Visiting a national park with a pet is not exactly pet friendly. In order to protect the natural balance, national parks, such as Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, Redwoods and Kings Canyon/Sequoia limit where pets can be taken and some, like Channel Islands, do not allow pets at all. Similarly, few in-park accommodations allow pets to stay in rooms or in cars.

However, there is one hotel in the Yosemite area that does a doggone good job at welcoming pets. The Yosemite View Lodge, a deluxe accommodation located at the national park’s west entrance (SR 140) allows pets to stay overnight with their owners in rooms, and the hotel offers a pet package that includes accommodations, a comfy loaner pet bed, a gourmet dog treat, a colorful bandanna and a tongue-in-jowl bedtime story to read to your dog that describes Yosemite pet dos and don’ts. The rooms at The View, as it is known locally, are among the nicest in the Yosemite area and feature fenced balconies or patios, kitchenettes, fireplaces, double showers and many come with large in-room whirlpool tubs.