Best Dog Friendly Vacation Spots In New England – We call this road trip “Lincoln’s list” because this trip is done with our furry friend.
Our dog, Lincoln, has been with us since 2019 and is a big part of why we love road trips. Simply put, jumping in the car is the easiest way for us to travel with him (and we take Lincoln everywhere we go).
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Favorite travel destinations of the past 3 years and what he would choose if he could plan our next road trip.
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(2) woods, hiking, and lots of time outside (and he might tell us places where there are few people, but there are lots of squirrels and skunks),
(3) beaches and lakes with easy access to cool water instead of sand and mud where you can smell, and
So we brainstormed our travel bucket list and put this trip on Lincoln’s wish list. If you’re looking for dog-friendly travel ideas because you have a dog who likes to do everything you do when you travel, this is for you!
Lincoln takes you to New England on this tour, where summer and fall are the best, there are plenty of outdoor activities, and here you’ll find some of the most dog-friendly state parks in the United States. Together.
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This trip is similar to our Good Morning: 10 Day NE Road Trip, but with higher standards and suggestions for bringing your pup!
In the summer you can enjoy longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures than you’ll find in other states this time of year. Or a fall trip to take in the amazing fall foliage in some of the world’s best foliage spots.
We spent 5 months in Ontario and New England on our 2022 tour We spent two weeks in VT in July, a long camp on the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park in early August, three weeks in Lake Placid, NY starting in mid-August. , one month in Campton, NH in September, three weeks in Ellsworth. , ME in early October, and three weeks in Attleboro, MA in late October. (We spent three weeks in Ontario at the beginning of our trip.)
There’s never been a better time to be in New England during these months. Of course, the summer months can get hot at night, but make sure your rental has air conditioning, and you’ll be fine. (To be fair, we’re speaking as people who live in Texas, so we tolerate the heat a lot more than people who live up north year-round. I mean, maybe our patience is low, ha!)
Dog Friendly Hampshire
However, we will say that if you want to plan your road trip to get beautiful fall leaves, try to go during the second week of October. While the most popular leaf spots will be closed (including Kancamagus Highway and Stowe, VT), the views are worth it!
RTL Opinion: Are you looking for more time to walk or be on the water during your road trip? Visit in July or August. Looking for a cool leafy walk with hot apple cider in hand? Visit in October. Are you looking for cheaper temperatures? Visit in September.
There is no doubt that Lincoln is a driver because it is easier to access. If you’re close to somewhere on this road trip to drive, that’s what we recommend. Drive to the nearest stop on this route and make a loop to get home.
If you can’t come by car, and you have a nice dog on the plane, you can fly into Boston airport and pick up a rental car when you arrive. If you’re flying, we suggest changing this trip up a bit and driving from Boston > Lake Placid > Stowe > Lincoln, NH > Acadia National Park > Portland > Boston.
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Note: If you have too far to drive to other parts of this road trip, and there is no way your dog is going to be on the plane (Lincoln isn’t, unless he’s flying in a seat on last of us, ha!), let him then. . Let us know in the comments below where you live and we’ll ask Lincoln to add another listing near your original location.
We recommend treating this trip like a regular road trip, where you stay at a different location for each stop on your journey. You can find campsites nearby or stay in nearby towns.
For Lincoln, NH, consider Pemi River or Lost River Valley Campgrounds or downtown Lincoln. (Can’t find anything in Lincoln? Check out Campton, NH, 20 miles to the south. We had a great stay at one of the Red Sleigh Cabins in Campton.)
For Lake Placid, consider Rollins Pond Campground, Ausable Chasm Campground, or the Village of Lake Placid. (Want a truly spectacular experience? Check out the resort town of Lake Placid
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Lake Mirror. The Mirror Lake Inn has dog-friendly rooms and a restaurant with a dog-friendly patio. Can’t find anything in Lake Placid? Visit nearby Wilmington.)
For Stowe, consider Smugglers’ Notch State Park Campground or downtown Stowe. (You can check it out in about 40 minutes in Burlington. The city of Burlington is dog friendly!)
For Acadia National Park, consider Blackwoods Campground or the town of Bar Harbor. (Can’t find anything there? Try Ellsworth, ME. If you end up in Ellsworth, check out the Blue Hill Mountain Hike at sunset. It’s amazing, dog-friendly, and challenging to experience in Acadia with 1/100 the population!
Lincoln (the city, not to be confused with our dog, of the same name) is smack dab in the middle of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. That makes it a great place to start a dog walking tour.
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You could easily spend a week exploring this area of New Hampshire on your own because there are TONS of dog-friendly tours and things to do nearby! (We’ve been here for a month and haven’t seen everything on our list!)
But since we’re only planning one day to enjoy the White Mountains on this road trip, here are our best suggestions for the best things to do.
This is a bonus because you can drive Kancamagus Road on your way from Portland to Lincoln. (So if you ride this bus on your trip, come back to this section. If you don’t do the loop on this trip, expect to take about two hours to drive there and back to Kancamagus Street while you are in Lincoln.)
If you visit in the fall, Kancamagus Road is one of the best sights of your entire trip. And if you don’t visit in the fall, this will do
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Kancamagus Road is 34 miles between Lincoln, NH and Conway, NH. It is one of the most popular driving spots in New Hampshire and one of the best places in the United States to view fall foliage. Although there are many sights and trails on this beautiful journey that will keep you busy during your trip, we recommend that you only stop at one of the sights and do not climb on this bus. (Better yet to come!) Note: Visiting in the fall? Come ASAP. These buses fill up quickly, so call the night before or give yourself a reservation to avoid long lines and heavy traffic on the way to your next trip. Kancamagus Highway is great, but not just for your work day!
We’ll get you and your baby out of the car and into the woods! Hiking was an activity that kept us busy during our month in New Hampshire. We are out on tour every weekend and most nights of the week. Spending time outdoors on the trail is one of the best things to do in New Hampshire.
You can see our favorite New Hampshire mountains here, but if you want our recommendations, we suggest you head to Welch-Dickey Mountain. This 4.4 mile loop is a great half-day hike with sweeping mountain views. A good dog, exercise and fun as you explore different terrain between exposed rock faces and forest trails.
If you are looking for this hike on All Trails, look for the Welch-Dickey Loop Trail (not “Welch Mountain Rock Ledge” or “Welch and Dickey Mountains”). After the loop trail make sure you see the rock trail
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Welch and Dickey Mountain. We recommend going counterclockwise to climb the hill in the steepest parts. (Especially if it’s wet or you visit leaf fall, this helps.
Is it good for dogs? it’s true. Everything on this road trip is approved by Lincoln (the dog)! Just be aware that the steep parts of this hike are on exposed rock.
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