Lancaster County is easier to visit with a dog than most tourist regions: the scenery is farmland and small towns, much of the best sightseeing happens outdoors or from the car, and a solid handful of hotels, inns, and campgrounds genuinely take pets rather than merely tolerating them. The catch is that pet rooms are usually a limited block, so lodging is the thing to lock in first. Here is where to stay and what to do once the dog is checked in.
Pet-friendly hotels
Eden Resort & Suites (Lancaster)
The county's full-service resort option with dog-friendly rooms, multiple restaurants, and indoor and heated outdoor pools. A good fit if one person wants resort amenities while the other walks the dog.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lititz (Lititz)
A pet-friendly hotel a short drive from downtown Lititz, with the free-breakfast convenience of the brand and quick access to both Lititz and the Route 30 attractions.
La Quinta Inn & Suites (Ronks)
Pet-friendly rooms in the middle of the Amish Country tourist corridor, minutes from Bird-in-Hand and Strasburg, with an indoor heated pool and free hot breakfast.
Sleep Inn & Suites Lancaster County (Mountville)
West of Lancaster city with a limited block of pet-friendly rooms, a fitness center, and a seasonal outdoor pool. Call ahead; "limited" means they can sell out on busy weekends.
Lancaster Inn & Suites (Manheim)
A budget-friendlier option in the north of the county with limited pet rooms and Sight & Sound theater packages.
B&Bs and farm stays that take pets
Historic Smithton Inn (Ephrata)
An Ephrata bed and breakfast with pet-friendly rooms and an on-site wine bar that runs wood-fired pizza and live music on weekends. One of the few B&B options in the county that says yes to pets.
Churchtown Manor Farm Guest House (Narvon)
A guest house on 100 acres of farmland in the quiet eastern end of the county. The owners are direct about it: pet friendly, bring him along. Hard to beat if the goal is a dog with room to run.
Camping with the dog
Red Run Campground (New Holland)
Cabins, RV, and tent sites with a fishing lake, pool, and playground. Pet friendly with a two-pet limit, which is more generous than most campgrounds' fine print. More options on the campgrounds page; policies vary, so confirm before booking.
Where the dog can join you
Once you have a room, these spots welcome the dog too:
- Spring House Brewing Company (Lancaster) has a dog-friendly patio with its own name, Dalton's Doggie Deck, plus a full kitchen and free parking.
- Wacker Brewing Company (Lancaster) runs a dog-friendly taproom downtown on Plum Street.
- Rachel's Cafe & Creperie (Lancaster) does sweet and savory crepes with a dog-friendly patio, open through mid-afternoon.
- Buchanan Park (Lancaster) is home to Beau's Dream Dog Park, with separate small-dog and large-dog runs and a splash pad in each. Free, dawn to dusk, year-round.
- Lancaster Pet Bakery sells the souvenir your dog actually wants, and That Fish Place - That Pet Place covers anything you forgot to pack.
Know before you go
- Book the pet room, not just the hotel. Most properties above keep a limited number of pet rooms, and several charge a pet fee. Say you're bringing a dog at booking, not at check-in.
- Plan around the no-pet attractions. Indoor attractions, house tours, and most Amish farm experiences don't admit dogs. Structure the day so indoor stops happen when the dog can rest at the room, or split up.
- Drives are the dog-friendly sightseeing. The covered bridges driving tour works exactly as well with a dog in the back seat, with plenty of pull-offs for leg stretches.
- Summer pavement gets hot. Walk early or late in July and August, and bring water; farm-country shade is thinner than you'd think.
Planning the rest of the trip? Start with places to stay, the B&B guide, and the 48-hour itinerary.
