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Packing your bags to visit Carmel-by-the-Sea doesn't mean Fido has to stay home. This National Dog Day, we're celebrating with the ultimate round-up of where to eat, play and stay in the #1 Dog-Friendly Town in America. After all, when it comes to four-legged travelers, Carmel treats them as VIPs!

Take your furry companion to experience all that Carmel-by-the-Sea has to offer. From sleepy mornings in a dog-friendly hotel, to fetch and swimming at Carmel Beach, to treats galore, there's no reason that your pup can't have as much fun as you do.

EAT
Dine with your dog, thanks to many of the dog-friendly restaurants in the village. In preparation for your stay, browse the variety of eateries that welcome puppy patrons with open arms.

For example, you can catch a bite at the historical Forge in the Forest serving up California fusion with a full dog menu! Enzo Ristorante Italiano has a beautiful covered outdoor patio for your pooch to relax as you dine, and Alvarado Street Brewery in Carmel Plaza offers a brewery and bistro experience for a tail-waggin' good time.

PLAY
Visit the beautiful dog-friendly, leash-free Carmel Beach where its white sands make the perfect grounds for a walk and swim with your dog. For an active afternoon, take your dog on the water with Carmel Surf Lessons as they've partnered with Life-Unleashed to bring surfing to the dog-friendly Carmel Beach with hour-long lessons and a surf camp for dogs.

If you're looking to explore the area, rent an e-bike from Mad Dogs & Englishmen Bike Shop and ask for a sidecar for your pet to cruise around the village's hilly streets.

No visit to Carmel-by-the-Sea is complete without shopping for unique and special mementos. Almost all shops and boutiques in the village are dog-friendly and even have water bowls, doggie treats and biodegradable bags. Diggity Dog and the Carmel Dog Shop are stocked full of collars, leads, apparel, treats and toys, so be sure to stop in for a souvenir.

STAY
During the mid-80s, Hollywood icon Doris Day, along with local businessman Dennis LeVett, assumed of the famed Cypress Inn. Day insisted that four-legged companions are as welcome as their humans, which helped put Cypress Inn on the map as the "pet friendliest" inn in the "pet friendliest" town in America. Accommodations like "Yappy Hour" and a full doggie menu are offered daily.

At the Carmel Country Inn all rooms welcome your furry companion. Svendsgaard's Inn also guarantees a howlin'-good time during your stay, with daily treats, dog beds and pet-sitting services to help your pet feel at home.

A NOTE FOR FURRY FRIENDS IN CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
As a reminder, we ask that you please pick up after your pooch and remember key safety practices for everyone's enjoyment of our village. For more information on traveling to Carmel-by-the-Sea with your dog, click here.