6 Paw-sitively Pet Friendly Cities Near Augusta, GA

Who knows if CNBC is truly accurate in this number (I think it might be closer to 95%) but they say that a full 73% of millennials currently own a pet. Jake and I definitely fit that mold. We own 3 pets, 2 kitties and a dog. The kitties do well being on their own, but our golden Autumn? Well, let's just say she's not as independent, ha. She is still very much attached at our hip, wants to be with mama or papa at all times. She is spoiled absolutely rotten, but hey, it is totally our fault. What can I say? She is our baby. Anywho, being that we travel as much as we do, we try to find places that we can bring Autumn as well, usually within driving distance. Being in the car already stresses her out, so we have not tested flying in a plane yet. I do not want to subject other travelers to her high pitched, nasal whine just yet. In any case, whenever we are feeling like taking a small trip, just to satiate the travel sting, we research places that are dog friendly, and let's be honest, when I say "we" I mean me of course *inserts upside smiley emoji*. Sometimes we just want to bring our woolly, little beasty along. Here are 6 dog-friendly cities in the South your furry companion can tag along to:

1. Augusta, GA

I had to give a shout out to where we live because there are SO many dog friendly places we have brought Autumn to. Both breweries in town, Savannah River Brewing Company and Riverwatch Brewery, allow you to bring your dog. If your dog wants something more outdoors, I definitely recommend Rae's Creek Aqueduct Park. I heard about this place through some friends at work, they had taken their dogs. You have to walk about a mile until you reach the actual aqueducts but trust me, it is absolutely worth it for your pup. Autumn is a retriever and retrievers are known water lovers. This girl was OBSESSED with that place. She had a blast. I was a little worried at first that the rocks would be slippery for her pace or that she would get caught between big rocks, but nothing like that happened. She was so content chasing her ball all over those aqueducts. Once it warms up, we will definitely be taking her again.

I also have to give a shout out to our boarding choice for when we do go out of town and can't bring Autumn. We drop her off at Dawg Tired. Jake and I work quite a bit so we want Autumn to get as much playtime as she can. We take her for doggy daycare about 3 times a week and if we need to board her, we drop her off there. Any time Autumn hears "you wanna go see your... puppy friends?" she loses her mind and runs to the front door because she KNOWS she is about to go to one of her favorite places on earth. That is how we know they treat her well and love her like she were theirs. Autumn is extremely expressive and we would know if she weren't comfortable with going there, but just a phrase about her favorite place gets her excited. We definitely recommend their daycare and boarding services.

2. Dahlonega, GA

If you are feeling a smaller town scenery, I would definitely recommend Dahlonega, about 1.5 hours north of Atlanta. Last year, I was looking for a place somewhat close by, that our newly family of 3 could go visit for a day or two around the holiday season. I found Dahlonega which is known for being fully decorated in lights and Christmas trees. We had dinner at an Irish restaurant Shenanigans, fully equipped with outside patio seating and doggy water bowls. The next day, we had breakfast at the cute Picnic Cafe and Dessertery follower by hiking at Cane Creek Falls.

Dahlonega

Dahlonega 3

Dahlonega 6

Dahlonega 4

3. Athens, GA

Athens has plenty of restaurants and breweries that are dog friendly. Take a stroll downtown, you will see a number of them with outdoor seating, and more than happy to accept your pupper. Jake and I met with my friend Adyam at Creature Comforts Brewing Co, with Autumn in tow. Autumn sniffed out a few other furry friends and had a great time with mama and papa. Athens also has a few trails to choose from at Sandy Creek Nature Center or Trail Creek Park.

Athens

Autumn athens

4. Asheville, NC

Asheville is not only known for the Biltmore and its breweries but also for being extremely dog-friendly. You can bring your dog to walk the grounds of the Biltmore. There are also two dog parks near downtown, the French Broad River Park and the Azalea Dog Park. When your pooch is tired out, head over to Three Dog Bakery for a fresh baked treat.

5. Savannah, GA

Walk down the famous Riverwalk with your best friend at your side. There are many restaurants with outdoor seating that are also pet friendly; some include: Huey's Restaurant and Tubby's Seafood. After lunch, you can head over to Emmet Park for some rumpus time (that's what we call playtime for Autumn). There is even a doggy water fountain at Ellis Square. Cool off after at Leopold's Ice Cream where your pup can enjoy a free sundae topped with a biscuit.

6. Greenville, SC

When we got in that afternoon, we went out for food and drink. We found a neat taproom called Pour Taproom where you check in up front, leave a credit card on file, and use an automated bracelet to track your own pours from a long wall of a variety of beers, ciders, and wines. Not only were we able to bring Autumn, there was another couple there with a pet pig! It was too cute. The next day, we took advantage of the great water. Falls Park on the Reedy was my favorite thing about this city; plenty of water for Autumn to play, beautiful flowers, and walking trails. This is a must-do with your dog. We had a late breakfast at Another Broken Egg Cafe (they have outdoor seating), then we went to the park. Just the walking around was enough to tire Autumn out but then we went down to the water. Again, her and water, she is obsessed. We could barely pull her away from there. But eventually we did and found a dog treat store Paw Paws.

Greenville 4

Greenville 2

I hope this list gives you a few of ideas for your next poochy friendly destination! If there are any cities that you have been to and recommend, please comment them down below! We are always looking for new places to explore especially where we can bring our goofy Duchess. For more recommendations, tips, and tricks, stick around or visit my Instagram @roadtripwithgoose and if you want more adorable puppy content, follow Autumn @GoldenGirlAutumn . Thank you so much reading, until next time folks.

Goose, out.

Woof.