🍽 Pet friendly dining in Yucatan

Whether you are visiting or live in Yucatan state, knowing where your dog will be welcome to join can make a huge difference when choosing where to eat out.

In most parts of Yucatan, restaurants with outdoor seating accommodate people with well-behaved pets. However, some restaurants go the extra mile to ensure that their pet-loving patrons feel very welcome.

We have done the hard work for you and discovered some of the best and most pet friendly dining options in Yucatan. We would recommend that you make reservations before visiting a restaurant for dinner with your four-legged best friend to ensure that they have an appropriate table available as they may not have la lot of seating options.

Mérida – pet friendly dining

Merida is an exceptionally pet friendly city and has a plethora of pet friendly dining options. Here are some of the most popular pet friendly restaurants in Merida. You can find a more complete list on Pet Friendly Yucatan.  

Valladolid

Valladolid is a smaller but vibrant city which is wonderful to enjoy in the company of your friends, especially of the canine variety. So, knowing where you and your dog can stop for a bite to eat is very helpful. Here are some of our top picks for pet friendly restaurants in Valladolid. 

Izamal 

Izamal is a small city known for its unique yellow buildings and, like much of Yucatan, it is becoming increasingly pet friendly. So, if you visit this city in the company of your pets, you will be able to enjoy a lovely meal at one of these local restaurants.

Pet friendly dining at the beach

Spending time with your dog on the beach is one of the highlights of visiting Yucatan. El Cuyo, San Felipe and Progreso are all popular destinations for  fun in the sun with the whole family. Here are some great pet friendly options in each destination where you can have a meal after building up a hunger playing in the sea.

🛍 Pet friendly shopping

While Merida’s largest malls such as The Harbour and La Isla Merida are pet friendly, shopping options may be limited to open air markets in most cities and small towns in Yucatán. For example, the artisan market in main square of Valladolid is a great place to stroll and shop with your four-legged companion.

❌ We don’t recommend taking your pets into the food markets. 

Pet friendly exploring around Yucatán

Archaeological sites and cenotes

Most national archaeological sites, nature reserves, and cenotes restrict access and only allow service dogs. However, there are exceptions. 

Chen Ho Archaeological Site

Chen Ho is a small but interesting archaeological site in a public park in Merida. It is a large, dog friendly park and you can explore the ruins with your dog although dogs are not permitted to climb on them. 

Cenote Santa Rosa

Cenote Santa Rosa welcomes well-behaved dogs. The location has restaurants, shops, a bar, and even hammocks for resting. However, dogs are not permitted to enter the water. It is in Homun which can be reached easily from Valladolid or Merida.

Cenote Secreto Maya

Cenote Secreto is a hotel and cenote site near Valladolid where your pets are welcome. As with other cenotes, your dogs are not allowed in the water, but they can come to the edge of the cenote and enjoy the experience while they watch you.

Sayachaltun

Sayachaltun is run by a collective of traditional Yucatecan fishermen. It is easy to get to from Progreso or Merida. They offer boat tours of the mangrove system and have an excellent restaurant on site. 

Pet-friendly beaches and parks in Yucatan

Pet friendly beaches

🏖 Your dog must be leashed on the beach, but that should not stop you from having an incredible day playing in the sea with them.

Progreso, Telchac, and El Cuyo all have great beaches for dog walking. Dogs must be on lead at all times on the beach unless you’re in a pet friendly area of the beach. Dog walkers should be aware of stray dogs. While most of these dogs are not aggressive, it is a good idea to avoid them if you have a dog with you.

Pet friendly parks

🏞 Almost all parks in Yucatan are pet friendly as long as you keep your pup on a lead and clean up after them.

Mérida now has three fully enclosed dog parks, where you can have the best experience and give your furry friend off-lead exercise. Read more about pet friendly Mérida here.

Parque La Plancha – La Plancha Park, in Merida Centro, has separate enclosed areas with play equipment for dogs, where you can exercise your dog off lead. There is one for large dogs and one for smaller dogs. 

Parque Aleman – Aleman Park, in Colonia Miguel Aleman, has a large fully enclosed area for off-lead play for dogs with fun equipment for play and training. 

Parque Tabentha – Tabentha Park, near Alta Brisa, has a play area with equipment where dogs can be exercised and trained off-lead. 

Getting around Yucatán with your pet

🐾 The new Tren Maya, currently allows service animals with documentation, certified emotional support dogs and dogs and cats under 10kg (56cm x 30 cm – measuring as if they’re a suitcase!).

🚌 ADO buses generally allow 2 pets per journey (not per person) to travel in pet carriers in the luggage compartment. Pets under 25kg (55lbs) aren’t charged extra. This is only permitted for shorter journeys (under 8 hrs) and not in the hotter months. Not really an ideal way to travel with your baby.

🚕 Smaller dogs may be welcome in some taxis and rideshares, but may occasionally be required to be kept in a carrier by drivers. Some of the private drivers with larger vehicles will accept dogs. You can find them by asking around or searching for them on social media platforms. (I have a big dog and despite not wanting to, we have had to purchase a car just to transport our dog.)

🚗 Most car rental companies do allow pets in their vehicles but have specific clauses about cleanliness.