Dog-Friendly Activities in Monterey, CA

Share a one-of-a-kind whale watching experience with your canine companion aboard one of the dog-friendly Monterey Bay Whale Watch boats in Monterey, CA. Open year-round, this tour company has the area's highest success rate for whale and dolphin sightings. Piloted by captains with over 20 years of experience, each boat trip is led by knowledgeable and experienced marine biologists. Sightings are dependent on the season but include Gray, Humpback, Killer and Blue Whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, seals, and sea lions.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen is a unique bike shop located in Monterey, CA. They specialize in high-end bicycles and dog accessories "for biking with your best friend." Electric bikes can be rented for the day that include dog-friendly sidecars and trailers.

Fisherman's Wharf is a pet-friendly attraction in Monterey, CA. Two- and four-legged friends can enjoy a range of activities together, including fishing, whale watching, dining, shopping and more. While the harbor is pet friendly, owners must confirm business pet policies before entering.

The section of Monterey State Beach which lies south of the Monterey Tides Hotel is dog friendly. Fido must be leashed while you explore this beautiful stretch of coastline in Monterey, CA. When enjoying a casual stroll along the sand or in the surf, please be mindful of other beachgoers with dogs, and families with small children. Dogs are not permitted on the beach extending north of the Monterey Beach Hotel resort.

With its picturesque charm and colorful history, dog-friendly Cannery Row in Monterey, CA, captivates visitors from all over the world. The unique appeal of this fabled street is what makes Cannery Row the most popular vacation destination on California’s Central Coast. With luxurious waterfront hotels, enticing restaurants and captivating boutiques, Cannery Row is the ideal place to soak up the culture and beauty of Monterey Bay. Leashed dogs are welcome to walk this famous street.

Jacks Peak Park is a dog-friendly woodland park near Monterey, CA, which welcomes leashed pets. Bring Fido and explore hiking trails extending over 8 miles through cathedral-like forests. Traverse the Skyline Self-Guided Nature Trail to the summit of Jacks Peak and admire breathtaking ridge top vistas. The park is a popular destination for hiking, horseback riding, photography, nature viewing and picnicking.

Leashed dogs are welcome to join you at the laid back, family- and dog-friendly Del Monte Beach in Monterey, CA. The beach is an extension of Monterey State Beach. Sometimes waves can be dangerous, so be careful if you decide to enjoy the surf. No lifeguards are on duty.

The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail is one of 1600 rail-trails supported by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that is working to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors. Previously an unused railroad corridor, this "rail-trail" is now a great place to walk Fido in Monterey! The map below shows a parking area with convenient access to the trail. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has generously provided map data for this trail to Bring Fido for informational purposes only. For more detailed trail information, please visit TrailLink.com.

Escape Room 831, located in Monterey, CA, is a "sixty-minute, adrenaline-fueled adventure" that tests your ability to team up and work together to solve problems. Fido is welcome to join you at this pet-friendly establishment while you work to solve clues in order to escape!

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Tap Depot is pet-friendly. This Monterey brewery and taproom offers visitors the chance to fill up their growlers in a former train depot. Dogs are welcome on the outdoor patio, where you can grab a bite to eat from one of the rotating food trucks. They are open every day of the week from 11am to 10pm.

Bixby Bridge, also known as Bixby Creek Bridge, on the Big Sur coast in Monterey, CA, is one of the most photographed bridges in the state. This pet-friendly attraction, built in 1932, features a viewpoint where tourists can snap a photo of the beautiful bridge standing 260 feet above a steep canyon and enjoy the breathtaking ocean views.

You and Fido are invited to embark on an unforgettable nightly ghost tour with dog-friendly US Ghost Adventures, available year-round in Monterey, CA. Dive deep into the eerie history of the area with expert local guides on a 1-mile route leading you through the city’s most haunted and historic spots with your leashed pup, including the Larkin House, General Sherman Quarters, and the Colton Hall Museum & Jail.

Dogs under 40 lbs are welcome aboard the Ghost Trolley for the Ghost Tour of Old Monterey! Visit the oldest church in California, Monterey's historic cemetery, and historic and recent sighting locations on this guided tour. Well-behaved, leashed pets under the weight limit are welcome on the tour as long as other tour-goers are not afraid of dogs and the dog is not disruptive.

Think you’ve been there and done that in Monterey? Why not get away from the crowds and enjoy Monterey up close and on foot, with the Original Monterey Walking Tours?

These guided tours of Monterey are entertaining, highly rated, fun for all ages and have earned us the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence five years in a row!

Our Historic Monterey walking tours take you on your personal Path of History as we explore the Cradle of California – from the Spanish explorers to California statehood to the 21st century. Hear the stories of the old adobes, the buildings of Monterey State Historic Park, and the lives of the early residents. The Original Monterey Walking Tours will send you home with a new appreciation of life in old California.

Cannery Row walking tours will return us to the days along the Monterey waterfront and Cannery Row when we were “the Sardine Capital of the World”. See Ocean View Boulevard in the heyday of the 1930’s, watch the sea otters and visit the places and meet the people made famous by John Steinbeck.

Cooper-Molera Adobe in Monterey, CA, is a dog-friendly historic site with gardens open to leashed pets year-round. Outdoor patio seating is available at the popular Alta bakery, which often has long lines, so one guest may need to wait in line while another stays with the dog. Visitors can take turns exploring the museum exhibits.

This off-leash Monterey dog park has all the trimmings -- shade, benches, mulched ground, separate small dog area, and even a fire hydrant.

Carmel Beach in California is a beautiful beach with the happiest dogs on the planet! You'll see every shape, size, and age, running in the dog-friendly sugar sand and splashing in the aquamarine surf. Public restrooms and a public telephone are available at the Ocean Avenue end of Carmel Beach.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen is a unique, dog-friendly bike shop located in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It specializes in high end bicycles and dog accessories "for biking with your best friend." Electric bikes can be rented for the day that include pup-friendly sidecars and trailers.

The dog-friendly Garland Ranch Regional Park is a gorgeous park in Carmel, CA, with the Carmel River running through it. Dogs are allowed off-leash in certain areas, including in the river and on selected trails (not the horse trails). Atop the northern crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the trails encounter open oak savannas and spectacular vistas. Along the way, you'll travel through maple-filled canyons, dense oak woodlands, and thick stands of chaparral. There are trails for nearly all abilities, from beginner to advanced hiker. Trail maps can be found at the park's visitor center. The park is open dawn until dusk.

Bring Fido, on a leash, to enjoy the beauty of coastal California at this popular destination. Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove, CA, is a narrow, one-mile strip of sandy beach and rocky coves. A one-mile coast walking trail - the Asilomar Coast Trail - is open to pedestrians. Explore the forest, the coast or the Dune Boardwalk with your pup and enjoy the day spent surrounded by the delights of nature. Dogs are permitted on the state beach and the coast trail, but must be leashed at all times and be in the immediate control of the handler.