Super Dog Friendly Boone, NC Makes a Great Dog Vacation

Have you heard about Dog Friendly Boone, NC? Well, let me tell you a bit about it.

As many of you know, traveling with my dogs is one of the highlights of my life. Whenever I venture throughout my town or a road trip outside of my state, I love bringing them. I actually do not know who enjoys these trips more, me or the pups. When we head out together, we generally go hiking, go to parks, we shop, and we even go to restaurants together. The bond we all have from these shared times is something I would not give up for anything in the world.

One of my most recent road trips, with my companions, took us to the mountains of North Carolina. Like me, my canines love being outdoors and active. Mountain treks just happen to be our most favorite pastime. Consequently, a trip to Boone was on the agenda and it did not disappoint.

Boone has so many things to do with your dog. Below are just some of the things we had the chance to do together that we enjoyed. To me, these are our most favorite dog-friendly things to do in Boone, NC.

Dog Friendly Restaurants Boone, NC

I am a big fan of dining with my pups whenever possible. We enjoy sitting at an outside table while we people watch or just enjoy the weather. Sometimes my dogs will eat with me as well. Some restaurants will offer food for the dogs, while others offer water only. Either way, it is a nice time spent together.

Most towns and cities have plenty of outside dining areas that allow a canine companion to accompany you as you eat.  And dog-friendly Boone makes it a breeze to find a place. Here are some dog-friendly restaurants in Boone, NC, with outdoor seating that we had the chance to enjoy.

Stick Boy Kitchen – Dog Friendly Boone, NC

We started our day eating at Stick Boy Kitchen located at 211 Boone Heights Dr, Boone, NC 28607. There are plenty of outdoor tables available to dine with your dog. Go inside to order. Then, they will bring the food to your table. Stick Boy Kitchen has dog water bowls set up for your thirsty canine companion.

If you are searching for Vegetarian Restaurants in Boone, they have you covered. For breakfast, I had the Mount Arti Sandwich. This sandwich comes with organic spinach, topped with fried potato cake, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, basil pesto with feta cheese. Generally, this breakfast comes with two eggs. However, I substituted the eggs for tempeh. The breakfast sandwich was both vegetarian and delicious.

Mount Arti Sandwich with Tempeh

Stick Boy Kitchen’s hours are Monday-Saturday 7 am-8 pm. They are closed Sundays

Wild Craft Eatery – Dog Friendly Boone, NC

For lunch, we headed to Wild Craft Eatery. They are located in downtown at 506 West King St, Boone, NC 28607.

So, there is an outside patio that is dog friendly. However, if other dogs are present, there is a chance of being turned away. As per a sign at the patio entrance, they only allow a limited number of dogs. If you dine on a cooler day or during off-peak hours, bringing your canine companion should not be an issue.

The food was tasty, with vegetarian options available.  In fact, Wild Craft’s Eatery’s website boasts Amazing Vegan, Vegetarian & Gluten-Free Meals. I would agree that the food was well above average. I tried the Cusco Cakes. This lunch dish is made with smoked gouda, yams, red peppers and corn. It is served over black beans with chipotle queso, plantains, tomatoes, and sour cream. This meal is considered vegetarian and gluten-free.

They have a very good homemade hot sauce that worked so well on their food. Luckily for me, the hot sauce was available for purchase. I am enjoying it now on my burrito at home as I write this blog post.

Wild Craft Eatery is open Weekdays 11 am-9 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am-10 pm and closed on Tuesday.

Mint Cuisine of India – Dog Friendly Boone, NC

For Dinner, I had the pleasure of dining with my pups at Mint Cuisine of India.  It took me a bit of research to learn that dogs were welcome at the outdoor tables and that vegetarian and vegan options were available. Sadly, their website is in need of an update. However, the food was tasty, and the staff was super nice to my traveling dogs.

If you are like me and have either a vegan or vegetarian diet, this place is perfect for you. There are separate sections on the menu detailing their vegan and vegetarian food available

Mint Cuisine of India is located at 203 Boone Heights Dr, Boone, NC 28607. Their hours are

• Monday – Friday – 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
• Monday – Friday – 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• Saturday – Sunday – 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Saturday – Sunday – 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Dog Friendly Activities Boone, NC

There is no shortage of dog-friendly activities throughout Boone, North Carolina.  Just about everywhere we visited, there were people with their dogs. It was nice to see areas, like downtown, having dog bag stations available to get a free waste bag.

Parking is a cinch with two types of parking available. First, metered parking is available on the street. Second, there is a public lot available. For us, the public lot was the best choice. It was simple and convenient. This parking lot is located at the corner of Depot Street and Queen Street. For more information, here is a link to a map of the downtown area.

Read below about some things you can do with your dog in Boone.

Dog Friendly Shopping Boone, NC

Just a quick stroll downtown will give you a dog-friendly activity. There are many shops to visit and even places to eat, such as The Wild Craft Eatery that we spoke about above.

While downtown, we did have the pleasure of shopping at Footslogger located at 139 Depot St, Boone, NC 28607. This store is an Outdoor and Travel Outfitters and the staff could not be more dog-friendly. Pups are welcome to walk the store. But be aware, some staff members may stop to pet and love on your dog.

