Are you one of those people who would rather stay in than spend the day away from your furry bestie? Honestly, we get it. That’s why we’ve found a whopping 18 dog friendly days out. So, what’s stopping you? Check out these top days out with dogs.
Good to know: Whilst we’ve found that all of these attractions are dog-friendly, it’s best to double check online before you visit and find out which facilities they have on-site. Organisations like National Trust and English Heritage have guides on dog-friendly locations – these are perfect to check out before you visit.
We’re starting off with a pretty spectacular option for a dog friendly day out. The good news is that dogs are welcome and can enter of the buildings at Weald & Downland Open Air Museum (with the exceptions of the watermill, Newdigate bakehouse, Dairy and Winkhurst Tudor kitchen, where food is prepared.
Now this one was literally designed for you and your pooch to enjoy. The Maldon Canine Dip and Dive is quite simply a 32ft outdoor swimming pool for dogs! You can join them for a swim too if you really fancy. Located in Maldon, Essex they offer a variety of sessions from solo swims, puppy paddles to chilled out sessions for senior dogs.
Bet you didn’t think you could hop on a boat across the Thames with your dog but alas Thames River Sightseeing is one of our favourite London days out with dogs. Whether you fancy grabbing one of their 2 Day River Passes (that’ll give you unlimited travel for two whole days) or a handy journey from Westminster to Greenwich or Westminster to Tower Bridge Quay, you and your furry friend will love it onboard.
If you’re in the market for a super-relaxing dog friendly day out, this is the place for you. This is the perfect opportunity to breathe in the wonderful lavender aromas while exploring the fields and farm – and you can keep the memories forever by picking lavender (for just £4 a bag).
Good news – dogs are allowed anywhere on the Hitchin Farm as long as they’re kept on a lead and are cleaned up after.
This community-based charity farm makes for a fab day out (and it’s tucked into central London too) - keep your doggos on a lead and they’re free to explore the whole plot at your side. Wander past loads of cute farm animals and explore all the park has on offer When it comes to days out with dogs this one is a real winner because your furry friends are welcome in the café too!
As the name suggests, this miniature railway journey takes you around the lake at Ruislip Lido – taking you in and between the ancient Ruislip Woods. Pick where you want to start and end your journey from the two stations on the route – and of course, dogs are allowed on the trains. You and your furry friends can expect to spend about 35-minutes on the 2.5-mile round-trip journey. Oh, and this dog friendly day out just got better – there's a dedicated dog beach nearby to check out.
Without a doubt, one of the top London attractions of all time – and as a dog-friendly day out – Tower Bridge had to make it onto this list. It's London's only major dog-friendly attraction. You and your canine partner can climb the iconic Towers and discover the stories of the people behind Tower Bridge, from the architects to the engineers, coal stokers to the women working on-site. There are a couple of rules so make sure you read them in advance!
Located just south of London, Mayfield Lavender Farm is a 25-acre spot worth a visit during summer months. The lavender starts to bloom towards the middle/end of June and is at its peak during July and August – so that’s when we’d recommend heading over for a visit.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome (although they must be kept on a lead at all times) - so this one is another great day out with dogs.
This adorable farm is a working city farm and charity which encourages the whole community to learn about local farming, food production as well as the natural environment. Explore the plot and meet all kinds of farm friends – think goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys and many many more. FYI this wonderful spot for days out with dogs relies on donations to stay open for visitors for free – so please donate if you can!
A lesser known London museum - Brunel Museum celebrates the engineering masterpiece by Marc Isambard Brunel that is the Thames Tunnel: the first underwater tunnel ever built in the world. Even less people know that well-behaved dogs are welcome there. Only well-behaved pooches will be allowed to enter the premises.
Check out this stunning castle (established by William the Conqueror back in the day) which was partially destroyed during the English Civil War – it's one hell of a majestic ruin. If you’d rather wander around than hear any historic quips, the Purbeck Hills make for the perfect gentle stroll with views as far as the Isle of Wight. Dogs will just love walking over and around the rolling chalk hills (and the ancient burial mounds).
Oh, and if you feel like making your visit to this dog friendly day out extra special, make sure to bring lunch withyou and set up at the Old Mill Picnic Area (right next to scenic views of the Corfe River).
As if visiting this iconic tourist attraction wasn’t enough, you can bring your furry friends here too.
Oh, and if you’re impartial to a café trip (as are we), the good news is that your dogs can join you in here too! There’s a dog-friendly seating area located on the ground floor of the café (only assistance dogs are permitted upstairs).
These stunning castle ruins make for a super dog friendly day out – and it’s perfect for history lovers too. The walls that remain on the historic site are pretty big, but it doesn’t to justice to the Kenilworth Castle once stood tall in the West Midlands. There’s plenty of walking to be done too (which your four-legged friends will just love). Dogs are welcome across the Kenilworth Castle site – unfortunately except for the tea rooms.
Now you can’t find spots much more stunning than Tintangle Castle – seriously, look at those dramatic cliff edges and picturesque rolling hills (not to mention the castle itself). This fantastic dog friendly day out is also the perfect spot to immerse yourself in a bit of history and myth - being the birthplace of the legend of King Arthur.
Never thought of bringing your pooch to a theme park before? Well that’s about to change. Head on over to Flamingo Land for a dog friendly day out like no other. The good news is that your furry friends will be welcome across most of the park (except for the zoo, Children’s Planet or Splish Splosh) - so you’re in for a treat of a day. This ain’t a tame theme park either, head over to the Mumbo Jumbo (for a 112-degree vertical drop and two inversions) or Kumali (for four inversions at a top speed of 56mph) - unfortunately, pooches not recommended to join you on these.
Yet another awesome family theme park you can bring your furry friends along to, Flambards Cornwall is another great dog-friendly day out. Obviously, your pups aren’t permitted to hop on the rides but (dogs on a lead) are welcomed to explore the park – except for undercover areas.
It’s not all rollercoasters and rides here too, don’t miss out on their award-winning indoor attractions like their life-sized Victorian Village (with over 50 sets and scenes to explore).
For almost 700 years, the Gothic 13th century abbey stood tall over the cutesy coastal town of Whitby. Dogs (on leads) are welcome to explore the English Heritage site alongside their owners – you've just got to check out those stunning views of the coastline.
If you’re a bit of a history buff, you’ll love the gems we’re about to share... The abbey was first founded in about AD 657 by King Oswy of Northumbria, then re-founded after the Norman Conquest and remained at the centre of religious life until it was suppressed in 1539. And this is just a taster – a visit to Whitby Abbey will have you exploring even more history with your furry friends.
Fancy visiting a proper pretty bit of architecture in a spot where your pooch can roam free off the lead (under close supervision, of course)? Well, Marble Hill is just the place for you. The house and grounds make for one of the best days out with dogs – and with all that parkland to explore, it’s not hard to see why.
Oh, and some extra good news – they have designated dog-friendly areas in the café, so they get to join in on all the fun.