Dog Friendly

Bring the dog on your holiday and lap up everything the South East has to offer with welcoming accommodation, pubs, restaurants, events and activities.

Our ruff guide of the best dog friendly places to visit will ensure you'll never have to leave your beloved pet at home.

Dog Friendly Beaches

The South East is a fabulous place for dog walking and provides an immense variety of landscapes to enjoy, from hills, parkland and woodlands to river valleys with most Country Parks welcoming of four legged friends.

There are many dog friendly beaches for days out in South East England, but most have restrictions at certain times of the year so please check before you travel with the relevant local authority. The Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate coast is a perfect area for you and your chum.

Top dog friendly places to visit

• For a great family day out and miles of beautiful pathways ideal for dog walking, head to Hampshire and visit Mottisfont Abbey Garden or The Vyne where dogs are allowed in the beautiful gardens only.
• The forest tracks of Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest in Kent are perfect for allowing your four legged friends exercise off the lead and Rubie the Schnauzer has written her very own canine guide to the area.
   
• Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard in East Sussex is England’s leading Eco-vineyard tourist destination and offers ‘Vineyard & Woodland Nature Trail + Wine Tasting’ for individuals, families and groups. Dogs are made very welcome, but have to settle for water rather than wine!
   
• The Isle of Wight is a superb destination to visit with your four legged friend and your dog travels to the island free of charge on car ferry routes and Hovertravel services. Most beaches allow dogs all year round, there are more than 500 miles of footpaths for dogs to tire their owners and plenty of top attractions are welcoming such as Osborne, Blackgang Chine, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and the Needles Landmark Attraction. Dogs travel free on Wightlink’s three ferry routes linking the Isle of Wight to the south coast (when accompanied by a well-behaved owner!).
• Guildford has more than a dozen dog friendly attractions and a selection of places to eat and stay.
   
• Shopping can sometimes be a restricted pastime, but most of Gunwharf Quays' 90+ premium retail outlets accept dogs in their stores.
   
• Enjoy the ten miles of Hampshire’s only standard gauge heritage railway at the Watercress Line, where dogs are not only welcome, but travel for free. Dogs are also welcome at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre near Aylesbury.
   
• If you're looking for a place to visit allowing dogs to exercise off leads, the National Trust's Sheffield Park Garden in East Sussex does just that in East Park. Dogs on leads are welcome in the other parkland and gardens. 200 acres of traditional parkland at Borde Hill in West Sussex are also great for walking.
   
• Stowe in Buckinghamshire is another great place to visit for walking and they even hold free monthly dog walks around the parkland and gardens.
   
• Granny Beesley's sweet shop in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, is the only place within a twenty mile radius that sells ice cream for dogs.
   
• Chiltern Open Air Museum Discover 2000 years of Chilterns history by exploring over 30 historic buildings that were the workplace or homes of ordinary people. Learn about traditional skills, farming, lifestyle and local history while taking in the beautiful scenery of the Chilterns countryside.

Best Dog Friendly Accommodation

Wallops Wood Cottages in Hampshire was crowned dog friendly accommodation provider of the year at the 2017/18 Beautiful South Awards. They actively welcome dogs and provide information on where to go and where to eat with dogs in the local area.

Hurley Riverside Park is a pet friendly caravan and camping touring park right next to the River Thames with access to scenic walks and a dog wash for post exercise cleaning!

Kent & Sussex Holiday Cottages has more than 250 Visit England approved and graded properties to choose from – many pet friendly too with lovely gardens for your four-legged friends to enjoy.

Hartwell House Hotel is an ideal place to enjoy peaceful walks in over 90 acres of parkland as well as a base to explore the Buckinghamshire countryside with your dog.  Court suites have doors that open on to the garden or courtyard, they supply a dog bed, water bowl, snacks and those all-important little bags.

All the self catering cottages at Burgate Manor Farm on the edge of the New Forest are dog friendly. From the farm you can walk into the New Forest along the Avon Valley Footpath or stroll around the 250 Acres of farm land including the bank of 1.5 miles of the River Avon. 

The Bay Tree in Broadstairs is a pet friendly guest house close to Thanet’s award winning blue flag beaches, many of which allow dogs all year round. The towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate also have more than 30 dog friendly pubs, cafes and restaurants. 

On the Isle of Wight, The Mill House at Brighstone accepts up to two dogs and has a large private garden, feeding bowls and a doggie welcome gift.