Now you know that there are so many benefits to booking your next dog-friendly break in advance, let’s help you plan a trip that answers your holiday dreams. Depending on who you’re going with, the sort of activities you want to do with your dog, and how far you want to travel, the UK offers a diverse array of destinations for pet-friendly staycations. Check out our suggestions for all types of dog owners, and get your dog-friendly holiday in the calendar for 2024.
Sustainable Holidays with Your Dog
With climate change and sustainability topping our social and political agendas, it’s never been more important to find more eco-friendly ways to holiday. One simple step towards this is to pick a dog-friendly destination closer to home, using our ‘Max Driving Time’ tool.
Or, go one step further and find greener ways to get to where you want to go with your dog. Did you know that dogs go free on the train? So you could hop aboard the direct rail link between London and Newquay, which would make a trip to this paw-friendly surfing mecca a much more sustainable option than travelling by car. With so many dog-friendly beaches, eateries and attractions all within walking distance of plenty of our Dog Friendly Retreats, it’s a breeze to holiday by the sea here with your dog.
If you’re looking for more of a city-on-sea experience with your canine companion, why not take the train to Edinburgh? It was recently voted the most dog-friendly destination by tails.com, for its concentration of green spaces, accommodation, pet-friendly attractions and restaurants. Or, for a shorter journey, it’s only just over an hour from the UK capital to Brighton by rail, making it easy to zip down to this trendy seaside town that’s renowned for wonderful walkies and dog-friendly attractions.
Beach Holidays with Your Dog
Year after year Cornwall comes up trumps for beach holidays with your hound. After all, it’s got all the credentials of dreamy dog-friendly beaches, hundreds of miles of coast path for waggy-tailed walks, plenty of paw-friendly places to eat and drink, and family attractions that welcome Fido and friends. North Cornwall boasts the highest concentration of beaches that welcome sandy paws year-round, and if you base yourself in and around Padstow, the coastal and countryside trails are complemented by award-winning restaurants where you can dine with your dog at your side.
However, it’s not just Cornwall that flaunts the perfect combo of golden sands, wild walks and pooch-friendly places to eat. How about Wales for its wonderful walkies, stunning seascapes and vibrant beach towns? Make a beeline for a coastal holiday in Pembrokeshire and you can scamper on the shoreline of picture-postcard bays, bound along 186 miles of breathtaking coast path, and paws in beachfront pubs such as Newgale’s Duke of Edinburgh.
With over 10,000 miles of coastline, there are plenty of places where you can hit the beach and the trails with your walking buddy. Opt for a dog-friendly holiday in Dorset and you can scale the highest cliffs on the south coast at Golden Cap (see the best dog walks in Dorset), or book a break in Kent and get a gull’s eye view of the English Channel from the White Cliffs of Dover (one of the UK’s top dog-friendly attractions).
Walking Holidays with Your Dog
If you’re serious about lacing up your hiking boots and hitting the trails with your pooch, some places in the UK should be on your bucket list. Often overlooked in favour of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, the Peak District is a world-class destination for a walking holiday with your dog. Here you can explore a magical mix of woodland, valleys, peaks and wide-open countryside, and follow terrific routes including The Monsal Trail, The Limestone Way and The Chatsworth Route.
In North East England, Northumberland lures dog lovers with its countryside studded with historical sites, such as Hadrian’s Wall, which wends its way across the heart of the UK. Further south, dog walkers can strike gold throughout the Gloucestershire area, with the contrast of meadows and stone villages in the Cotswolds, the timeless, ancient landscapes of the Forest of Dean, and the dramatic peaks and rich cultural heritage of the Malvern Hills.
If you’re keen to combine the mountains with a coastal yomp, head for the Snowdonia National Park, where you can bag Wales’ highest mountain, stroll through forests to find waterfalls, or trek along the coastline with your canine companion.
Watersports Holidays with Your Dog
If you’re looking to stay cool on a summer holiday with your dog, what better location than one where you and your furry friend can hop aboard boat trips, splash around in the river or sea, and join you on pooch-friendly paddleboarding adventures?
Our number one destination for watersports with your dog is the Lake District, where dogs are welcome on boats and boards, and love to leap into lakes to cool down after a hike in the hills. Slip into the bracing water from the shelving sands of Easedale Tarn, take a dog-friendly cruise on Lake Windermere, or find a paddleboard outfit that allows Fido afloat with you, too.
Paddleboarding has mushroomed nationwide and become quite a popular sport to try with your dog; but even more sturdy (and less likely to puncture under paws) is a traditional canoe trip with your dog. Dividing Cornwall and Devon, the River Tamar is the perfect place to glide through Southeast Cornwall from Cotehele Quay, or – also in Cornwall – you can take a gentle rowing boat trip along Bude Canal with your four-legged friend.
