What better way to weather the beautiful (though lesser-known) Dog Days of Autumn than to pack up the car and take a road trip to one of Minnesota’s myriad dog-friendly vacation spots? In nearly every part of the state, you’ll find lodging that would love to accommodate you and your dog.

The Outing Lodge interior is rustic and cozy.

Start in the South, with Red Wing’s Moondance Inn. The Inn’s 1904 Victorian rental house is a spacious, no-frills, private country getaway for you and your four-legged pals. Upriver, Stillwater boasts The Outing Lodge, where owner Carlota Estevez’s chocolate lab accompanies guest pooches on miles of wooded walking trails surrounding the lodge.

For rugged dogs who love to romp, Lake Superior is the place to let loose. The Inn on Lake Superior really rolls out the welcome mat with a check-in goody bag, which includes a tennis ball, a bandana, an “In case I get lost” dog tag, treats and a list of local pet services. Also in Duluth is Fitger’s Inn, where vacationing dogs find a dog bed, bowls for food and water atop a water-resistant mat and a welcome treat waiting for them.

The picturesque shores of Bluefin Bay.

Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery and Cottages in Lutsen is always looking for guest dogs to keep Jazmin the Shih Tzu company, and Bluefin Bay gives them space to roam right on the shores of the Great Lake.

For those heading out west, Mulberry Row in Detroit Lakes is home to Ebby, a chocolate lab/weimaraner mix who sometimes writes about her visiting friends on the B & B’s Web site. And for dogs who really want to see “Up North,” the Gunflint Lodge in Grand Marais is always pet-friendly, particularly during special “pet-lovers” weekends.

Then again, for Twin Citians who want to save gas money but still get away, downtown Minneapolis offers two dog-friendly

W Hotel in the Foshay Tower has a complete menu of pet services.

hotels: The Chambers (for fancy-pants pets), and the brand-new W hotel, where dogs are supplied with their own concierge.

Now there’s no excuse not to scour the state with your canine playmate. Get packing!

As summer wanes, we here at Sidewalk Dog want to be sure you’ve made good use of the Twin Cities’ marvelous dog-friendly-dining culture. So, we’ve compiled an itinerary of our favorite spots for you and Spot to find refreshment.

The new Dog Bar at Lucia's serves up fresh water for cosmopolitan dogs.

In Southwest Minneapolis—always a hotspot for dogs and the people who love them—we adore Café Maude. Neighborhood diners have caught on to the bistro’s dog-friendly atmosphere, with a tin of biscuits and fresh water for the patio’s four-legged loungers. And at Café Twenty Eight, owner Linda Haug has picked out stainless steel water bowls so that her leashed guests can cool off in style. Uptown Minneapolis brings Café Barbette and Lucia’s Restaurant to the party. The former has always welcomed dogs on its sidewalk café, and the latter recently opened a ritzy dog bar (pictured left), where dining companions can quench their thirst in a tiled fountain.

Canines can make history alongside theater legends at the Cue patio at the Guthrie, one of the first to become dog-friendly since the new Minneapolis ordinance took effect.

For more metropolitan doggie diners, Downtown Minneapolis’ Cue at the Guthrie welcomes dogs on its scenic patio overlooking the monumental Stone Arch Bridge and just steps away from a quick romp in Gold Medal Park. And the Café Lurcat patio is a great place for you and your furry friends to cool off after an afternoon of intense stick-hunting in nearby Loring Park and its off-leash area.

Psycho Suzie’s Motor Lounge in Northeast Minneapolis keeps its canine visitors happy with water bowls and the occasional biscuit, while owners are enthralled by the casual, cool tiki vibe that pervades the deck and garden where they can grab a Northeast Minneapolis pizza pie in their dog’s fine company.

The patio at W.A. Frost is a relaxing wonderland for people and dogs alike!

Have no fear, dogs from the East Coast (by which we mean Saint Paul, of course.) You, too, can see the city (and hope for a runaway piece of your owner’s gourmet dinner) with two Saint Paul mainstays. The Happy Gnome is famous for its unparalleled beer selection, which can be enjoyed on a lush, dog-friendly patio in the posh Cathedral Hill district. And Twin Citians from both sides of the river are familiar with the W.A. Frost historic, shaded patio, which welcomes dogs with a water bowl and a cool place to linger while their owners enjoy a bountiful brunch buffet.

Get thee (and thy dog) to one of these tasty restaurants while the temperatures are still palatable. You’ll be glad you did when soup weather rolls around.

View interactive map of all of these restaurants.