Planning a vacation can be tough when you have pets. In addition to the anxiety that sometimes comes with leaving your dogs behind, there’s also the added expense of either boarding them or hiring a pet sitter. Good news! If you visit Colonial Williamsburg, you may be able to bring your dogs with you!
Where Your Dogs Can Stay!
Four of our Colonial Williamsburg Hotels are pet friendly. The Williamsburg Inn, Providence Hall Guesthouses, The Williamsburg Lodge, and Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel & Suites.
Please note we do have a limited number of pet-friendly rooms available so book your room in advance (as these rooms go fast!) and specifically mention your needs when you call.
The main rule is only two dogs per room and both have to weigh 50 pounds or less. You’ll be asked to sign a pet policy when you check in and you must crate them when you leave. For a look at the complete list of rules (including fees), click on the links below.
Williamsburg Inn & Providence Hall Guestouses Pet Policy
Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel & Suites Pet Policy
Where Your Dogs Can Visit!
If your dogs exceed the weight limit or you simply don’t want to crate them during the day while you’re out exploring, we have the perfect solution. Check out St. Francis Pet Resort. From doggie daycare to grooming, it’s the perfect way for your pets to pass the time while you enjoy learning about our historic trades, dining in our taverns, or touring our 18th-century gardens. A reminder you do need to make a reservation ahead of time and you will also have to complete the Canine Boarding Packet.
Where Your Dogs Can Play!
Duke of Gloucester Street, known to the locals as DoG Street is a perfect place to walk your pooch. There are a couple of grassy field areas including Palace Green. (Just remember, Williamsburg does have a leash law!). We also ask that you please pick up after your pup! Keep in mind that if your dog is easily spooked by loud noises, you definitely want to take into consideration the cannons, horses and carriages, and Fifes and Drums. If you walk early in the morning (before 9) or in the evening (after 5), you can usually avoid these obstacles.
You’ll also get to know the friendly spots where interpreters are known to hand out dog treats. We caught Duke snagging a biscuit at the Cider Stand! Water buckets are also strategically placed in front of certain buildings, including Chowning’s Tavern.
Do you have suggestions for how Colonial Williamsburg can be more dog friendly? We want to hear from you! Please leave them for us in the comment section below this post.
Mari Carlos says
Is there a reason for the 50 lb. weight limit? It really sounds arbitrary. My Doberman weights 75 pounds but has better manners than most 3-year-olds. She has never been crated or kenneled, so the stress of either of those options makes them unacceptable to me. She is a breed ambassador, routinely demonstrating the very best qualities of her breed in addition to being clean and quiet. It seems to me that if your hotels are going to welcome dogs, the restrictions should be limited only to dogs that are disruptive or have specific behavioral issues. Any well-trained, friendly dog should be welcome no matter what they weigh. Good thing you don’t exclude any of the human patrons based on their weight!
Amanda says
Please increase the number of water buckets along DoG Street, especially in the summer! Currently there is only the bucket outside Chownings and a bowl at the garden market-but this is often left in the sun, or is dry on days when the garden is closed. It would be great to see buckets outside all the taverns and snack stands to make sure our furry friends stay hydrated!
I’m so excited to see this post! We are season pass holders and visit Williamsburg frequently for day trips … we even renewed our wedding vows there many years back. Since we now have a small dog (that we will not board), night trips to CW haven’t been an option for us. The Woodlands is our favorite place to stay (we love the microwave and fridge option in their suites) and in the past I have always been firmly told that they do not allow pets. Is this pet friendly option something new that CW is now offering? Just pleasantly surprised to hear that our four legged child is now welcome 😉 . Maybe now we can get back to having our proper mini vacations to Williamsburg again … first up will be to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary! Thanks for a wonderful article!
This is awesome!!!!! One question came to mind though…….is the outdoor dining area at Chowning’s pet friendly? Or any of the outdoor areas at the restaurants in Merchant Square? Carrying your provisions as well as those for your dog can be a bit of a downer on the day. Thanks!
Roger & Jane Bell says
8/14/15
Ms. Ross, thank you for conveying our collective concerns on this matter to CW’s hotel management. We look forward to hearing positive news.
Kind regards,
Roger and Jane Bell
Virginia
Loved the Cascades Wing. We visited several times a year with 3 dogs. Perfect, no elevators, no lobbies, no charges no weight or number limits. Liberty and The Dogs of Dog Street would have loved it there ……………….
Roger & Jane Bell says
Since 2008, we have been a frequent visitor (average stay of 6 days) to CW and gladly utilized the Cascades Motel on 7 or 8 occasions with our yellow Lab, and now our English Springer Spaniel whose weight is 58 lbs. It is indeed regrettable that CW has placed a 50 lb. limit on each dog. While we understand the need to set guidelines, reconsideration on this matter is now due!
CW kindly proffers outside kennels for dogs that exceed the 50 lb. limit, or if you desire not to crate. Notwithstanding the significant additional cost to use a outside kennel and transportation to and from same, you have to consider the exposure to kennel cough and/or other potential diseases that is easily passed among dogs. In addition, use of an outside kennel defeats the reason for bringing your dog to enjoy the morning and evenings with you in CW.
It is our hope that CW will give serious reconsideration to the weight restriction guidelines. If not, and while we have immensely enjoyed visiting CW and have substantially supported CW’s hotels, restaurants, and shops, we will sadly reconsider visiting CW and direct our dollars to another locale whose pet guidelines are less restrictive.
Kind regards,
Roger & Jane Bell
Virginia
tanya michelle marshall says
I have never know CW to weigh a dog. surely a dog that close to the 58 pound requirement would not be noticed
You bring up a good point and I will certainly pass it along to our hotel management for consideration!
This is more helpful than the previous blog on bringing a dog to Colonial Williamsburg, but I still think the folks in the Reservations Call Center need more updating on policies. It’s difficult to get a clear answer on where a dog may or may not be welcome. For example, I was told last year that I could bring my dog into the Visitor’s Center by a Supervisor in the Call Center, then was yelled at by a clerk in one of the stores for doing so.
Vicki Bacon-Thomas says
This is a step in the right direction but your 50 pound limit means that folks, like us, who happen to have fully grown Labrador Retrievers (great dogs) can’t stay in your properties. Please consider raising the weight limit to include large dogs. 100 pounds is far more reasonable.
Vicki, I will share your suggestion with our hotel management. Thank you for taking the time to respond and offer feedback!