Ranking the Best U.S. Cities for Pet-Friendly Vacations

Many Americans are devoted to their pets and consider their furry friends a part of the family. That means they want to include them in travel plans and vacations. A pet sitter or pet boarding can be pricey, plus pet parents will miss their pet companions while they’re away. The team at FloridaRentals.com created a valuable map for traveling pet owners, ranking U.S. cities by pet friendliness.

Click below to zoom.

The team considered several crucial factors when creating the ranking’s scoring system. Here are the factors considered:

• Percentage of pet-friendly hotels
• Average price of pet-friendly hotels
• Number of dog-friendly restaurants
• Dog park quality score
• Best cities to walk your dog score
• Pet health score
• Average review score of pet-friendly hotels
• Number of dog-friendly activities
• Dog parks per 100,000 residents
• Dog climate score
• Number of 24-hour vets
• WalletHub’s most pet-friendly cities score

All of these factors combine to help pet owners decide whether a city offers what they need. Many pet owners feel that the number, quality, and cost of pet-friendly hotels and restaurants are the most important factors. In contrast, others want to know they can have fun with their dog while vacationing with decent weather and plenty of walking trails and parks to explore. Others might put safety first and consider the presence of plenty of vet clinics to be most important.

After all scores were considered, a handful of cities rose above the others with the highest scores in the nation. Here are the ten cities with the highest scores:

• Portland, Oregon
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Phoenix, Arizona
• San Francisco, California
• Tampa, Florida
• San Diego, California
• Austin, Texas
• New York, New York
• Tucson, Arizona
• Colorado Springs, Colorado

Portland earned the top spot with high scores in nearly every category. The city has an abundance of beautiful parks and walking trails, paired with a strong pet-friendly culture. Albuquerque and Phoenix earned their high ranking thanks to plenty of affordable pet-friendly hotels and restaurants, paired with ample outdoor space. San Francisco, Tampa, and San Diego are great destinations for travelers seeking warm weather, walkable cities, and plenty of restaurants that welcome pets. In fact, many cities in Florida scored well, likely due to the warm climate and tourist-heavy culture.

We can see that cold-weather cities scored lower, like Boston, Milwaukee, and Detroit. Though accommodation prices are higher there and there may be fewer dog parks, there are still plenty of dog-friendly activities to enjoy in these bustling cities, especially if you don’t mind the cold.

Overall, this map shows that pet-friendly travel is not only possible but also a lot of fun, with many options for destinations. A great pet-friendly stay will combine affordability with comfort, safety, and fun for both you and your furry friend. As pet travel booms, these cities might even expand the accommodation they already offer.