The city of San Diego has a lovely, large dog park at beautiful Balboa Park. I was just there today and my two German Shepherds had a wonderful time. Later, we walked along the harbor, watching the tourists, locals and cruise ships embark. Everyone was friendly and wanted to pet our well socialized dogs.
At Ocean Beach, in San Diego, there is a huge leash free dog beach all day, everyday. There's also one up the coast at Del Mar. It's off leash all day thru the winter months and morning and evenings in the summer months. Those are the only two beaches I know of that your dog can be on, off leash or on. Up the coast from San Diego is Mission Bay with Fiesta Island, it is an off-leash peninsula covering a huge area, several miles in circumference. It's great for dogs! Travel another 45 minutes up the coast and you can walk your leashed dog around quaint Oceanside Harbor in the City of Oceanside. Doggy duty bag stations are stratigically placed throughout the small harbor. Three restruants there (maybe more) allow your dog to dine with you on their outdoor patios.
One store always keeps a water bowl filled with fresh, clean water by their back door for the pooches. Continue north to Orange County and you'll reach Dana Point Harbor with a concrete walk around the harbor, doggy bag stations with fancy pooper scoopers, two (maybe more) dog friendly restruants where you can dine on the patio with your pooch. The waitress brought water bowls and dog bisquits to our dogs, we didn't ask, she asked us if it would be alright if our dogs had a treat!
Orange County also has part of Cleveland National Forest, which also extends into San Diego County and Riverside County. In an area called Tenaja, (wilderness, you'll need maps and a forest pass) there are some great hiking trails where you can bring your dog. Early spring, late fall and winter are the best times to go, before the rattlesnakes get active and the high summer temperatures kick in.
Because this area is lightly used wilderness, I turn my dogs loose when no one is around to complain. I stay away from Santa Rosa Platue because it's a no dogs on trail zone. I stay out of the national parks because dogs aren't allowed on trails in Californias' national parks.
There are plenty of trails in Southern California where you can bring your dogs. In northern San Diego County there's the Santa Margarita River Trail. Dogs love the shady trail and cool river water to frolic in. Dogs are supposed to be leashed, but if there's no horseback riders or hikers around, I'll let them off leash for a bit for a good run.
My dogs come when I call so I don't run into problems like breaking the leash laws! I don't go there in the summer because of the rattlesnakes and ticks!
In the summer, I head to the harbors with my leashed dogs. California is not as dog friendly as I would like. I'd like some off leash hiking trails in the local Southern California mountains above the 4000' level for summer hikes. So far, I've only found a couple of trails and forestry service roads at the higher altitudes that aren't part of a National Park or privately owned within two hours drive from my house. The general rule of thumb in Southern California is, take the trail less traveled, socialize your pooch, train doggy to come when called, (like right now!)get your dogs' annual rattlesnake anti-venom vaccination if you hike in the wilderness at the lower elevations, (specially in summer), use products like Advantix to protect your dog from ticks and don't forget your monthly dose of Interceptor to prevent heartworms and parasites, and bring a brush to get the foxtails out of your dogs fur if hiking in wilderness areas in the summer. If you get the chance, go hiking in the High Sierras in the summer with your dogs. The High Sierras are awesome mountains
with lots of national forestry roads and trails at high altitudes. That means cooler summer temperatures, no ticks, fleas or rattlesnakes (too cold in the winter for them) no foxtales, and true wilderness areas for the nature lover. Don't worry too much about black bears, they mostly hang out where there's people, campgrounds and trash to pick through. Not recommended for smaller dogs as they may become dinner to a coyote, mountain lion, or bird of prey.
Although we do hike with a Pomeranian, he stays close to us and we keep an eye on him. When I do get the chance to hike in the High Sierras, I have all my wilderness gear with me and camp at a campground, dogs must be leashed at all campgrounds and it's strictly enforced. I go on day hikes with my dogs on forestry trails that are not well used so I can turn my dogs loose so they can run! If I hear people or see people coming up the trail, my dogs go back on the leash and friendly howdy dos are exchanged.
If the thunderstorms decide to hang around for a few days, I usually can find a dog-friendly mountain cabin to rent within an hours drive after I leave a twenty dollar deposit per dog, per night.
These are a few of my dog friendly experiences from a Southern California native who's lived here for 57 years. I'm looking for an even dog-friendlier place to retire!
Know of any?
Alaska maybe?!
Fairwinds
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. Good luck with your decision.
San Diego and Orange County get my vote!
