Best Dog Friendly New England Towns – We call this trip the “Lincoln List” because it was created with our dear friend in mind.
Our pup, Lincoln, has been traveling with us since 2019 and is a big part of why we love road trips. Simply put, riding in the car is the cheapest way for us to travel with her (and we take Lincoln almost everywhere).
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Favorite tourist destinations of the past 3 years and what would she choose if she could plan our next trip.
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(2) woods, hiking, and spending a lot of time outdoors (and she might tell us she likes areas with fewer people but lots of squirrels and smells);
(3) beaches and lakes with easy access to water in which it can cool off and sand and mud in which it can regenerate, and
So we went to our travel catalog and added this trip to Lincoln’s wish list. If you are looking for dog travel ideas because you have a dog that wants to do everything while you travel, this is for you!
Lincoln takes you to New England on this trip because the summer and fall temperatures are great, there are plenty of outdoor activities, and you’ll find one of the most dog-friendly national parks in the United States.
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This itinerary is similar to our Wicked Good: 10-Day NE Road Itinerary, but only with great stops and tips on how to bring your pup!
In the summer, take advantage of longer daylight hours and cooler temperatures than many other states at this time of year. Or an autumn trip to take advantage of the amazing fall foliage at one of the best leaf viewing spots in the world.
We spent 5 months in Ontario and New England during the 2022 travel season. We spent two weeks in VT in July, a long weekend camping on Schudick Point in Acadia National Park in early August, three weeks close to Lake Placid, NY in mid to late August, a month in Camton, NJ Hampshire, three weeks in September. Weeks in Ellsworth, ME in early October and three weeks in Attleboro, MA in late October. (We spent three weeks in Ontario at the beginning of our trip.)
There was never a bad time to be in New England during those months. Yes, it can be warm at night during the summer months, but make sure your rental has air conditioning and you’ll be fine. (To be sure, we live in Texas saying that, so our tolerance for heat is higher than those who live up north year-round. However, we do not do nothing but air conditioning, so in that sense, maybe our tolerance is lower, ha !)
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However, we would say that if you want to plan your trip around the beautiful fall foliage, aim to travel during the second week of October. Although places known for their foliage can be busy (like Concamagus Highway and Stowe, Vermont), the views are worth it!
RTL Tip: Need more time to walk or get on the water on your trip? Visit in July or August. Want a cozy fall walk through the foliage with a hot apple cider in hand? Visit in October. Want cooler temperatures but fewer crowds? Visit in September.
Lincoln is definitely a fan of trips we can take because it means it’s so easy for her to come with us. If you are close enough to drive anywhere on this trip, we recommend it. Go to the nearest point on this route and make a full circle to return home.
However, if you can’t get here with a car and you have a dog that’s fine with flying, you can fly into Boston International Airport and pick up a rental car once you’re there on land If you are flying, we recommend changing this route a bit and going from Boston > Lake Placid > Stowe > Lincoln, Hamburg > Acadia National Park > Portland > Boston.
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Note: If you’re staying too long to drive anywhere on this trip and your pup isn’t going on the plane (not even Lincoln, unless she’s flying in the seat private next to us, ha!) Let us know. Comment below where you live and we’ll ask Lincoln to create another listing closer to your original destination.
We recommend that you use this route as a traditional road trip where you stop at a different location at each stop. You can check out campsites near each destination or stay in nearby towns.
For Lincoln, New Hampshire, consider campgrounds on the Pemi River or Lost River Valley or the city of Lincoln. (Can’t find anything in Lincoln? Check out Campton, New Hampshire, just 20 miles south. We had a great month at a red sleigh cabin in Campton.)
For Lake Placid, consider Rollins Pond Campground, Ausable Chasm Campground, or Lake Placid Village. (Want an amazing view? Check out Lake Placid Village accommodations.
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Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake Inn has dog-friendly rooms and a restaurant with a dog-friendly patio. Can’t find anything in Lake Placid? Try nearby Wilmington.)
For Stow, consider Smugglers Notch State Park Campground or the town of Stow. (You can also check out 40 minutes away in Burlington. Downtown Burlington is super dog friendly!)
For Acadia National Park, consider Blackwoods Campground or the town of Bar Harbor. (Can’t find anything there? Try Ellsworth, Maine. Check out the Blue Hill Sunset Hike if you’re ever in Ellsworth. It’s an impressively dog-friendly place with 1/100th the population the Acadia!)
Lincoln (not to be confused with our dog of the same name) is in the middle of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. That’s why it’s a great place to start your dog journey.
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You could easily spend a week exploring this area of New Hampshire because there are so many great dog walks and fun places nearby! (We spent a month here and didn’t see everything on our list!)
But since we only planned one day to enjoy the White Mountains on this trip, here are our top recommendations for the best things to do.
This is a plus because you can drive the Concamagus Highwayon your way from Portland to Lincoln. (So, check this section whenever you plan to travel on the road. If you are not going full circle on this route, consider about two hours until the Driving the Concamagus Highway while in Lincoln.)
If you are driving in the snow, the Concamagus Highway will be one of the most beautiful stretches of road on your entire trip. And if you don’t come in the fall, it will come
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The Concamagus Highway is a 34 mile stretch of road between Lincoln, New Hampshire and Conway, New Hampshire. This is one of the most popular hikes in New Hampshire and one of the best places to fall in the United States. There are many views and paths on this beautiful road that will keep you busy on your journey, we recommend that you only stop at a few views and do not walk on this road under any circumstances. (We have another great one!) Tip: Visiting in the fall? Waking up early in the morning. This road gets crowded early, so either drive the night before or get up early to avoid long lines and heavy traffic on the way to your next destination. The Concamagus Highway is great, but ideally not the only activity of the day!
We’ll get you and your pup out of the car and into the woods! During our month in New Hampshire, we were the busiest hikers. Every weekend and most weeknights we went out to explore. Spending time outdoors on the trail is one of the best things to do in New Hampshire.
You can check out our favorite hikes in New Hampshire here, but if you want our top recommendation, we recommend going to Welch Dickey Mountain. About 4.4 miles long, this loop is a wonderful half-day hike with mountain views. It’s dog friendly, great exercise and great fun if you enjoy a variety of terrain from bear rock to forest trails.
If you are looking for this trail from either direction, look for the Welch-Dickey Loop Trail (not “Welch Mountain Rock Ledge” or “Welch and Dickey Mountain”). As you follow the entire path, you will see a rock slab
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And Welch and Dickey Mountain. We recommend going counter-clockwise so you can go uphill on the steeper parts. (This is especially helpful if it’s raining or if you’re traveling in the snow when there are leaves on the ground. Take your time; the ground can be slippery.)
Is it suitable for dogs? No doubt. Everything on this tour program is Lincoln (the dog) approved! Note that this route has some steep sections on exposed rock.
RTL Tip: Take it
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