Dogs Allowed: Traveling with Pets in Connecticut

There are accommodations in Connecticut that have carved out their own territory when it comes to pets. Here are a few examples:

• Interlaken Inn in Lakeville welcomes your pet warmly with pet-friendly dedicated guest rooms along with nearby hiking trails.
• The Delamar located in Greenwich, Southport, and West Hartford, dogs warmly welcomed. These hotels offer your pooch a welcome treat, a dog bed, and bowls upon request.

Find even more dog-friendly hotels here.

If it’s camping that you have in mind, Odetah Camping Resort in Bozrah is “a pet-friendly resort campground” that welcomes pets with certain restrictions.  Almost all the rental fleet, including RVs, park models, and cabins, allow dogs and there’s a dog park on-premises.

For a list of other "pet-friendly" campgrounds in Connecticut, click here. 

Looking forward to dining out? Bring your pooch along! Several dog-friendly restaurants around the state allow well-behaved, leashed dogs in outdoor dining areas. Plus, the state is home to many pet-friendly breweries, wineries, and distilleries. These include:

• Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock, New London
• Flipside Burger Bar, Fairfield 
• Neaz Restaurant & Bar, Norwalk
• Marty's Cafe, Washington

And then there’s Wentworth’s Homemade Ice Cream in Hamden, one of the best in the state, which offers its dog customers their own ice cream flavor, K-9 Crunch, studded with kibble and chunks of dog biscuit.

If you’re interested in some shopping, your pup may enjoy an outing, too! Connecticut’s pet-friendly stores welcome well-mannered, leashed dogs. Orvis in Avon has an entire collection – beds, bowls, jackets and toys – just for dogs! Your leashed dog can shop with you at Crate and Barrel in West Hartford, where you’re likely to find a few dog gifts and accessories. And your dog will feel right at home at the Black Dog General Store in Mystic, offering gear for the family – and the dog! You might even decide to purchase a “To Go Dog Bowl” for your travels!

In South Windsor, The Promenade Shops at Evergreen is a dog-friendly shopping center.

Did you realize that The Cascades at Lake Mohegan in Fairfield is considered one of the Top 10 Dog Friendly Trails in the World? That site also has a guide to dog-friendly beaches in the state – sorry, only off-season availability at the moment. Find places to hike with your dog here.