's southern entrance, is a luxury resort with a lodge, cottages and 50 dog-friendly cabins. Go online to check out the property’s
Fido Friendly Package.
Images provided courtesy of Tenaya Lodge.
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Heads up: you will once again need reservations to visit
Yosemite National Park this summer, whether its for day-tripping, camping or lodging. But no big deal, just keep
checking on protocols and procedures so you don’t travel all that way just to be locked out.
At any rate, you don’t even need to enter the park to get a eyeful of scenery in
Mariposa County, which is bisected by highway 140 leading to the park’s El Portal entrance.
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The English proverb ‘let sleeping dogs lie” might have been the right advice back in the 13th century, but certainly doesn’t apply when your pup wakes up in a beautifully appointed room at Yosemite’s
Tenaya Lodge or in the privacy of one of 50 two-bedroom dog-friendly
Explorer Cabins, surrounded by wide open spaces.
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Yosemite National Park is a small (but mighty) part of Mariposa County. The rest of the
Yosemite Mariposa realm is all-in with doggo-loving culture. From historic Gold Country towns to the surrounding national forest lands, furry comrades are abundantly welcomed. Dog-friendly lodging, hikes, water activities and more will fill your days with vacation rewards.
Revved-up dogs can go APD (all-paw-drive) in the
Sierra National Forest, featuring five designated wilderness areas within its expansive boundary.
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You’ll find dog-lovers and dog-friendly Yosemite lodging options throughout the region. To review them all, visit the lodging page on Yosemite.com, choose the general type of accommodation you prefer –
hotels and motels,
bed and breakfasts,
cabin rentals or
camping. Then use the Advanced Filter to show pet-friendly options inside and outside of the park. You can also use the feature to choose what area you would like to stay, from Yosemite Valley to Wawona and Fish Camp to Mariposa.
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“Is Yosemite dog-friendly?” That’s one of the questions most asked by DogTrekker readers. The answer depends on how “Yosemite” is defined. We at DogTrekker define it not only as inside the park, but dog-passionate
Mariposa County, affectionately known as the "Mother of Counties" because it initially encompassed one-fifth of the state of California, Including Yosemite National Park.
Inside the park, leashed dogs are allowed on most fully paved roads, sidewalks and bicycle paths, unless there is a sign that specifically forbids them.
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Sacramento’s restaurant scene, if not in full bloom, is at least budding again. No, you can’t yet eat indoors, but heated dining tents and patios have sprung up all over town, and with stay-at-home orders lifted and the weather generally mild, people (some accompanied by their dogs) are eating out again—socially distanced, of course. Here’s a sampling of some of our favorites. Pay them a visit with your pup and help
save SAC restaurants!
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You love your dog. That’s a sure thing. But anyone who has traveled with their canine companion knows that some accommodations are more dog-friendly than others.
If you enjoy adventuring with your dog and have always wanted to experience Yosemite National Park, then
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is for you.
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Winner of the 2015 Sunset Travel Awards for Best Resort for Pets,
Tenaya Lodge knows how to take care of your dog! Their Fido Friendly Pet Package includes lodging and the one-time $100 pet fee for up to two dogs.
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Mariposa County's towns all make great walks for you and Fido. In
Mariposa, the shop-lined streets, Art Park and Mariposa Creek Walk make for a nice way to explore the quaint mountain community and several restaurants boast outdoor seating areas that are pet-friendly. In the historic town of
Coulterville, take your pup on a walk through time in a place that just might fool you into thinking it's a western film set. Check out other Mariposa County towns.
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The San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta is a boater’s paradise that in places feels like anther world. But you don’t need a boat to explore this rich agricultural region marked with old-time lift bridges, small towns and miles of levees that in the id-1800s transformed a once trackless wetland into 55 agricultural islands that still produce food for Northern California (pears and wine grapes are the main crops). Numerous winery tasting rooms have cropped up over the past decade on both sides of the river, all of them dog-friendly.
