Two Paws Up

Dog-friendly winter getaways to enjoy with your best friend

Beaufort, North Carolina

The Beaufort Hotel

Shopping, dining and even a one-of-a-kind equine adventure awaits you and your four-legged friend in Beaufort, North Carolina, an 18th-century former fishing village situated on the southern Outer Banks that inspired the setting for the Nicolas Sparks’ novel, A Walk to Remember.

Located just a few minutes out of town on the banks of Taylor Creek, the Beaufort Hotel welcomes dogs under 100 pounds with a special package that includes a bed, water bowl, treats and Beaufort Hotel bandana. Human guests will enjoy the resort-like setting and sunset views from the porch’s rocking chairs.

Start your dog-friendly vacation with an al fresco breakfast at the hotel at 34 o North, where choices range from traditional breakfast platters to a Crab Cake Benedict. Afterward, grab the hotel’s well-curated list of nearly 50 places to bring your pup and head into town. Front Street along the water, as well as nearby Turner Street, are lined with shops and many restaurants. Cru offers coffee, wine and artisan chocolates with bistro sidewalk tables; dinner options on the boardwalk include wood-fired pizza at Black Sheep Beaufort, shrimp tacos at Front Street Grill at Stillwater and local craft brews at Fishtowne Brew House on Turner Street.

The region is also known for its wild beach horses that have lived on the Shackleford Banks for 400 years. While the origin of how the Shackleford horses arrived isn’t entirely clear, some theories are that they are descendants of animals which swam ashore from ships that ran aground in the shallow waters surrounding the park. To experience it, head to Harker’s Island and hop aboard the Island Express Ferry Service (dogs are welcome!) for the 20-minute ride to the shores of Cape Lookout where you can catch a glimpse of the herd that roam the beach.

Back at the hotel, round out your day back at The Beaufort Hotel with an after-dinner cocktail (the bar offers more than 150 whiskies) in front of the cozy or firepit. If you’re looking to pamper your pup or looking for a dog-free day, Pet Provisions has a wide variety of dog treats and toys and Beaufort Bark, a three-minute drive away, offers boarding and grooming. – Jenny Peterson

Columbia, South Carolina

Hilton’s Graduate Hotel

It’s hard to believe that the Graduate is dog friendly: Set in a rebooted 1910 manse complete with its original stained glass, ornate woodwork and grand fireplaces, the glamorous 119-room hotel is awash in funky flourishes that range from vintage 1950’s Sputnik-inspired light fixtures to a cotton-candy colored check-in desk and cleverly -disguised nods to the nearby the University of South Carolina. Note that there’s a $75 fee for dogs, who must weigh less than 75 pounds.

Dogs and their human’s love long strolls along Columbia’s Three Rivers Greenway, a network of mostly paved walking trails that weaves for miles through Native American, Colonial and Civil War sites as well as canals, an old water plant and acres of quiet woods. Listen for lions and monkeys as you stroll along the handicapped-accessible Saluda Riverwalk section, which passes behind Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo on its way to Boyd Island Sanctuary and its resident river otters.

When it’s time for lunch, dinner or happy hour, head to one of Columbia’s outdoor beer gardens, which welcome not just dogs but kids as well. Hunter-Gatherer at the Hangar occupies a gigantic space near Owens Field; dogs can join their humans both inside and outside for housemade pizza, beer flights and specialty cocktails.  Taking its name from the foundry across the street, Cayce’s Steel Hands brewpub is best known for live music events and a caffeine-rich lager made with locally-roasted Loveland coffee--think of it as an espresso martini you don’t have to sip slowly. The food menu is extensive; beertenders are happy to recommend beer pairings. Just across the Gervais Street Bridge in West Columbia, Savage Craft offers a wide range of brews, including a cream ale, altbier and deliciously fruity sours. Non-beer drinkers will be happy here as well, thanks to an extensive selection of balanced, creative cocktails and a wine list studded with interesting choices. – Katie McElveen

Greenville, South Carolina

Embassy Suites by Hilton -

Greenville Downtown Riverplace

Dogs up to 80 pounds and their owners adore this all-suite hotel, not just for the extra-large rooms outfitted with microwaves and refrigerators, but for the dog-friendly rooftop restaurant, Up on the Roof, as well. The hotel’s location along Greenville’s 28-mile-long Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail and adjacent to Falls Park on the Reedy (where dogs can splash around in the shallow pools at the bottom of the falls) makes it easy to get your walks in. (The hotel charges $75 for stays of 1 to 4 nights, $125 for longer stays as well as a refundable $75 pet deposit.)

