My dog Pepper has become an experienced road‑trip companion over the years. From a month‑long loop through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Nevada during her puppy days to a 2025 adventure across the Pacific Northwest, she’s explored more miles than many humans I know. Along with countless shorter trips around Northern California, these journeys have taught me exactly what to pack, what to leave behind, and how to make traveling with a dog smooth and enjoyable. In this guide, I’m sharing the essentials I always bring on a road trip with a dog, plus tips for finding dog‑friendly places to stay and eat along the way.
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Outline
- Before You Go: Road Trip Prep for your Dog
- Vet records / vaccinationsTest car setup before the tripMake sure you have plenty of food
- Car Maintenance
- Dog Road Trip Packing List (Essentials)
- Packing Organizers
- Giant Tote Bag
- Smaller sturdy Tote
- Zippered collapsible cooler
- Food and Water
- Food (Extra Days)
- Treats
- Collapsible bowls
- Water
- Ice packs / water bottles
- Safety and Car Essentials
- Harness and leash
- Running Leash (optional)
- Crate (optional)
- Lighted collar (optional)
- Comfort Items
- Dog Bed
- Favorite toys
- Blanket (optional)
- Health and Cleanup
- Poop bags (1 roll per week)
- Wipes
- Medications
- First Aid Basics
- Towel
- Packing Organizers
- How to Find the Best Places to Stay with a Dog
- Tips for Staying in Dog Friendly Hotels or Rentals
- Road Trip Tips for Traveling with a Dog
- What I’ve Learned from Travelling with my Dog
Before You Go – Road Trip Prep
As soon as I know I am taking a trip with my dog Pepper, I think about these things to make sure I am ready before I even start packing.
Vet Records / Vaccinations
Make sure your dog is up to date on vet visits and you have all necessary vaccinations for travel. I like to keep all of her files electronically, so I am able to access them on my phone, if needed.
If your dog has any medications, make sure you have plenty before your trip.
Test Car Setup Before the Trip
If a road trip with your dog is new, make sure to test the fit of any dog beds or the packing arrangement you plan on using to make sure there are no surprises when you are leaving.
Make sure you have Plenty of Food
Especially for long trips, make sure you have enough food for the trip, or plan to order some to arrive at your destination so you don’t run out. You don’t want to pack food at the last minute and find out you don’t have enough.
Car Maintenance
I always check on the maintenance of my car before any long trip. At least a month before (if I plan that far ahead) I think about how long it has been since I’ve had any servicing done on my car or had an oil change. At the very least, I do a visual inspection and pay attention when I am driving around town if everything sounds good, if it is running smoothly and if I need to take my car in before I hit the road.
What to Pack for a Dog on a Road Trip
It seems like my dog Pepper shouldn’t need much, but it surprises me every time I pack the car and she has more stuff than I do! For packing, I use a giant sturdy tote bag that I put most of her things in. I also have a smaller version of the same tote bag that I pack and keep next to one of the passenger doors in my car for easy access at road trip stops.
On road trips, I drive a small SUV and Pepper rides in the very back of the car. There is a blanket that I leave back there all the time. On the road trip, I put one of her favorite beds in the back for her. I also put her toys with her so she is super cozy for the trip.
Here is a breakdown of everything to pack for a dog on a road trip.
The Organizers
Over the years I’ve learned how I pack for Pepper. These are the bags I always take for her in the car
- Large sturdy tote bag – having a large sturdy bag with long straps makes it easy to carry over my shoulder when loading and unloading and is large enough to hold almost all of her essentials
- Small tote bag for easy access – I have a similar tote in a smaller size that I keep next to one of the backseat doors so I can easily access a small amount of food, treats, and water for Pepper during car breaks. I also toss in the small fanny pack that I take on daily walks.
- Zippered collapsible cooler – I pack plenty of snacks and water for driving days, and I like flexible zippered totes so that I can fold them up and store them once I reach my destination.
Food & Water
- Dog Food – I pack up to 2 weeks in zip-lock bags (I re-use them). If I am going to be gone longer than 2 weeks, I order a small bag of food to arrive at a location where I am on the trip, or plan to purchase at a pet store while I am on the trip.
- Dog Treats – I like to pack Ziplock bags (re-use then) with greenies and other treats for the trip.
- Bowls – I keep one of these collapsible bowls in my car and have another in one in the large tote that I will bring into my accommodation. I have a travel bowl with a lid since she often doesn’t finish her food if she is nervous about me packing. It is also handy if I am packing a meal for later.
- Water – I bring one gallon insulated jug of water in my car for Pepper and me that I use at road trip stops, plus smaller water bottles in the cooler.
- Ice packs / water bottles – I like these foldable water bottles that can freeze to be used as ice packs and then water bottles.
Safety and Car Essentials
- Harness and leash – I put her usual harness and leash on her.
- Running Leash (optional) – Depending on the trip, I pack a running leash that has a bungee on it and belt for me that it can clip to.
- Crate (optional) – Depending on the trip, sometimes I bring a crate for her. She has one that folds down and it fits in the backseat of my car vertically. Personally, I hate loading it in and out of the car, but it does give me peace of mind if I need to leave her somewhere that is unfamiliar to her that I can leave her in her crate where I know she can settle.
- Lighted collar (optional) – I like to bring her night collar for late night (or early morning) walks.
Comfort Items
- Dog Bed – I always bring Pepper’s favorite bed. I place it in the back of the car where she rides and bring it into hotels. She settles better when she has her own bed in a new place.
- Favorite toys – I always pack a few of Pepper’s favorite toys. Usually that means 1-2 stuffed animals, one check toy, and one rope toy.
