Dog-Friendly Activities in Watsonville, CA

Take Fido for a day of fun in the sun at Manresa State Beach, a dog-friendly beach in Watsonville, CA. Leashed dogs are welcome to stroll the shoreline and enjoy the waves. Please note that there is a fee for parking.

Take Fido to run and play at Franich Dog Park in Watsonville, CA. The off-leash play area is separated into two sections, providing dedicated space for small and larger dogs. Franich Dog Park also features shady trees, benches and waste stations.

Leashed dogs are welcome to join you in outdoor spaces at Gizdich Ranch, a pet-friendly, family-owned and operated farm in Watsonville, CA. You can pick your favorite in-season fruit right off the tree or vine. Then you and Fido can enjoy a picnic on the scenic grounds. Purchase baked goods, fresh berry jams, fresh-pressed juices and the best pies west of the Rockies.

Grab Fido's leash and head out for some exercise along Pajaro River Levee Trail in Watsonville, CA. You can park at the lot on Bridge Street and take the trail that ends at the water. On your way, you might encounter wildlife like bobcats, otters and birds.

Pinto Lake County Park is a 183-acre, dog-friendly outdoor space in Watsonville, CA. The park offers a dog park that features double door entry, water fountains for humans and dogs, separate areas for large and small dogs, bench seating, a tree bark and wood surface, waste bags and free parking. Dogs are welcome join you in exploring beyond the dog park, including the beautiful lake and trails, as long as they are on leash.

Ramsay Park in Watsonville, CA is pet-friendly. Bring your dog along to walk the trails at this community space that offers more than 25 acres of recreation area. Leashed dogs are welcome at the park, as long as they are cleaned up after.

Roaring Camp Railroads offers dog-friendly train rides in Felton, CA, through the California Redwoods. Located just a few miles from Santa Cruz, you and Fido can climb aboard an authentic 19th century steam train for a trip through the magnificent redwood forest. As you travel along the historic, winding narrow-gauge track to the summit of Bear Mountain, the conductor will entertain you with the history of the railroad and its locomotives, which were once used to haul giant redwood logs out of the forest. Tours are offered daily and departure times vary by season.

Leashed dogs are welcome at the dog-friendly Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz, CA. Parking is available in the neighborhoods surrounding the beach. Restrooms and outdoor showers can be found at the east end of the beach.

Twin Lakes State Beach is a dog-friendly beach in Santa Cruz, CA. Leashed pets are welcome. There are nearby outdoor showers and restrooms for your convenience.

Fido can play in the sand and watch the surfers with you at Rio Del Mar Beach, a pet-friendly beach in Aptos, CA. Dogs are allowed on leashes no longer than 6 feet.

Take Fido for a fun trip to Morgan Hill Dog Park in Morgan Hill, CA. This off-leash play area is divided into two separate sections, providing dedicated areas for small and larger dogs. Morgan Hill Dog Park also features water fountains and waste stations.

Bring Fido for a hike along West Cliff Drive, a pet-friendly trail in Santa Cruz, CA. This 3-mile one-way, walking and biking path along the Pacific Ocean starts at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, winds past the iconic Santa Cruz Dream Inn, Steamer Lane, and Lighthouse Point, and ends at Natural Bridges State Beach. Please keep Fido leashed.

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.

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.

Dogs are welcome in the pet-friendly picnic areas and campsites of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, CA. Also, unlike many state parks in the area, leashed dogs can join you on a number of trails, including the Meadow Trail, Pipeline Road, Graham Hill Trail and Powder Mill Fire Road. The park has been established to preserve forests and the areas next to the watershed of the San Lorenzo River, including a number of huge redwood trees.

The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos, CA, is dog friendly. This redwood forest is home to trees that stretch up to 2,600 feet into the sky above. Although logging felled thousands of trees that once stood in the area, many new trees are starting to grow back to cover the land that lay bare for so long. Dogs are only allowed on Aptos Creek Fire Road and the four single-track trails below the steel bridge. Unfortunately, dogs are prohibited beyond the gate at the Porter picnic area parking lot.

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing in Santa Cruz, CA, offers a great selection of organic, microbrewed ales. Leashed dogs are welcome both in the taproom and the beer garden, making it a perfect stop for craft beer lovers with pups in tow. Enjoy a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere just minutes from the coast.

Bargetto Winery is a certified sustainable and dog-friendly winery in Soquel, CA. They offer a wide selection of reds, whites and reserves for visitors to try. Leashed dogs are welcome to join their humans in the Creekside Courtyard. Please note that the availability of this space is subject to capacity limits, seasonality and private reservation. Guests are encouraged to call to confirm availability prior to visiting. Reservations are required on weekends.

Leashed dogs are welcome at Castillo's Hillside Shire Winery's lovely pet-friendly garden for wine tastings. Enjoy sampling the award-winning Petite Veridot, Syrah, and Petite Sirah varietals while taking in the beautiful scenery in Morgan Hill, CA.

Pet-friendly Almaden Quicksilver County Park in San Jose offers a view of California's mining era history, and springtime offers the chance to see one of the most spectacular wildflower displays of the region. There are over 34.2 miles of hiking trails for you and Fido to explore, and picnic tables are scattered throughout. Dogs must be on a six foot leash and wear proof of a current license and rabies vaccine. Owners are responsible for pet care and clean up, and aggression is not tolerated. Please note that park trails are subject to closure due to poor conditions.