Popular seaside town Eastbourne named the UK’s best dog-friendly holiday spot
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Outdoor experts at The Hunting Terrain analysed availability of dog-friendly amenities in each location, such as pubs, cafes, shops, and hotels. The more places you can visit with your dog the higher the place ranked, with numbers scaled to reflect the area size.
Eastbourne, on the southern coast, was named as the best staycation destination in the UK for travelling with a dog. The town has 35 dog-friendly pubs, 57 shops, and 35 cafes and restaurants that you can bring your dog in to without issue.
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Hide AdThere are beaches, parks, and plenty of hotels or Airbnb options with great ratings to explore with your furry friend.
Next in the ranking was Brighton, another seaside resort with over 60 dog-friendly hotels on Booking.com, so there’s no shortage of places to choose from.
The third best dog-friendly staycation destination in the UK was Blackpool. This northern beach town is a great choice for enjoying a holiday with your dog, with five great dog-friendly beaches and over 40 hotels and B&Bs to check out.
Coming in at number four on the list was Bournemouth, another southern beach town that makes a fantastic destination for holidays within the UK. Here, you can find 13 dog-friendly beaches, and 46 locations to book through Booking.com.
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Hide AdFinally, rounding out the top five is Portsmouth. This city makes it easy to bring your dog along to any activities with you, as there are nearly six different beaches and 40 different dog-friendly pubs to enjoy.
The Top Ten Most Dog-Friendly Destinations in the UK
Destination | Index Score - Overall | Rank - Overall |
Eastbourne | 78.06 | 1 |
Brighton | 76.03 | 2 |
Blackpool | 66.92 | 3 |
Bournemouth | 65.41 | 4 |
Portsmouth | 64.94 | 5 |
Lincoln | 64.90 | 6 |
Norwich | 60.36 | 7 |
York | 58.22 | 8 |
Worcester | 57.21 | 9 |
Plymouth | 55.77 | 10 |
On the other end of the scale, we also have the UKs least dog-friendly staycation destinations. Here we see cities like Wolverhampton, which has almost no dog-friendly cafes, restaurants, or hotels listed.
Similarly, St Helen's only has one pub listed as being dog-friendly, meaning that if you were to take your dog on holiday with you to this town, you would struggle to find places to stay and eat.
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Hide AdFinally, Dudley was found to be the third least dog-friendly place in the UK, thanks to a lack of amenities that allow you to come in with your dog. There are still three hotels listed as being pet-friendly however, so at least there would be a few places to stay.
The Top Ten Least Dog-Friendly Destinations in the UK
Destination | Index - Overall | Rank - Overall |
West Bromwich | 25.15 | 82 |
Birkenhead | 24.49 | 83 |
Oldham | 24.35 | 84 |
Preston | 24.24 | 85 |
Mansfield | 24.18 | 86 |
Blackburn | 24.09 | 87 |
Basildon | 23.60 | 88 |
Wigan | 22.80 | 89 |
Dudley | 21.66 | 90 |
St Helens | 19.60 | 91 |
Wolverhampton | 19.54 | 92 |
Traveling with pets can be a great way to bring something new to the holiday experience, plus it means that you don’t have to struggle to find somewhere to board your dog whilst you go away. However, it also comes with additional complications.
Ethan King, spokesperson from The Hunting Terrain had this to say on the findings: “It comes as no surprise to me that seaside towns and cities would rank highest on our list of dog-friendly staycation destinations.
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Hide Ad“People love taking their dogs to the beach, and you’re more likely to find restaurants and cafes on the sea front that are more relaxed around pet owners. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find a good holiday spot away from the beach.
“When finding somewhere to travel to with your dog, just remember to do your research on whether there are going to be restaurants, pubs, shops, and even hotels that will allow you to bring your dog inside.
“It’s also super helpful to ensure that your dog is trained and non-reactive so that it is well-behaved whilst in these settings. Otherwise, you run the risk of being asked to leave, even if the venue is dog-friendly.”