Dog Friendly Hiking Boone, NC

There are way too many dog friendly hiking trails in Boone, NC to list.  So instead, I will list my favorite trail inside of Boone. The trail we liked is called Boone United Trail.

Here is the absolute easiest way to find this trail. Start by using this address:  471 New Market Blvd, Boone, NC 28607 This address will take you to the Boone United Methodist Church. The Boone United Trail is located in its parking lot. Drive to the left of the church to the end. That is where you will find the trail.

At the trailhead, you will see a for the BUMC Boy Scout Troup. A nit up the trail, you will see another sign that reads: Welcome to the Boone United Trail.

This trail is a 2.5-mile loop and is not well defined. There are some markers to follow. But the best methodology to hike this trail is to follow the indentations left by other hikers.

Boone United Trail

Early on there is a small water crossing and some stairs to climb.

Stairs in Boone United Trail

Dog Friendly Things to Do Close to Boone

As you can see there are many things to do in dog-friendly Boone, NC. But there are also many things to do in close proximately that both you and your dog will love. One area is called Blowing Rock, NC. This town is only about eight miles from Boone. Here are some things to do in this neighboring town.

Dog Friendly Blowing Rock, NC

While in blowing Rock, actually visit The Blowing Rock located at 432 Rock Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605. This park offers a gentle stroll with great views. The price is $7 per person. Go inside, with your dog, and pay at the counter. Then, walk through the door on your right to enter the park.

The Blowing Rock – Dog-Friendly

Next, head to downtown Blowing Rock, which is about a five-minute drive away. The downtown area boasts store lined streets that you can walk with your dog. Footslogger has another dog friendly store located here.

If you want to visit, the address is 921 Main St, Blowing Rock, NC 28605. The employees at this location are just as friendly to the pups. In fact, this location had its own dog wandering the store as well.

Right in downtown Blowing Rock is a trail I fell in love with called the Glen Burney Trail.

The trailhead and the parking lot are located at 243 Laurel Ln, Blowing Rock, NC 28605. It sits just off Main Street. The sign at the trailhead reads the following distances. * The Ruins 0.4 Miles. * Cascades 0.8 Miles. Glen Burney Falls 1.2 Miles. * Glen Marie Falls 1.6 Miles. These distances are one way. So, remember when hiking this trail, you must return for the same distance. The trail to each destination is downhill. So, keep in mind that this means your return trip will be uphill. There are some rocks and roots to walk over, which adds to the hike in my opinion.

Glen Burney Trail Pup Hike

Water  – Glen Burney Trail

Dog Friendly E.B. Jeffress Park-The Cascades Trail

The Cascades Trail was another cool trail to hike with the pups. I could not locate an address for this 1.2-mile trail. Use google maps on your phone. Or feel free to use these directions. The trail is near milepost 217.9 on the Blue Ridge Parkway (US 421) Purlear, NC 28665. There are some stairs to navigate. But overall this is a fairly easy trail to navigate.

Cascades Trail

Bridge at the Cascades Trail

Dog Friendly West Jefferson, NC

Approximately thirty-seven minutes from Boone is the town of West Jefferson, NC.  This town is not only worth a visit it is also very dog-friendly.

Take a stroll down Jefferson Ave, in downtown West Jefferson.

Shopping – South Jefferson Avenue

There are many dog-friendly stores in West Jefferson. Stores such as the Simple Life Antiques located at 03 South Jefferson Avenue West Jefferson, North Carolina 28694. Here, you can shop for antiques with your dog at your side.

You can also shop at Bull’s Boots and Western Wear located at 201 Back Street, West Jefferson, NC 28694. Well behaved dogs are always welcome.

If western wear is not your thing, pop on over to Mountain Outfitters located at 102 S Jefferson Ave, West Jefferson, NC 28694

Mountain Outfitters – No sign but open for business

If you are ready for a bite to eat, go to Boondocks Brewing, located at 108 S. Jefferson Ave, West Jefferson, NC 28694. There you can sit on the patio with your dog.

Dog Friendly Hiking West Jefferson, NC

Close to downtown West Jefferson is Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.

The address is 1481 Mount Jefferson State Park Road, West Jefferson, NC 28694. This park is a great place to hike with the pups. There are overlooks for Sunrise Viewings and Sunset Viewing.

Rhododendron Trail in Mount Jefferson State Natural Area

Here are the trails available to hike.

• Lost Province Trail:  0.75 Mile – Moderate  – Blue Triangle
• Mountain Ridge Trail: 2 Miles – Strenuous  – Red Circle
• Rhododendron /Track Trail: 1.1 Miles – Moderate – Red Circle
• Spur Trail: 0.5 Mile – Moderate – White Triangle
• Summit Trail – 0.3 Mile – Strenuous – Green Diamond

As you can see, Boone North Carolina and the surrounding areas are very dog-friendly. There is just so much to do from shopping to hiking, visiting parks and even dining. I hope you take some time to visit this area with your dog. I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.

If you are traveling to Tampa Florida, check out this post about the Top 10 Best Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Tampa Bay.

Also – Check out our Tips on Traveling with Your Dog.