Mountain Charm: Dog-Friendly Asheville

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Mountain Charm: Dog-Friendly Asheville

If you’ve read any articles over the past few years covering top cities to visit in the United States, you’ve likely read about Asheville, North Carolina. Between the breathtaking mountain views, artistic locals, thriving restaurant and brewery scene...it’s a one-of-a-kind place. Even better, it’s also the perfect playground for your pup to tag along when you visit and here’s why:

Tail-Wagging Welcome

Asheville is determined to win itself the title of Dog City USA so they opened the first Dog Welcome Center in the country. Stop by on your way in for a warm greeting, goody bags, dog-friendly ice cream and more.

Sit, Stay: Accommodations

Aloft Asheville Downtown is a great place to stay when you bring your beloved pet along for the trip. At no additional expense, rooms with furry guests are set-up with a dog bed, water bowl and dog treats from a local bakery (more to come on that), plus morning potty breaks and playtime can be had on the rooftop of the hotel which is decked out with play pens.

If you prefer a more “home-away-from-home” vibe, Barkwells Dog Lovers Retreat is the place for you. Located about 20 minutes outside of Asheville, the luxury rental homes are set-up especially for furry guests. Each cabin or cottage has a fully fenced backyard where you can securely play an off-leash game of fetch or frisbee, plus 20 acres of meadows to explore, along with a pond where dogs are welcome to swim.

Eats & Treats

The Twisted Laurel restaurant has a special menu just for dogs that includes appetizers, entrees and dessert. There’s a spacious outdoor patio conveniently located by Pack Square Park, which regularly holds festivals, concerts, craft shows and more to enjoy.

Asheville alone hosts 26 craft breweries, which is the most per capita in the United States. Thankfully a lot of them have adopted the dog-friendly attitude and allow pets on their patios to enjoy the experience, minus the beer, alongside their humans. Here’s a few to pick from but the list goes on and on: Wicked Weed Brewing, Wedge Brewing Company, Highland Brewing Company, Twin Leaf Brewery, Green Man Brewery, and High-Wire Brewing.

While there’s nothing here for humans, Three Dogs Bakery should definitely be one of your stops during your visit to Asheville. They are the world’s first full-functioning bakery for dogs and use only 100% human-grade ingredients. Remember the treats provided by a local bakery at Aloft? You guessed it, Three Dogs!

Activities

One of the more well-known destinations in Asheville, North Carolina is the historic Biltmore Estate. After you and your pup explore the extensive grounds and 250 acres of landscaped gardens you can pop into Antler Hill Village which has plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating.

Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar is a unique spot in downtown Asheville where you can browse over 22,000 new and used books for sale with your pet by your side. Once you’ve found a new read you’ll head right to the Champagne bar where they serve wine, beer, espresso and small plates to nibble on. Don’t worry...treats for your companion are provided by the dog-loving staff.

The title of Dog City USA isn’t far out of reach for Asheville, North Carolina when you consider the abundance of things you’re able to do with your best friend along for the ride. Any time you visit a dog-friendly city, don’t forget to share your adventures with us on Instagram!

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