by Lori Blalock  ·    Insight News  ·    BajaTraveler.com
photos Courtesy Bahia Hotel & Beach House & Rufus The Double Doofus

Leaving your dog behind when traveling isn’t always an option — and if you’re vacationing in Baja Sur it doesn’t have to be. Baja has long been a destination for road trippers and RVers to travel with their pets. Air travelers can enjoy the same convenience by choosing to stay at one of the many pet-friendly hotels in Baja California Sur.

From the beaches of Loreto to the Malecón in La Paz, the free-spirit vibe of Todos Santos and the posh resorts of Los Cabos, this peninsula has become one of México’s most accommodating destinations for traveling with dogs. Here’s what to book in each region, what it costs and what to know before you go.

Where to Stay With Your Dog in Loreto

Loreto is quiet and remote, with long stretches of coastline that make it easy to feel like you have the Sea of Cortés to yourselves. Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto is the standout here: a dog-friendly all-inclusive resort right on the water just 40 minutes south of downtown. For a minimal fee the resort provides a bed, a small toy, food bowls and a gourmet pet menu. In the city center, Hotel Santa Fe Loreto charges $20 USD per night and has no weight restriction for dogs. At La Mision Loreto, pets can stay for $85 USD nightly. Several vacation rentals near the Malecón are pet-friendly with no added charge, making Loreto easy to plan for even outside resort properties and for longer stays.

Dog-Friendly Hotels in La Paz

La Paz is a fun place to explore with your dog — the Malecón, nearby beaches and water activities are all within minutes of the seaside capital of Baja California Sur and several properties make it simple to plan. Perla La Paz, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, a recently reopened property near the sea, allows pets for a $50 USD daily fee and provides a water bowl and dog bed. At La Posada Hotel & Beach Club dogs under 30 pounds can spend the night for about $29 USD per pet. Casa al Mar, a boutique spot near the Malecón, will consider dogs upon request. Near the marina, Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés welcomes one dog, up to 25 pounds, for a pet fee of approximately $105 USD plus taxes.

 Todos Santos Dog-Friendly Properties

Todos Santos is small, artsy and easy to explore on foot with your four-legged friend, and offers a couple of pet-friendly options to base yourself from. Hotel Casa Tota allows one dog under 40 pounds for $20 USD per day, and La Bohemia Baja takes dogs with approval with a $35 USD nightly fee. For a beach stay, Hotel San Cristóbal welcomes up to two dogs per room for a $25 USD daily fee, with a bed and bowl provided. Further south, Paradero Todos Santos is pet friendly, though the resort doesn’t publish specific fees or weight limits on their website — worth a call before booking.

Pet-Friendly Stays in Los Cabos

Los Cabos’ resorts are the most polished pet experience on the peninsula. Chileno Bay Resort & Residences welcomes dogs with a “Tidy Kit” — waste bags and a resort map of pet-relief areas — and villa guests’ dogs get food and water dinnerware, a chew toy, organic vegan paw soap, resort wear and a personalized collar tag. Casa Dorada Los Cabos Resort & Spa on Medano Beach allows one dog up to 40 pounds for a flat $100 per stay. At Bahia Hotel & Beach House, dogs up to 60 pounds can stay overnight for a $55 USD nightly fee. On the Tourist Corridor, Esperanza, Auberge Collection allows up to two dogs under 40 pounds for $125 per pet, with a welcome kit and handy paid dog-walking service.

Requirements for Traveling With a Dog in México

Bringing a dog into México — or back into the U.S. — comes with requirements and paperwork and the rules can change fast. México requires a veterinary health certificate issued within 15 days of travel, printed on the clinic’s letterhead (handwritten certificates are rejected), showing your dog’s rabies vaccination and confirming they’re healthy, dewormed and parasite-free. Carriers must be empty — no bedding or toys, since anything extra gets removed at the border. The Mexican consulate has the full requirements listed if you’re flying as cargo or need more detail.

On top of that, as of August 2026, dogs entering México (by land or air) also need a New World Screwworm Inspection Certificate (NWS) from a USDA-accredited veterinarian, issued within five days of travel — a separate document from the health certificate above.

Dogs returning to the U.S. need a screwworm-freedom certification from a vet in Mexico, plus a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. This is a recent rule change. Don’t rely only on Facebook groups or hearsay — check official sites like the Mexican consulate, USDA APHIS and CBP directly before you travel for current regulations.

Tips for Traveling With a Dog in Baja

● Verify the details. Hotel pet policies can change frequently and aren’t always current online, so confirm weight limits and fees directly with the hotel before booking.

● Check with your airline. Weight limits, crate requirements and in-cabin versus cargo policies vary by carrier. Sort those details out well ahead of your trip.

● Watch for loose dogs. Unleashed and street dogs are common throughout Mexico, including on beaches, in town centers and along walking trails. For safety, keep your pet leashed, stay alert on walks and give strange dogs space rather than letting them approach.

● Plan around the heat. Temperatures across the peninsula, especially in Cabo and La Paz, get high enough that pavement and sand can burn paw pads and dogs can overheat quickly. Walk in the early morning or evening, carry water and never leave a pet in a parked car.

Wherever you land in Baja California Sur, you and your dog are sure to love it.

✦ BAJATRAVELER® TAKEAWAY
The real value of this piece isn’t the hotel list — it’s timing: as of August 3, 2026, every dog crossing into México needs a New World Screwworm Inspection Certificate from a USDA-accredited vet, issued within five days of travel, on top of the standard health certificate, and most hotel websites and even some airlines haven’t caught up with it yet. Pricing swings hard by region: Loreto’s Hotel Santa Fe charges $20 a night with no weight limit, while Esperanza in Los Cabos runs $125 per dog with a two-dog cap under 40 pounds — worth mapping against your dog’s size before you commit to a region, not just a hotel. Call every property directly regardless of what’s published online; pet policies here change faster than websites do, and Paradero Todos Santos is a clear example of a resort that’s pet-friendly but discloses nothing about fees or limits. Build the vet visit into your trip timeline now — a five-day certificate window isn’t something you can handle the week before you fly.