We love to travel and explore! Whether we have a week, a weekend, or even just a day, there are plenty of dog-friendly places to visit!
At a distance of about 4 hours by car, Washington, D.C. is the perfect location for a weekend getaway from New York City. Here is how we do it!
At the dog-friendly FDR Memorial in DC
Getting there: We always rent a car since there are 2 of us and we have a lot of stuff! Too bad Amtrak does not allow pups because that would definitely be our preferred way to travel! The car ride down to D.C. takes about 4 hours from Midtown Manhattan. Beware of the tolls! The round-trip fee is over $50 and an easy pass is pretty much a necessity to avoid the toll lines. We use our Kurgo booster seat to keep secure in the car.
Where to stay: There are dozens of pet-friendly hotels in the Washington, D.C. area. Most recently we stayed in the Tysons Sheraton in Virginia. We were hooked with the free parking, easy commute into the city and low hotel room rate! We tend to stay in Starwood properties when we travel on the east coast so we can get travel points and rewards. Trip Advisor has a great list of dog-friendly hotels. We also love Bringfido.com for travel and hotel information.
The Washington Monument is in the background
What to do: We like a combination of social events, outdoor activities, and city viewing and touring. When we travel to Washington, D.C. we always check Novadog Magazine event listing to see what dog events are taking place in the area. Washington has a big doggy social scene with black-tie events, baseball games, outdoor festivals, and more! The National Mall is dog friendly and is a great place for an (on leash) stroll to see the sites and monuments. The Eastern Market outdoor farmers market (Saturdays and Sundays) is a fun place to stop for snacks. Also check out some of the local pet boutiques. We love Howl to the Chief near the Eastern Market. Some of the Virginia wineries are dog friendly. We visited Barrel Oak Winery about 45 minutes from the city and loved it! Leashed pups are welcome at Arlington National Cemetery. Capital River Cruises welcome pups. And Potomac Riverboat Company in Alexandria hosts Canine Cruises. Annapolis, Maryland is a beautiful place to visit if you have more time.
Resources: A recent article in The Washington Times has some great tips. BringFido.com lists restaurants and other sites to visit in the area. Dogfriendly.com has a Washington, D.C. city guide for pups.
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