When was the last time you went on a true family vacation, one in which all your immediate family members were able to participate in? Don’t answer too quickly, because when we ask about ALL your family, we are talking about the cutest, cuddliest, and most legged ones, your family fur baby, the one member that never judges and always loves but seems to be left behind during all the good stuff! If you can’t remember when you last took your pet on vacation with you, we at Mighty Tree Properties are happy to inform you that your Asheville getaway will be the change. All you need to do is choose one of our pet friendly rentals and follow this guide to the ultimate Asheville pet-friendly vacation in North Carolina!
Time to Play On Your Asheville Pet-Friendly Vacation
In a lot of towns, your only choices for playing will be hiking trails and dog parks, but when we say that Asheville LOVES your dog, we’re not just paying it lip service. We love all animals here in our mountain town, and although there are bark parks (French Broad River Bark Park is temporarily closed due to storm damage, but we hope to have it up and running again soon) and so many hiking trails that are dog-friendly (the Asheville Urban Trail and Craggy Gardens are two of our favorite hiking trails), we offer lots of other businesses in town that welcome pets!
Biltmore Estate, 1 Lodge Street
The Biltmore Estate is renowned in this area, and although you will not be able to bring Fido inside, they are very much welcome on the 250 acres of landscape, as long as they remain leashed while you roam!
Malaprop’s Bookstore, 55 Haywood Street
We are under the firm belief that every bookstore should have its own resident dog (or cat), and Malaprop’s Bookstore allows your pup to be its mascot while you are on the search for books. Leashed dogs are welcome in the book selling section, but please respect local health codes and avoid the café area, where dogs are not permitted.
Montford Park Players, 92 Gay Street (Summers Only)
Montford Park Players perform Asheville’s longest running Shakespeare festival, taking place every summer at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater, and dogs are invited to join you in the audience of this outdoor theater. In the winter months when the performances are brought back inside, no dogs are allowed.
Pet Friendly Events and Festivals
We always say that the best way to get to know the area you are visiting is by attending any of their festivals, and the ones we have listed below are open to humans and their four-legged friends!
Uncommon Market, 24 Fernihurst Drive, Last Saturday of the Month in April Through October
The last Saturday of the month is our favorite Saturday, as it is when the booths of the Uncommon Market open for business. Offering a curated selection of antiques, art, vintage décor, jewelry, and so many more wonderful items, we also love that this market permits leashed puppies to join in the shopping and browsing fun.
The Wizard of Paws Halloween Dog Parade ,30 Frederick Law Olmstead Way, October
Is there anything cuter than a parade of dogs in costumes? We certainly don’t think so, and we invite you to see for yourself by attending the Wizard of Paws Halloween Dog Parade, offering pups on parade and a variety of vendors selling dog related merch. Also offering live music and prizes for the best costumes, this fall event is certain to be one of your favorites!
Paws and Pumpkins at Biltmore Park Town Square, 1 Town Square Boulevard, October
This family friendly event is for everyone, offering trick-or-treating, a pumpkin patch, face painting, even a dog costume contest. Our favorite part of this dog friendly festival, however, is the dog adoption station, something you may want to avoid if you don’t want to go home with a new family member!
A Taste of the Town
Southern food is something special, if not exactly calorie friendly, and although you will want to spend some time exploring the luxury appliances in our pet friendly rentals, if you don’t explore the culinary landscape, you will be very disappointed with yourself! You won’t have to leave your sweet fur puppy home every time you go out to dine, as the restaurants listed below are pet friendly ones.
Breakfast at the Sunny Point Café, 626 Haywood Road
A Southern breakfast is a meal you will never forget, and Sunny Point Café is a family owned breakfast spot that encourages guests to bring their pooches along for the meal. Their menu is actually a little more upscale than you would think a café would serve, including carrot cake pancakes and Philly steak & eggs. But never fear, you will also find a true Southern staple on the pages of the menu, our favorite comfort food: biscuits & gravy. Offering a covered and heated patio (in addition to a standard patio) and staff that will fawn over your dog, this spot is a popular one!
Snack and Sip at Green Man Brewery, 27 Buxton Avenue
Even though Green Man Brewery doesn’t offer a kitchen, per se, they do provide a menu from which you can order food to be delivered to you, including tacos and sliders, perfect foods to accompany some of the best beer you have ever tasted. Even more importantly, however, is the realization that your darling dachshund is invited to join you inside OR outside!
131 MAIN, 308 Thetford Street
Steak and seafood is what’s for dinner at 131 MAIN, a high-end eatery that will fawn over Frank the Frenchie, providing bottomless water and endless pets for your pup. We hear that they will also provide a small plate of whip cream (the restaurant’s version of a pup cup) if you ask nicely enough!
