The most well-known state in the world, New York, the state located in the northeastern US also has the most well-known city in the world with the same name. It is popular too with 19.7 million residents and 3.2 million pups. There are a number of things that make New York so popular including the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls, Broadway, Times Square, and Central Park.
The state was one of the thirteen original colonies that formed the United States along with Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. New York has a variety of geographical types including lakes, mountains, farms, rivers, forests, and meadows.
New York has warm summers and cold winters, with highs in July in the low 80s and lows in January about 5 degrees F. It gets a lot of snow, too, thanks to lake-effect snow. It borders two of the Great Lakes, including Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, but has a number of smaller lakes throughout the state. The state has plenty to offer pet parents, with over 8,200 pet-friendly rental properties, more than 3,100 pup-popular restaurants, 190 dog parks, and 20 dog beaches.
New York City
New York City is the most well-known city in the world because of its famous attractions like the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Times Square. Although pups cannot join you at the first two, you can certainly bring your fur buddy to Times Square and Central Park. In fact, Central Park has 23 places where dogs are welcome and even has four off-leash dog parks and 22 dog fountains.
The city is also the most populated state in the country, with over 8.3 million residents and 1.3 million fur babies. If you want to take your pooch out to a special meal, NYC is where to go. It has more than 500 dog-friendly restaurants, including the Barking Dog Luncheonette, which has two locations in the city and will serve your pup salmon, turkey, chicken, and even some dog treats.
Don’t miss visiting the William Secord Gallery while you are on your getaway. It is the only art gallery in the state that welcomes dogs because William Secord is a dog lover himself.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is actually a borough of NYC but has 2.7 million residents on its own so it is larger and more populated than most US cities. If you are looking for a romantic hideaway for you and your honey as well as your cuddle buddy, start by booking a room at Arlington Place Bed & Breakfast. The cozy cottage welcomes pups of any size for free and it has a restaurant, garden, bar, and free breakfast. They only have a few rooms so book early.
Art and romance are a perfect pair, no matter who you are. There is something about looking at beautiful artwork that brings people together. Brooklyn has more than 20 art galleries to explore. But you will have to leave your fur baby at one of the local pet sitters like the Wag Club or Fido’s Retreat. Then, you and your love can enjoy an exquisite meal at Brooklyn Winery’s Rosette.
Afterward, pick up your pup and go to Prospect Park where they have a fenced off-leash dog park as well as a dog beach where your fur buddy can swim without a leash.
Long Island City
Time for a summer vacation? Make sure you are close to some water because it gets hot in New York. Long Island City is a perfect summer stop on the Hudson River just across from the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Times Square. Both Ravel Hotel and The Hampton Inn are dog-friendly and have swimming pools, but the Hampton Inn’s pool is inside, so you can swim no matter what the weather.
Speaking of swimming, there are several beaches in Long Island that allow dogs as well. One of the best is the Gantry Plaza State Park where there are 12 acres of space for pups to play. They have water access for leashed dogs and a fenced area where you can let him off the leash. After the beach, you can stop at Fifth Hammer Brewing Company to enjoy a cold beer. Your leashed pup is welcome indoors and out while you chill.
If you want some food with your beer, take Fido to Jackson’s Eatery Bar, where they serve everything from sandwiches to bayou catfish as well as cold beer and other beverages.
Rochester
Right across from Canada, Rochester has a nice lakefront space on Lake Ontario where you and your leashed pooch can splash in the water or play in the sand. Right where the Genesee River meets the lake, your first stop should be Ontario Beach Park. Besides the beach, the park also has a pier, carousel, a fishing pier, a playground, volleyball, and a bathhouse. There is a concession stand with food and drinks from May through October in case you get hungry.
To let Fido off the leash for a while, take him to Better Together Dog Park & Bar where he can play while you have an adult beverage with other pet parents. The indoor play space is perfect when the weather is bad. They offer memberships or daily passes for $15. Hungry yet? Take your pup to DogTown. It has been rated one of the top 10 hot dog joints in America by Foursquare and they have lots of outdoor seating.
If you have the kids with you, drop off your pup at daycare and take them to Seabreeze Park where they have dozens of amusement park rides including water slides and roller coasters.
Henderson
Henderson covers a large space of land on Henderson Bay with several state parks and beaches to enjoy on your weekend getaway with your pup. There are only 1,360 residents with 200 pups in the city so it is not very populated due to all the parklands. This is beneficial to those who want a peaceful weekend vacation with their fur buddy.
