Pet-Friendly Places

Don’t worry, we understand. You’re planning a family vacation, and your pet is part of the family. Not a problem here in St. Petersburg/Clearwater. Your best friend is welcome and will have plenty to wag or purr about.

Places to Stay

The first thing to take care of is a comfortable night’s sleep, and you’re covered here whether Spike or Fluffy prefer rooms that are luxurious, charming or simply economical.

On the snazzier side, the Clarion Inn & Suites, Clearwater, Innisbrook, a Salamander Golf & Spa Resort in Palm Harbor or the Loews Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach are prepared to host you and your pet. The area is full of bed and breakfasts and inns that will provide that touch of “just-so,” and Gulfport’s Sea Breeze Manor, Snug Harbor Inn in Madeira Beach and LaVeranda in downtown St. Petersburg are among the many with the welcome mat out for animals. And numerous motels, either independent or with a national name, allow pets. The Cavalier Resort Motel in Clearwater Beach and the Sunbay Motel in Tarpon Springs are two excellent examples.

You can specifically search for accommodations properties that allow pets on this website.

Things to Do

As you might expect, the great outdoors is as natural spot for you and your pet to have fun. Just perfect then, to have such amazing natural resources at your disposal.

If your dog likes to take to the waves with you, try the dog beaches at Tierra Verde’s Fort De Soto Park and Dunedin’s Honeymoon Island State Park.

For some tail wagging among friends, there are dog parks at A.L. Anderson Park in Tarpon Springs, John Chesnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor, Sand Key Park in Clearwater, Walsingham Park in Largo and Boca Ciega Millennium Park in Seminole. Well-behaved, furry friends on leash are always welcome on the Pinellas Trail.

And if you love the great American pastime of baseball, look to Clearwater’s Bright House Field for “Bark at the Ballpark Nights,” specially scheduled by the Clearwater Threshers, a minor-league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies that plays in the Florida State League. The event is a fundraiser for the Humane Society, with the $5 admission going to the society.

Shopping

While there are no hard-and-fast rules in place, you’ll find plenty of pet-welcoming business owners in the area’s various shopping districts. Along Eighth Avenue in Pass-a-Grille, for example, the vegan Vida cafe welcomes pets for outside dining, and the street is lined with places to tie a leash while you browse. Similar scenes abound in Tarpon Springs, Gulfport, Corey Avenue in St. Pete Beach and John's Pass between Treasure Island and Madeira Beach.

Dining

Dining out is more fun when your pet is part of the party.

South St. Petersburg’s Chattaway Drive In (727-823-1594) is known for its casual atmosphere, its burgers and grouper sandwiches, and for live music on the patio; they’ll bring a water bowl for your pup. Safety Harbor’s Taste Café (727-723-1116) on Main Street has an ever-evolving menu, and well-behaved canine companions are always welcome at its street-side tables and outdoor patio.

Up for a Happy Hour? When the dog’s with you, it becomes Yappy Hour. The Dunedin Brewery hosts regular pet-friendly get-togethers.

And for dessert, point toward Paciugo (727-209-0298) on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete for a gelato run. The view from the patio takes in Straub Park and the bobbing boats on the Bay, there are samples available for your pet (Tre Vaniglie and Pannacotta are said to be favorites), and there’s a jar of dog biscuits by the cash register.