French Broad Chocolate Lounge, 10 S Pack Square
Ok, it may feel a little cruel taking a dog to a chocolate lounge, but they do offer a variety of ice cream flavors that may be safe to share. Dogs aren’t allowed inside, but they are permitted on the patio, so be sure to add French Broad Chocolate Lounge to your restaurant bucket list!
Forgot Something?
Packing for a family can be an exercise in frustration, especially as you are supposed to remember that your youngest will only wear “soft” pants, your oldest hates closed-toed shoes, and oh yeah, the pup needs a leash. We can’t help with the first two issues, but if you forget a leash, dog food, or a fun squeaky toy, the places listed below will help you fill in the empty spaces in your dog’s wardrobe.
Patton Avenue Pet Company-Downtown, 109 Patton Avenue
Even if you didn’t forget something, Patton Avenue Pet Company is worth visiting, offering nutritional food, treats, leashes, harnesses, and a veritable paradise of doggy toys. Your fur child will feel like a prince or a princess after a visit to this fun store, and if your fur child accidentally rolled in something smelly, there are two self-service dog washes that will help you clean up.
PetSmart N Asheville, 150 Bleachery Boulevard
There’s something reassuring about being able to walk into your favorite store pretty much anywhere in the US and know that aisle 13 is where your loyal companion’s most favorite food will be. This is just one of the many things that make PetSmart popular with animal lovers all over the US, and if your dog has a sensitive stomach and can only handle one specific food, you can rest easy knowing it will be on its shelves. We know we don’t have to tell you that they also offer toys, treats, and accessories, but we will tell you that your pooch will be the best dressed at the Bark Park when you pick up a new leash at PetSmart!
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, 33 Town Square Boulevard #140
Your best boy or girl deserves some extra special treats after behaving so wonderfully while traveling south for the family vacation, and Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming is the place that will make them dance on their hind legs in total happiness! Offering gourmet doggie treats, food, and accessories that will make sweet Sadie the belle of the Bark Park, they also offer fantastic grooming services, if your pooch needs/deserves a spa day.
Just in Case
We sincerely hope you never need the information we are about to give you, but isn’t it better to be prepared in the unlikely case of something happening to your fur baby? It’s important to know where the nearest emergency vet may be, and in Asheville, you will have plenty of choices, including Animal Hospital East (1275 Tunnel Road) and Charlotte Street Animal Hospital (208 Charlotte Street). We really don’t have a preference between the two. Both offer quality care and staff that care about your pet almost as much as you do, but we do like the beautiful blue building in which the Charlotte Street Animal Hospital is located; it offers a James Herriot kind of charm!
Exploring Our Mighty Tree Properties Pet Friendly Rentals
We think we have given a pretty comprehensive peek into all the pet friendly fun you can have during your Asheville, North Carolina vacation, but we can’t forget to give you a tour of our comfortable, inviting, and oh so luxurious vacation escapes. There will be no sacrifices made when you choose Mighty Tree Properties, as all of our properties, pet-friendly or not, are certain to spoil all who reside within. Offering all of the comforts to help you feel at home and all the amenities to make you feel spoiled, these spaces are the best spots to begin and end your pet friendly vacation!
Easy and Convenient
Now, not all our pet friendly retreats will offer fenced yards, but enough will to ensure it should be easy to get what you need. In North Carolina, we tend to like our wide open spaces, but we do provide fences around pool areas, and in some cases, a portion of the yard will be fenced, offering the perfect place for your pooch to roam safely. And because we know how much you love to relax and play, these outside spaces may also feature private pools, hot tubs, and fire pits, as well as barbecue grills, outdoor games, and maybe even a hammock or two, offering the ideal spots in which to nap on a breezy afternoon.
These properties may be tucked away in a secluded lot, surrounded by trees, and offering a private vacation experience that soothes the soul, or they may be located in quiet family neighborhoods, still private, but the sounds of lawn mowers, children’s laughter, and the call of other dogs welcoming your sweet traveler to the neighborhood carry on the breezes.
Luxurious Delights
Inside, the luxurious extras will delight and amaze, with many properties offering game rooms furnished with gaming tables, arcade games, even video game consoles, or home theaters with supersized screens and rows of leather recliners for a magical at-home viewing experience. Comfortable furnishings will be found in every room. Nap on plush sofas in the living rooms with your pooch curled between your legs, sleep deep and dreaming happy as your pup does the same beside you, or simply sit on a comfy lawn chair, sip your favorite beverage, and watch the sun set behind the mountains. These wonderful moments of family, fun, and relaxation will ensure that your North Carolina vacation spent in the heart of Asheville will be one you never forget. Reserve your favorite Mighty Tree Properties pet friendly retreat today!