Dog Friendly Guide to San Diego
With one of the top ten best climates, miles of sandy beaches, and quite possibly the most dog friendly city (besides Carmel, CA), San Diego is an absolute must-visit when exploring the West Coast. With fun activities for all ages and adventure types, here are my top things to do when visiting this dog-friendly haven.
STRETCH YOUR PAWS AT A DOG BEACH
Featuring 70 miles of coastline, San Diego definitely has its fair share of beaches and some of the most beautiful dog-friendly beaches I’ve ever visited. Coronado Beach, Ocean Beach, Del Mar Dog Beach, and Fiesta Island all offer a clean haven for humans and doggos alike to enjoy a day of sunshine, scenery, and salty ocean air. Make sure to add at least one of these to your must-visit list!
VISIT CORONADO ISLAND
Situated just across the bay from downtown San Diego, Coronado is consistently voted the best beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach. (This may help you decide your beach destination above.) With gentle surf, sparkling wide-sand beaches, a charming main street, and great hotels, including the famous Hotel del Coronado, this island paradise is perfect for any kind of getaway.
EXPLORE BALBOA PARK
Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre urban oasis that includes 17 museums, gardens galore, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo (not dog friendly). Nearly double the size of the more famous Central Park, Balboa Park has so much to offer. Walk or rent a Surrey and explore Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden and the neighboring old cactus garden, admire the sound of Spreckels Organ, the largest outdoor pipe organ in the world (free concerts are held every Sunday at 2 p.m.), get up close views of the Museum of Man and California Tower, and enjoy two off-leash areas at Balboa Dr and El Prado on the south side of Cabrillo Bridge and Morley Field located northwest of the tennis courts.
EAT ALL THE FOOD
San Diego has quite the food scene, whether your fav meal is brunch, you’re a vegetarian, enjoy tasty cocktails, or love a good patio, it really has something for everyone. Every time we visit, we always try to explore some new eats but can’t pass up our favorites either. Here are all the places the humans have tried thus far and are certified dog friendly.
Breakfast/Brunch:
Snooze A.M. Eatery
Breakfast Republic
Richard Walker’s Pancake House
Donut Bar (well-behaved dogs allowed inside)
The Patio on Lamont (You’ll find this on a lot of dog lists, but I think the service has actually gotten worse since they closed a lot of their locations.)
Backyard Kitchen and Tap - visiting soon
Communal Coffee (popular spot and limited patio seating)
Lunch/Dinner:
Lucha Libre Taco Shop (small patio or get it to go to experience fries in a burrito)
The Taco Shop (also specialize in the California burrito with fries inside)
The Crack Shack
Hachi Ramen
Fat Sal’s (for Entourage fans)
Lou & Mickey Steakhouse (upscale dinner)
HUNT FOR WALL ART
A great way to explore San Diego’s diverse neighborhoods is to follow a trail of colorful street art. Here’s a list of some of the most instagram-worthy murals we’ve found in Hillcrest, North Park, downtown and beyond. There’s always new art popping up, so make sure you do a little research to find the walls that suit your style.
TAKE IN A SUNSET AT SUNSET CLIFFS
Sunset Cliffs is a neighborhood in the Point Loma area bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its name comes from the dramatic cliffs that border the neighborhood along the ocean. Locals and visitors flock here for sunset picnics and amazing views a the sun goes down. Even if it happens to be overcast, the coastal views alone are worth a visit. Make sure you leave some time to drive through the neighborhood while it’s still light out to admire the beautiful homes.
visit cabrillo national monument
Cabrillo National Monument is at the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula and classified as a national park. (Bonus! You can use your parks pass to enter.) Dogs are allowed on the western side of the peninsula for the Point Loma Tidepools and Coastal Trail. This trail stretches for one mile roundtrip right along the Pacific. It can be pretty busy, but is good for all skill levels. There’s parking at each end of the trail and only the start of this trail is wheelchair accessible. The majority of this trail is dirt, rock and steps.
GO SHOPPING
If you’re in need of some retail therapy, La Jolla is the place to go. Voted one of the top places to shop in San Diego, its downtown area features a number of boutiques, and just outside downtown is an extensive outdoor mall.
In downtown La Jolla, you can’t miss Muttropolis. This pet boutique carries design-driven, functional products from all your favorite brands. Just 10 minutes outside downtown La Jolla is University Towne Center, an outdoor mall that offers a mix of high-end shops, top-tier restaurants, and brick-and-mortar stores of internet-based retailers. The mall is dog friendly and even has a dog park!
If you want to stick to downtown San Diego for shopping, we’d recommend North Park for some cute boutiques. Our absolute fav is Pigment and just down the street is a cute dog shop Dexter’s Deli.
Bike the Silver STrand bikeway
Being outside should be your #1 goal when visiting San Diego. No matter where you’re from, the weather here is sure to beat it. If the beach isn’t your thing, there are plenty of hiking trails and bike paths around the city. We opted for a bike ride on the Silver Strand Bikeway when we found out Torrey Pines trail wasn’t dog friendly. (If you want to hike, check All Trails for dog friendly trail options. This is always our go-to!)
The Silver Strand Bikeway is a 18.7 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Coronado, California that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. You can pick the bikeway up at several locations and bike as far as you’d like to and turn around when you’re done. We biked the southern part near Chula Vista because it was close to where we were staying.
If you want to bike with your pup, I suggest a bag of some kind that your dog is used to and that’s easy to travel with. One trip we used my K9 Sportsack and another we used a bike carrier (did you see the bike carrier saga on Instagram?).
Note: We did not travel with the bike carrier. My grandpawrents took it down with them when they moved to San Diego for the winter and had it ready for us.
HIT THE WATER WITH ECO BOAT RENTALS
There’s water as far as the eye can see in San Diego and it’s not a visit without exploring the harbors. Eco Boat Rentals has every type of boat rental possible from sailing to kayaking and paddle boating, and they allow your furry friend to come along. We enjoyed sunset sailing and a 2-hour paddleboat ride. Paddleboats are available for hourly rentals, but to really take in the sights we recommend opting for 2+ hours if you want to be able to paddle a marina over for downtown views and at a relaxed pace. Your furry friend must wear a life jacket, but if you don’t have one they do have some available. When booking, use code HELLORUBY for 10% off your reservation.
TASTE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE CRAFT BEER SCENE
San Diego has been coined the craft beer capital with more than 150 breweries to explore. Breweries, brew pups, and tasting rooms are scattered across the city, with heavy hitters like Stone Brewing and Ballast Point and micros like Pariah Brewing Co. and Mission Brewery on the list. Planning a beer tasting trail is a great way to explore the diverse neighborhoods throughout San Diego and San Diego Tourism has the perfect brewery guide to get you started.
TAKE A DAY TRIP
There’s a lot to do in and around San Diego, but if you happen to have extra time during your visit there are some great destinations within a few hours of downtown. Head up the coast to check out more coastal towns like Encinitas and Laguna Beach, make your way to the desert and be one with nature at Joshua Tree, or explore unique art at Slab City (home to East Jesus and Salvation Mountain).
