Pet-Friendly Travel in Staunton, VA
When looking to travel in the summer, it’s important to bring the whole family. That is why The Blackburn Inn & Conference Center welcomes dogs of all shapes and sizes! Whatever your travel plans look like, Staunton has amazing opportunities to bring your pet along. There are pet-friendly restaurants, activities, and events for you to enjoy!
Restaurants
With your pup, you can enjoy our Second Draft Bar & Bistro during your stay. Along with our pet-friendly patio, Second Draft Bistro offers a rotating tap list of craft beers, ciders, and wines. Here, we focus on southern hospitality and ensure our dishes focus on local, Shenandoah Valley ingredients. You may enjoy one of our fabulous starters, or even try the weekly Chef’s Dinner Special on Friday and Saturday nights. You can review our full current breakfast and dinner menus here.
There are a few other pet-friendly restaurants around Staunton as well. If you like a Mexican-American taqueria, you can try out Chicano Boy with their dog-friendly porch seating. If you’re a craft beer connoisseur, Redbeard Brewing has over 25 beers on tap! Here you can sit outside in the beer garden with your pup.
Activities
At The Blackburn, our beautiful grounds offer the perfect space to play with your pup. With more than 80 acres of picturesque outdoor space, it is a great home-base for all of your travel needs.
When traveling in the summer months, you may love to get outside. As Staunton is placed perfectly within the mountains of the Shenandoah Valley, there are lots of great trails and hikes close by. If you’re looking for the closest pet-friendly trail to The Blackburn, check out the Augusta Springs Wetland Trail. This trail is a 0.8 mile loop, located in the Augusta Springs Wetland Park.
For more intermediate hikers, there are a few hikes that are less than 30 minutes away from The Blackburn, located in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. First is the Kennedy Ridge Trail. This is a 9 mile out-and-back trail that is popular for birding, hiking, and walking. It is a pretty straight path, but is known to get a little steep in some areas, so make sure you and your furry friends are prepared!
If you’re an advanced hiker, the Cellar Mountain trail might be for you and your pup. It is a little further of a drive into the Saint Mary's Wilderness region, but offers some great views. It is 6.4 miles long with a 1,938 ft elevation gain.
For all of the history buffs out there, a visit to the Gypsy Hill Park may be a great addition to your travel plans. This 214-acre multi-use recreational destination is located in the heart of Staunton, and would be the perfect place to take your pet. Gypsy Hill Park used to be the source of Staunton’s water supply via underground springs during the 1800s. Now, Gypsy Hill Park is loved by the people of Staunton, and includes many features like a dog park, fishing options, and grills and picnic tables! The dog park has two enclosures: one for small dogs (under 30 lbs) and one for large dogs (over 30 lbs). Each section has ladders, tunnels, and benches for human visitors.
If you’re a history buff, looking for a museum to visit, look no further than Staunton’s Frontier Culture Museum. The Frontier Culture Museum is the biggest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley. If you’re planning a visit, the museum offers covered kennels that can be rented for the day, where you can visit your pet, and even have them join you for lunch!
With so many great activities and restaurants for you to enjoy with your pup, it is important to have a place to relax and stay with them on your travels in Staunton. For more dog-friendly locales to visit, check out Visit Staunton. For more information on how to stay at The Blackburn with your furry friends, click here to review our pet policy. We love having your pets with us as much as you do. Book your pet-friendly stay at The Blackburn Inn & Conference Center today!