If Fido really needs to run, head to Unleashed Dog Bar, which invites dog-friendly, vaccinated canines to chase, tug and zoom around their fenced play area (there’s a $5 fee) while their “pawrents” enjoy craft brews and televised sports. There’s also Conestee Dog Park, where you’ll find two off-leash areas (one for small dogs only) with water, shade and benches; the park is adjacent to Conestee Nature Preserve, where leashed dogs can walk for miles on soft-surface trails and a boardwalk. Further afield, take in the natural beauty of the upstate at Table Rock State Park, Jones Gap State Park and Caesar’s Head State Park, all of which are loaded with dog-friendly trails.

Refueling is easy in Greenville: dogs are welcome at most of the city’s plentiful outdoor dining spots. For a special treat, grab brunch at Nose Dive Gastropub, which, in addition to an Adluh grits bar, mile-high biscuits, fresh salads and French toast, offers a special brunch menu just for dogs. In West Greenville, Carolina Bauernhaus Greenville’s “barkuterie” board is definately worth wagging about.

Need to assuage your guilt over leaving Fido in the room for a bit? At Paw Paws, collars, harnesses, toys, treats and costumes are all handcrafted in Greenville. The Barkery Bistro is Greenville’s trusted destination for all natural, wholesome birthday cakes, treats and cookies.– Katie McElveen

Highlands, North Carolina

Highlander Mountain House

Walking into Highlander Mountain House is like entering a mountain retreat that your family has been visiting for generations. Within the 150-year-old former farmhouse, antique paintings, art books and rustic hunting ephemera fill a lobby dominated by a crackling fireplace and the Ruffled Grouse Tavern, which was modeled after an English pub.

Though dogs aren’t allowed in the dining room, they’re welcome to join you in the bar, where you’ll find a menu of impeccable cocktails (try the Old Fashioned), wines from small producers and local beers. You’ll want to stick around for dinner, too, where seasonal ingredients from local farmers show up as everything from crisp salads to pork belly confit with collards. There’s also live music on Thursday nights outside on the patio.

Rooms in the hotel’s bunkhouse are dog-friendly for pups up to 50 pounds (there’s a $50 fee), meaning you can share your experience with everyone in your family.

“The Highlands area is the perfect place to explore with friends and family, and that includes the four-legged variety in your life,” says owner Jason Reeves. “We know how many people love to travel, hike and explore with their pets, so I wanted to make the hotel dog-friendly to encourage making those special memories.”

Both two and four-legged guests will find plenty to love about Highlander Mountain House’s pet-friendly bunkhouse rooms, which are outfitted with everything from Pendleton blankets, vinyl record players (and records!) to free mud boots for exploring.

Most of the hiking trails located within 10-20 minutes of Highlands are dog friendly. Try out the Glen Falls trail in the Nantahala National Forest for gorgeous views of an Instagram-worthy waterfall. The hike is 2.6 miles to go out and back. For more water fun, rent a boat and go out on Lake Glenville and take in the serene views of nature. If you'd rather relax with a beer in hand, dogs are allowed at Whiteside Brewery, which offers great bar food and plenty of outdoor seating. 

For a taste of winter in a cozy cabin, consider packing up the whole gang (pets included) and heading to the Highlander Mountain House. – Erin Perkins

Savannah, Georgia

Kimpton Brice Hotel

There are some vacations where you bring along your pup in tow as an addition, and there’s vacation where your furry friend is the star.

At the stylish Kimpton Brice Hotel in Savannah, furry friends get the five-star treatment—including the ability to join their humans at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Pacci Italian Kitchen + Bar, where the chef can create a special bowl for just for them, served simultaneously so everyone devours their entrees at the same time.

The Kimpton Brice is situated in a quiet and idyllic location in the heart of downtown Savannah, just one street away from the long, rectangular grassy Emmet Park along the Savannah River and a bone’s-throw distance to Washington Square Park, one of the picture-perfect pocket parks that the city is known for. Ramble down nearby East Oglethorpe Street, leash in hand, and admire the magnificent historic homes under oak trees dripping with moss.

The hotel can provide a printed map of the many dog-friendly restaurants nearby that have outdoor seating, including Collins Quarter at Forsyth Park for breakfast and lunch, and farm-to-table Cha Bella for dinner. There is even a horse and carriage tour that allows dogs to hop aboard who can fit on their owner’s lap. On your way out of the hotel, don’t forget to grab a doggie treat in the always-full jar on a table at the entrance.

Shopping is dog-friendly at many places in Savannah, including the quirky House of Strut thrift store, shopSCAD Savannah, a gift shop exclusively featuring artwork and designs of Savannah College of Art and Design students, professors, staff and alumni.

When you’ve have your fill of exploring the city, you can look forward to your return to The Kimpton Brice with a nightly “social hour” with free wine held in the lobby,  soft comfortable beds, wooden floors in dog-friendly rooms and expansive, well-appointed bathrooms with luxury products. If your plans call for a leash-free night, the hotel can happily arrange a dog walker or dog sitter. – Jenny Peterson