What’s your pleasure? Cozy inns and memorable meals? Pre-holiday shopping? Wine tasting? You’ll find them all in Healdsburg, a charming and walkable town built around a plaza at the heart of the Russian River Valley. Scores of wineries are within easy striking distance of Healdsburg, but there are so many dog-friendly restaurants and tasting rooms in town (we’re partial to canine-welcoming Topel and Portalupi right on the square) that you might not even get into your vehicle until it’s time to go home.
Go in fall or winter to score off-season rates and specials at dog-friendly lodging properties such as the Best Western Plus Dry Creek Inn (where dog-friendly, motel-style rooms open onto the parking lot for quick exists with your gotta-go pet), the stylish h2hotel near the downtown plaza, or Healdsburg Modern Cottages adjacent to the dog-friendly and highly regarded Barndiva restaurant. The Camellia Inn, a luxurious, Victorian-era bed-and-breakfast also welcomes four-legged guests.
Dining with Daisy can be a challenge in cool weather, but depending on conditions, she can join you on the patios of popular restaurants such as Barndiva, Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar or Sake 'O. Be sure to call ahead to see if the patio is open or if a table can be set and a heater lit just for you and yours.
Wherever you stay, be sure to stop by Fideaux for housemade treats and canine accessories, and Healdsburg Dog House, where you can treat your pup to a cup of lap-happy doggie ice cream. The hilltop Villa Chanticleer Dog Park, meanwhile, is a great place for your pup to mingle with local four-legged residents and run off steam.
Photo Credit: @rocky_romero