Westcott Beach State Park is a fine place to start. In fact, you can even stay there at the campground. But there are only about 150 sites so book in advance. The rest of the park offers boat launches, fishing, swimming, picnic areas with grills, hiking, playgrounds, and showers. If you visit in the winter, you can even do some snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Don’t miss Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, where you can see the historic battlegrounds from 1812 and 1813. Keep your pooch on a leash, and you are welcome to explore the trails together.
Coney Island
One of the best places to bring the kids in the state of New York is located right on Coney Island. Luna Park in Coney Island is a fantastic amusement park with something for everyone. Before heading out to play at the park, drop your cuddly canine off at one of the doggie daycares like Animal Loving Care or Wolfie’s Place. Both of them do daycare as well as grooming in case your pooch needs a new hairdo.
Luna Park has over 35 carnival rides, including six roller coasters as well as an arcade with games, dozens of eateries and shops, and a stunning beach. The rest of Coney Island is covered with entertainment as well including the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel, Thunderbolt roller coaster, and the Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster.
You can bring Fido back later to enjoy the Coney Island Boardwalk, where he is welcome as long as he is on a leash. Be sure to bring doggie bags for easy cleanup.
Saratoga Spa State Park
Located in Saratoga Springs, this state park is pup popular, especially for its awesome dog-friendly hiking trails. There are seven main trails in the park you can explore with your furry friend. If you want to start with something easy, take the 1.9-mile Warming Hut Loop. The paved path is flat and smooth, perfect for beginners. The 2.4-mile Hemlock Trail is also easy and takes you on a peaceful forested walk with your pupster.
If you want more of a challenge, try the Gideon Putnam Trail. It has 6.4 miles along a varied path that covers forests as well as some historic sites like the Hall of Springs, the #3 Hathorn Spring, and the Coesa Spouter. If you want to see all 12 of the springs, start at the State Seal on the north end of the park and follow the trail to Hathorn.
After a day of hiking, refresh your canine companion at The Spa at Chow Bella. This indoor grooming salon has it all from bathing to an indoor dog park where your pooch can play without messing up his new hairdo.
Lake George
You can find the city of Lake George at the southwestern end of the lake in the Adirondacks. If you want to camp right on the lake, check out Lake George Battlefield State Park. It has 68 campsites that are suitable for tents or RVs with picnic tables, fire pits, restrooms, and hot showers. There is also something special here. The dog beach just north of the campground is the only off-leash dog beach in the area.
About a mile to the north, Hearthstone Point Campground is also pet-friendly and right on the lake. This one is much larger with 236 sites, some that can accommodate RVs. They all have picnic tables, tent pads, and fire rings, as well as restrooms with showers, a dump station, a swimming beach, and hiking trails.
For something away from the busy beach, Lake George Escape has tent sites, RV sites, and cabins that are along the Schroon River in Adirondack Park. It even has its own fenced off-leash dog park!
Niagara Falls
The well-known attraction is located in northern New York on the Canadian border in the city of Niagara Falls. It has almost 50,000 residents with an estimated 8,000 fur babies so you may see some of them in town. Before you head out, book the King Room with a spa bath or fireplace (or both) at The Giacomo for a special weekend with your honey. The hotel is dog-friendly and you can walk to Niagara Falls.
The oldest state park in America, Niagara Falls State Park welcomes leashed dogs so you can get some sweet selfies with the falls in the background. Then, take your cuddly canine companion and your sweetheart on a walk along one of the trails. The Great Gorge Scenic Overlook Hike is about an hour and is easy for beginners.
Afterward, take everyone for a nice dinner at Wine on Third. The dog-friendly winery has an extensive wine selection as well as delicious food including ribeye steaks salmon risotto, and chicken picatta.
Catskill
Located in the Slide Mountain Wilderness, the Catskill Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountain system with almost 100 peaks over 3,000 feet. Slide Mountain is the highest at 4,180. You can find several dog-friendly hotels, resorts, and lodges in the area including the Catskill Seasons Inn, Shandaken Inn, the Urban Cowboy Lodge, and The Leeway. Hotel Vienna and the Starlite Motel are also good choices.
While your pooch is welcome to join you in cross-country skiing at Slide Mountain Wilderness, some of the best pup popular trails are the 1.6-mile Curtis-Ormsbee Trail, the 3.2-mile Giant Ledge Trail, and the nine-mile Mount Pleasant Romer Mountain Trail. Be sure to bundle up your pup for the weather, and do not forget to protect his paws. The shortest route up to Slide Mountain is the Oliverea Trail to Burroughs Plaque, which is about 5.4 miles.
After a day on the trails, take Fido to Catskill Seasons Inn, where you can enjoy a big juicy steak at one of the outdoor tables.