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Mark your holiday calendar because Santa and his water sleigh are making their way to Tomales Bay! Jolly Old Saint Nick is making his 9th annual visit to
Nick's Cove on Sunday, December 8, from 3-5PM.
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In the last few weeks, as fires have raged across California, and all too many of us have had to leave our homes on short notice -- or been unable to get home following an evacuation order that left our critters stranded and in harm's way -- we're very grateful to all the first responders and the many volunteers who went to heroic lengths to keep everyone safe. In particular, we appreciate the hard work, dedication, and planning in anticipation of the next disaster, as lessons of the past came into play.
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This beautiful, rolling county southeast of Sacramento is highly regarded both for its wines and historic towns like Sutter Creek and Plymouth that beg lingering. Six dog-friendly wineries on the
Amador County Wine Trail are situated in or near Plymouth, in the heart of the
Shenandoah Valley wine region.
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DogTrekker’s
Calaveras County Wine Trail sports 24 listings and growing, with many wineries and tasting rooms situated in or near the hip and happening town of Murphys on Highway 4. Stroll down Main Street, and you’ll be amazed to find more than 20 opportunities to wine-taste with your pup by your side!
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We can’t begin to count the ways you and your pup will be enchanted and entertained in the heart of Gold Country, but we can start you off on the
Tuolumne County Wine and Craft Beer Trail, where we highlight five dog-friendly establishments, one of which is actually a lush, 160-acre preserve producing hard- and spirits.
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Stretching from Roseville to Lake Tahoe,
Placer County is an up and coming wine region as well as a recreation magnet. Most of the 20 dog-friendly wineries and tasting rooms on the
Placer County Wine Trail are north of Interstate 80 around Lincoln, Loomis and Auburn.
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Are you one of those folks who enjoys taking selfies with your dog wherever you roam? Add some fun to your quest by participating in the
Placer Wine Trail Photo Hunt, a contest taking place through December. The deal: Visit a member winery, find the “treasure” (it might be an artwork, an artifact or a physical feature of the property), take a selfie, post it on
Instagram and be entered to win a $100 gift card.
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Yosemite National Park is open, including the valley, Highway 41 through Madera County, Fish Camp, Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point. The weather is cooling off for crisp fall evenings, and
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, just minutes from the newly re-opened Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, has tons of great fall activities to get you and your favorite four-legged friend outside.
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Fall is a great time for a scenic drive, and California’s
National Scenic Byways and
Scenic Highways provide guaranteed enjoyment for the eyes plus limitless opportunities for hiking with your dog in gorgeous country. Study maps and
guides before you go—and, as wildfire season continues, be sure to check out air quality predictions, as well. Here are three scenic routes that are sure to rearrange your senses and set tails a-waggin'.
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Cabin resorts—some rustic, some luxurious—have been hosting
High Sierra vacationers for a century, and many are so popular in summer they can only be booked in blocks of a week or more. Come September, however, reservations open up, minimum-stay requirements are reduced and opportunity beckons. We’re partial to those in the uncrowded
Lakes Basin Recreation Area straddling
Sierra and
Plumas counties about 50 miles northwest of Truckee.
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The Ferguson fire in
Yosemite National Park that shut off the scenic Yosemite Valley for three weeks was fully contained on Aug. 19, and all entry roads through
Tuolumne County (Highway 120),
Mariposa County (Highway 140) and
Madera County (Highway 41) are now open. Early fall is a great time to visit this iconic California attraction—and yes, there’s plenty for you and your dog to do together. #yosemitenow
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Calaveras County became known in 1800s for its rich gold deposits—and for a certain jumping frog memorialized in a short story by Mark Twain. Today, it’s a destination for Gold Rush tourists, campers, skiers, hikers and adventure seekers, many of whom wouldn’t think of heading into “them ‘thar hills” without their dogs. Angel’s Camp on Highway 49 and Murphys ?on nearby Highway 4 are the principal destinations in these parts.
