If you’re traveling Route 66 and need a pet-friendly destination, you won’t do better than Flagstaff, Arizona.
The venerable Route 66 town not only is the best on the Mother Road, but in the entire country, according to a Blueprint study with USA Today.
The study reviewed the per capita number of dog-friendly lodging establishments, restaurants, bars, veterinarian offices, trails and beaches within 50 miles.
Flagstaff obviously flunks the beaches grade but scored high in other metrics.
Here’s what USA Today said about Flagstaff:
At an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet, Flagstaff is a four-season climate town with more than 260 days of sunshine each year. Based on available data, Flagstaff:
— Averages nearly 56 dog-friendly accommodation options per 100,000 residents, the highest concentration of dog-friendly accommodations.
— Offers around 132 dog-friendly trails.
— Has around 39 dog-friendly restaurants per 100,000 residents for you to choose from.
The California coastal towns of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara were ranked second and third respectively. No other Route 66 town cracked the top 20.
Flagstaff Business News followed up on the study:
Longtime Flagstaff resident Julie Pastrick, president and CEO of the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, is a big advocate of Flagstaff’s vast forests and nationally recognized Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS pronounced Foots), the second largest after Portland, Oregon.
“Flagstaff is noted as a mecca for huge outdoor recreation opportunities, from hiking, biking, walking, skiing, snowboarding or skating,” she said. “We have it all since we are situated in the largest ponderosa pine forest in the nation and because of accessibility to great parks, trails and mountain climbing.”
She added that runners and hikers alike enjoy the outdoor time with their dogs and there is nothing but “choice after choice of where to go” for outdoor enjoyment, depending on the amount of time you have.
“I think the above is a huge reason for the ranking,” she added. “I couldn’t be happier. I walk with my doggie on a leash all the time. She has as much fun as I do!”
The report states Charly’s Pub & Grill in the historic Weatherford Hotel along Route 66 has an outdoor patio that’s popular with dogs and their owners, including a Pup Menu.
It also cites the Americana Motor Hotel on Route 66 as pet-friendly, with a grassy walking area and a dog wash. The motel doesn’t charge an extra fee for dogs.
(Image of a dog lounging in a room at the Americana Motor Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona, by laurenmonet)