Staten Island
With 500,000 people and 83,000 dogs in one city, you might expect Staten Island to feel crowded. But it’s not. In fact, you may not even see any other dogs in town unless you go to one of the dog parks. Both Silver Lake Park and Wolf’s Pond have fenced pup playgrounds where your cuddly canine can play off the leash. This is perfect for couples with dogs because you can enjoy a romantic picnic by the water afterward.
Another way to spend the day with your honey and your fur baby is at Great Kills Park where they have trails, a salt marsh, and four beaches to choose from. If you happen to be there during the winter, Brookfield Park has some great cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails as well as an outdoor skating rink. Two of them are just a half-mile, one is 1.2 miles, and the other one is 1.8 miles.
Remember to bring plenty of cleanup baggies and lots of water for everyone.
Buffalo
Home to Six Flags Darien Lake, Buffalo is an awesome place to spend the summer. Although your pup will have to stay with a dog sitter, you and your family can spend the day riding some cool rides, eating carnival food, and playing games. In fact, the park has 1,200 acres with 45 rides, including eight roller coasters and 10 water rides. There are also five theaters with live music and shows to enjoy.
If you do not want to stay at a hotel in town, you can stay at the Lodge on the Lake right inside the park. It is so close that you can hear the people screaming on the Six Flags SkyScreamer. It also has an outdoor pool and a cafe. Or stay at the campground at Darien Lakes State Park. It has 154 sites with showers, playgrounds, fishing, and hiking.
After you play, take your pooch to Como Lake Bark Park so he can get rid of some of that excess energy.
Syracuse
Syracuse is not a huge city, with just 148,000 residents and about 24,000 pooches. Maybe that is why you can find several affordable hotel rooms under $100 in town that allow dogs. The Red Roof Inn, Budget Inn, and Days Inn all welcome dogs for a small fee per night. One of the pup popular free parks in town is Carm’s Dog House Dog Park in Ormand Spencer Park. It has lots of room for fetch as well as a separate small dog area.
Elmwood Park is another dog-friendly park in Syracuse. Your canine companion will have to keep a leash on, but there is still plenty to do, like nature trails, playgrounds for the kiddos, and a gorgeous waterfall and creek. Onondaga Lake Park is also free and has a huge lake where you can fish, boat, and swim. It also has a dog park at the north end of the park where your pup can play off the leash.
After working up an appetite at the park, grab something cheap to eat at Sonic, Five Guys, or Chick-fil-A.
Bronx
Another one of the boroughs of NYC with a large population is The Bronx. It has 1.4 million residents and 233,000 dogs so you will definitely be seeing some of them around the city. The city has some great places for a family vacation as well including the Bronx Park where they have picnic areas with BBQ grills, miles of trails, playgrounds for the kids, and even some dog-friendly off-leash areas.
Then, take your pooch to a doggie daycare, and you can take the family to the Bronx Zoo. There, you will find 265 acres with over 4,000 animals in 650 different species. Some of the major attractions include the World of Reptiles, African Plains, Tiger Mountain, JungleWorld, and the Congo Gorilla Forest. There is also a bug carousel, bison range, mouse house, and several places to eat and shop.
Afterward, pick up Fido and take him to the dog run at Pelham Bay Park or the dog run at Hackett Park so he can run around and play without a leash.
Wilmington
Located in Wilmington, Whiteface Mountain is one of the highest points in the state and one of the highest peaks of the Adirondacks. This is the perfect winter vacation in New York, with 90 trails over 25 miles of space, with the highest point at 4,386 feet. You can choose from Ledge Rock, the Hungry Trout, Rudy’s Chalet, Mountain Brook Lodge, Cadence Lodge, and North Pole Lodge, which are all within 10 miles of Whiteface Mountain Ski Center.
You can reach the mountain by one of the nine chairlifts, conveyor lifts, or gondolas. The parks have areas for alpine skiing, snowboarding, and even cross-country skiing. However, your pup will have to stay back at the hotel or a doggie daycare. That’s okay, though, because you can take him to Man and Beast or Integrated Canine to let him pick out a new toy and some treats.
If you are staying at the Hungry Trout or Rudy’s Chalet, they both have awesome dog-friendly restaurants to enjoy after your day on the slopes.
The Final Woof
Whether you are looking for a place to go in the summer, winter, with the family, or with your sweetheart, New York has it all and then some. For a fun family trip, go to Coney Island amusement park or Buffalo, where you can all go to Six Flags Darien Lake. If it is a snowy vacation you want, Catskill has some incredible skiing trails, and Wilmington has Whiteface Mountain for alpine skiing. Long Island City is a great summer spot to enjoy with your pooch. If you are on a tight budget, Syracuse has several hotels with rooms under $100. And couples with dogs will love the cozy and romantic bed & breakfast and winery in Brooklyn.