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Follow Highway 49 south through
Amador County for yet another take on Gold Country. You’ll find lodging at historic, dog-friendly establishments like
Hanford House in Sutter Creek, the
Imperial Hotel in Amador City and the
St. George Hotel in the historic hamlet of Volcano, as well as contemporary
Days Inn and
Best Western properties. You’ll want to make a weekend of it, as the No. 1 attractions, wine and food, demand lingering.
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Named for the mythical city of gold,
El Dorado County epitomizes California Gold Country. Its county seat,
Placerville, is named for the alluvial deposits in the American River where many a miner struck it rich. The town of Placerville also makes for an interesting visit with its dog-welcoming restaurants, shops and a historic and dog-friendly hotel,
Cary House, right in the middle of the action. Read more about El Dorado County in last week’s
Highway 50 Gold Country issue.
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Historic Highway 49 in the north starts in the
Sierra County town of Vinton and winds south through a mountainous region where the rivers still run free. Even during the summer high season, this county of fewer than 4,000 souls is off the beaten track for most visitors. In fall, it can feel like your own private realm. Set up basecamp in
Downieville, a Gold-Rush town on the Yuba River, and prepare to be charmed.
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Once you reach Pollock Pines on Highway 50, you’re deep into
Gold Country. And on a hot summer day, nothing could be more appealing than a dip in a turquoise-blue lake and a hike around it with your four-legged friend.
Jenkinson Lake is the centerpiece of 650-acre
Sly Park Recreation Area, and it’s gorgeous.
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September and October in
El Dorado County means apples—lots and lots of apples and all the good things, from cider to pie, that go with them. But any time is a good time to visit some of the 50-plus family-owned farms, ranches and wineries operated by
Apple Hill Growers.
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The
El Dorado County seat was named for the alluvial deposits that drew prospectors here during the Gold Rush. It’s nickname, “Hangtown,” relates to the lawlessness of the times. Today, however, it’s one of the most picturesque, bustling and dog-friendly of
Gold Country towns.
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History, a vibrant dining scene and outdoor recreation options galore beckon in this gateway to California
Gold Country.
Folsom’s nucleus is its handsomely revitalized
Old Town district, centered on Sutter Street and great for an anytime stroll or sit-down with your four-legged friend.
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Highway 50 buzzes right through
Rancho Cordova between Sacramento and Folsom, so unless you pull off to explore, you won’t know what you’re missing. Start, perhaps with an overnight stay at a dog-friendly hotel and get a complimentary
Sierra Foothills Wine Tasting Passport good for two people at eight regional wineries that welcome dogs.
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Sacramento is hot, hot, hot—and we’re not talking summer weather. The restaurant and craft brewery scene here has exploded of late, and thanks to a (usually) mild climate, outdoor dining is ubiquitous, and almost every restaurant and brewery patio in town is dog-friendly.
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If you’re coming from Southern California, the Highway 41 corridor from Fresno up to Yosemite’s (South) Entrance, past
Fish Camp, is probably the way you’ll go. The road begins its serious climb in
Oakhurst, where
Queen’s Inn by the River boasts an adjacent winery and beer garden serving up almost 100 wines and craft beers on Wednesday through Sunday afternoons. Also in Oakhurst are
Vulture’s View Inn, a B&B popular with DogTrekkers, and the dreamy (and dog-friendly)
Chateau Du Sureau, a five-star, castle-like estate hotel.
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Like other parts of
Gold Country,
Tuolumne County is rich in history, rugged scenery and recreational opportunities. You can get some of both and soak up some local color too at First Friday Jamestown Art Walk-Wine-Dine & Music events, continuing through October, or
2nd Saturday Art Nights held year-round in historic downtown Sonora. Either town makes a great base for jumping off into a weekend of hiking, history and off-the-beaten path exploring.
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