- Blanket or sheet (optional) – Sometimes I pack an extra sheet or blanket. Some of the hotels I have stayed at with Pepper provided a blanket to use if your dog goes on furniture.
Health and Cleanup
- Poop bags – 1 roll per week
- Wipes – I keep a pack of these wipes in my car. If you have water and a towel you could omit the wipes.
- Medications – I pack her normal heartworm / flea and tick medication if she will need it on the trip. I also will pack other medications just in case. It has happened that she sprained her ankle on a trip and I used some carprofen that I had for her.
- First Aid Basics – I always travel with some first aid basics for myself and Pepper
- Towel – I have some old towels at home that have been downgraded to dog towels that I pack for Pepper. I bring her own towel since its often used for a wet or muddy dog. Even in hotels, extra towels are usually not provided for dogs. If you want a compact option, I travel with this travel towel in situations where I need a towel but want something super compact. It also works great for a small beach towel.
- Paw Balm – If she is going to be hiking a lot of running in snow I will bring some paw balm to protect her paws.
How to Find Dog-Friendly Places to Stay
My dog has stayed in homes with friends and family, in vacation homes, Home Exchange houses, and hotels. Wherever you are travelling, you can find the best place to stay with your dog.
Airbnb and Home Exchange
If you want to stay in a home with your dog, both Airbnb and Home Exchange have search filters you can toggle on to see only homes that allow pets. You will need to read the listing to see if they have limits (often only small dogs allowed), but it is super helpful to narrow down the choices. Pepper seems more comfortable in homes than hotels, and it is always nice to have a place with your own backyard.
Hotels
A great resource for searching dog-friendly hotels is Bring Fido. Booking.com also has a search feature that you can toggle on for hotels that allow dogs. I find I need to call hotels to confirm availability of dog friendly rooms and dog size restrictions, but those sites are where I start.
My favorite dog-friendly hotel chain is Kimpton. All of their hotels allow dogs of all sizes and there is no extra fee. Not to mention the Kimpton brand has unique boutique hotels in many cities. I have stayed in their hotels in Portland, New York, Savannah, Philadelphia, and Salt Lake City. Pepper enjoyed the friendly staff in Salt Lake City and I enjoyed the valet parking and having someone unload my car for me after a long day of exploring Utah.
If you are travelling to Boise, I had an excellent experience with Pepper at Sparrow and wrote a post about what to do for a day in Boise with a dog in Winter.
Tips for Staying in Dog Friendly Hotels and Rentals
After many road trips with a dog, here are my tips for what to do when you arrive at your destination to get your dog comfortable.
Go for a Walk When You Arrive
Leave time for a walk when you arrive, and scope out potty areas. When Pepper gets off her schedule from a long car ride or is just excited about her new destination, I often find myself on a walk at 5am and I am happier when I have the area scoped out beforehand.
Set up your dogs bed, food, and water
Plan to spend some time in your new accommodation with your dog. Sometimes Pepper settles in pretty quickly, and sometimes it takes her a little longer. She seems to be a little less settled in hotels than rental homes. I find if I spend some time in the room then she tends to settle in.
Road Trip Tips for Traveling with a Dog
Rest Stop Frequency – You know your dog best to know how often they need to go. Offer water at every stop. I also try to make a longer stop for a little walking if I am on the road for more than 4 hours.
Leaving a dog alone – Many accommodations like hotels have rules that a dog is never allowed to be left alone. If you are travelling solo with your dog, this can sometimes be challenging. Make sure your dog is settled before leaving them anywhere new. Also, remember that dogs are more sensitive to heat than we are. Your car will heat up fast, so do not leave a dog in a hot car alone.
Meal Timing – It is easy to get off schedule on a road trip. I try to keep meal times as normal as possible when on the road. If you won’t reach your accommodation by mealtime, bring one meal in a bag so that your dog can still eat at their normal time.
What I’ve Learned From Travelling with a Dog
Send things to my destination – I feel safer travelling with less stuff with me, plus its always easier when there is less stuff to load and unload at every stop. If I am planning to be somewhere for a while, I will often ship things directly to my destination, like dog food.
Plan for naptime – When I travel solo, I tend to pack my days full. With my dog, I need to remember that she is used to napping for a significant portion of the day. On road trips, I try to take some down time at least once a day to give her a chance to rest. Sometimes that is a long scenic drive, a long lunch on a patio, or just relaxing in my hotel room or the backyard of the house I am staying in.
Check dog friendly resources before travelling – I always do a bit of research ahead of time and save some dog friendly activities, local parks, and dog-friendly restaurants before I arrive. Bring Fido has recommendations in many cities, although I find I need to double check the accuracy. Some places that say they are dog-friendly only allow small dogs, so make sure to double-check the exact dog policy for hotels before you arrive.
Utilize local resources and get recommendations from your accommodation – I find one of the best resources for finding recommendations is asking the front desk staff at the hotel or my Airbnb host once I arrive. They likely live in the area and are used to making recommendations for visitors. I have found some great recommendations this way.
Happy Tails!
Traveling with your dog may take extra planning, but it’s absolutely worth it! If you’re anything like me, leaving your furry companion behind makes a trip feel incomplete. With the right preparation, road‑tripping together becomes an unforgettable experience. I hope this guide helps you feel confident and ready for your next adventure with your pup. If you give these tips a try or have your own to add, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Safe travels and enjoy the journey with your four‑legged friend!
For more posts about road trips with your dog, check out these posts:
Guide to Carmel-by-the-Sea with a Dog
If you want to know what I pack for myself, check out this post about my favorite travel gear.
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