- New research has revealed which areas have the best holiday accommodations for dog owners – Eastbourne is top of the list
- The findings analysed the availability of relevant dog-friendly amenities in each area to discover where is best for our furry friends
- Eastbourne, Brighton, and Blackpool came out on top, whilst St Helen's and Wolverhampton were found to be the least dog-friendly
- An expert offers advice on how to find the best staycation spots for you and your dog this summer
New research has revealed which UK spots are the best staycation destinations for dog owners, following the recent news of a potential record-breaking heatwave in the summer.
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.
There 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.
Finally, 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.
Finally, 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 |