Carmel has long been one of the most dog friendly cities in America.  Dogs in Carmel are welcome most everywhere.  Some restaurants have dog menus.  Most shops have dog treats on hand to pass out to your furry, four legged family members and as you walk through downtown, you will see many shops have water bowls.  Some even have a place to tie your dog’s leash. There are poop bag stations throughout town (highly recommended for use) and along the picturesque Carmel Beach.  Carmel Beach is the dog friendliest beach you will ever encounter.  And the evening bonfires on the beach with your pooch would surely be a highlight of your visit.  Cypress Inn even has “Yappy Hour” for you and your “kids” after a long day frolicking the beach, Mission Trails and down town. 

Scenic Path & Carmel Beach

Scenic Road meanders along the curve of the Carmel beach and offers a packed dirt path alongside for joggers, on-leash dog walkers and sightseers. Spanning from Carmel Beach to Carmel River Beach, the Scenic Road path offers some of the area's most incredible views of Carmel Point, Point Lobos State Reserve, Pebble Beach Golf Links, and Carmel's famous Cypress trees and white-sand beach. Dogs are allowed off-leash on Carmel beach, however they must be under the voice control of their owners. Canine visitors at Carmel beach can romp along the surf and frolic with one another on the sand which is a highlight to most trips to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Dog Friendly Hotels & Inns

Visitors have more than 25 hotels and inns to choose from in Carmel-by-the-Sea when traveling with their lovely pet. In fact, pets get VIP treatment in Carmel such as doggie turn down, yappy hour, doggie room service menus, and outdoor showers – rest assured your canine companions' needs will be met. When booking reservations at one of Carmel's pet-friendly hotels, inns or cottages, travelers should ask about these services.

Important Rules to Remember

For the safety of all dogs and visitors, please note that dogs must have a current license, up-to-date vaccinations, respond to voice command and be in visual control. Dogs under four months of age are not permitted as their shots and vaccines are not effectual yet. Owners are responsible for pets at all times and use a leash. Dogs may be off-leash on Carmel Beach and Mission Trails Park only provided they are under voice control at all times. Dogs must be on-leash at Carmel River Beach. Dogs are not allowed to interfere with, bother, or harass other visitors, animals or wildlife. If you are a party to a dog bite or dog attack incident, you must stop and offer assistance and exchange...

Carmel Business District

Various shopkeepers supply dog biscuits at the counter and offer water dishes at the door. The Cottage of Sweets includes doggy treats in its mix of candies. Some shops in the Carmel Business District have miniature hitching posts outside and others don't mind if the dogs accompany their owners inside. The Carmel Plaza has a drinking fountain just for dogs, called the Fountain of Woof. Diggidy Dog provides a store that caters to the pets themselves, in a 2000 square foot space and small grassy spot just outside the front doors where dogs can relieve themselves; Diggidy Dog offers products that are unique, functional, and healthy.

Cleaning Up After Your Dog

Please clean up pet waste; biodegradable bags are available at beach and trail entrances. You must remove your dog's waste from all Carmel city property and dispose of it in a garbage can or carry it out. Do not leave dog waste in a bag anywhere; this is considered littering. For visitors convenience, biodegradable plastic bags are provided by the city, but as a precaution, please carry extras when traveling with your dog.

Dog Friendly Restraunts

Many restaurants in Carmel will seat canine companions with their masters in covered and open-air patios as well as a few indoor locations. "Yappy Hour" and a doggie room service menu are offered at co-owner Doris Day's Cypress Inn as well as other hotels and inns in Carmel. Many Carmel restaurants, not content with just water bowls and doggy treats, raise the stakes with custom doggie menus of kibble, biscuits, grilled chicken, steak tartar, and more.

Dog Friendly Restaurants in Carmel, CA - BringFido

Mission Trails Park

Mission Trail Park encompasses 37 acres of California Coastal native vegetation, with meadows, dense Monterey Pine forest and a grove of Oak trees. There are two entrances to the park: one east of downtown on Mountainview Avenue and the other on Rio Road across the street from the Carmel Mission. Dogs can be off-leash but must be under voice control and follow all of the rules to remember.

some info from: carmelcalifornia.com