History and Culture with Your Dog
Going on holiday with your hound doesn’t mean you need to scrimp on cultural excursions, as lots of the UK’s heritage landmarks welcome well-behaved furry companions. One of our favourite spots for art lovers is the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, where you can weave through the trees and seek out mesmerising art installations along the Sculpture Trail. We also love Whitby, one of the UK’s most Instagrammed dog-friendly destinations, where you can climb the steps to the gothic abbey perched above the beach and frolic on hundreds of miles of paw-friendly paths along the coast and the North Yorks National Park.
Want to step back in time and discover the stories embedded in the walls of some of the UK’s castles with your canine companion? Book a dog-friendly break to Dorset, where the thousand-year-old Corfe Castle allows hounds to rummage around the ruins and join you in the tearoom for refreshments. Or in Northumberland, dig into over 3,000 years of history at the iconic Bamburgh Castle, from where you can scamper through the dunes to one of the UK’s most dog-friendly beaches.
Forest Holidays with Your Dog
Criss-crossed by over 140 miles of paw-friendly, off-road paths, and nudging 40 miles of coastline, the New Forest bags a well-earned spot in our top destinations for a dog walking holiday. What’s more, it’s less than three hour’s drive from the Capital, making it a convenient location if you live in London and don’t want to drive too far with your dog.
Lesser-known, and less crowded for it, is Cheshire’s Delamere Forest, where you and your dog can roam leafy pathways through shady glens to glorious viewpoints where you can see all the way to Liverpool on a clear day.
If you’re looking to get away from it all on a woodland walking holiday with your dog, why not head to Scotland’s wilderness? Galloway Park in Dumfries and Galloway is home to an overwhelming 300 square miles of mountains, lochs and glens, where you can follow a web of waymarked routes to match your – and your pups – energy levels.
Large Group Family Holidays with Your Dog
Christmas and large group holidays need plenty of pre-planning – especially if there are dogs to cater for, too. You not only need a property where everyone can relax and be entertained (dogs and humans, that is) but also a location where there’s plenty to do for both two-legged and four-legged companions.
If you’re all keen walkers, head to the Scottish Highlands where you can score a spectacular abode with a huge garden and cosy log fire, within easy reach of the Isle of Skye’s magical attractions including distilleries, beaches and golf courses. For bucolic countryside life with your family and friends, why not stay closer to home in Hampshire, where up to four furry friends can join you in a palatial pad nestled within the South Downs?
If you really want all the bells and whistles for all ages on the doorstep, don’t overlook kiss-me-quick Brighton, where you can all lap up quintessential British seaside vibes and enjoy plenty of dog-friendly, family attractions, from the beach and amusement arcades to Boho boutiques and bars.
Couples Holidays with Your Dog
As far as romantic destinations go, the West Country has our heart for its wild coastal walks and picturesque villages where you can hide away in boutique boltholes with your dog. In Cornwall, Padstow and Port Isaac boast dramatic coastal scenery and award-winning eateries, while on the south coast the softer St Mawes and Fowey are home to cosy waterside homes and dog-friendly inns where sailing boats bob by. In Devon, Ilfracombe wraps art, culture and coastal scenery into its idyllic parcel on the edge of Exmoor, and Salcombe seduces dog owners with its serene landscapes nudging a breathtaking coastline.
If you prefer somewhere a little more remote for your holiday for two and a dog, the Western Isles of Scotland are an idyllic destination for romantic getaways – think cosy cottages nudging white-sand bays, hand-in-hand walks along rugged shores and coming home to cuddle up beside a roaring log fire.
Digital Detox with Your Dog
It’s never been more important to disconnect from the demands of our digital world on holiday, and spending time outdoors with your dog can really help you reconnect with yourself and the natural environment. If you’re keen to drop out of WiFi signal, Scotland’s rugged northeast coast offers guaranteed peace and quiet along its miles of lonely beaches around the pretty little fishing village of Gardenstown. You can also find solitude on the edge of Europe in Ireland’s County Kerry, and bag a remote property where the Atlantic fills your view and the salty air fills your lungs. Or, not so far from home, switch off in a Shepherd’s Hut on a smallholding in Kent, where you can stare up to the starry night sky and toast your toes around the log burner.
Plan The Perfect Dog Friendly Staycation In 2024
Whether you prefer a seaside city packed with dog-friendly attractions or wild walkies in a remote destination where wildlife reigns, Dog Friendly Retreats offers a huge range of paw-fect holiday cottages throughout the UK for your 2024 staycation. Decide what type of holiday you want to go on with your dog, then search your site for beautiful holiday homes in idyllic locations.
