Long-time readers know that no one loves a good road trip quite like our pup Ella If she could, she’d go with us everywhere. The problem? Not everywhere is pet-friendly—well, not everywhere is pet-friendly like Franklin, Tennessee, I should add.
This post was last updated in August 2025.
Sure, there are plenty of trips she can go on, but we’ve been down that road before: taken her to a city that on its surface appears to be pet-friendly (Denver, we’re looking at you), but really, truly is not, so we end up compromising our adventures to keep her safe and happy. There’s nothing more stressful for pet owners than to have to leave their pup behind in a hotel room for long days on end or, worse, a locked car with the motor and air-conditioning running. So more often than not, she stays home with my mom and we count down the days until we’re all reunited again.
Taking your dog to Franklin
Lucky for us, many of Tennessee’s cities have jumped on the pet-friendly bandwagon, and Franklin is at the forefront of that movement. Mars Petcare’s corporate campus and global innovation center are both in Williamson County, and in addition to creating a pet-friendly work environment, they’ve committed to teaching businesses like shops and restaurants with patios how to be more accommodating to animals like me, the company also is trying to encourage more offices across the country to implement a pet-friendly workplace policy.
In 2017, Franklin became the pilot city for Mars Petcare’s “Better Cities for Pets” initiative. But what does this mean exactly? While some local businesses like Gallery 202 have always allowed pets, the program has brought in more than 100 Franklin businesses in an effort to make that more ubiquitous by creating urban spaces where pets are welcomed and supported, contributing to the well-being of both pets and their owners.
Part of the program is providing businesses with a toolkit to better serve pets and their people by creating a stress-free environment for all. The result is dozens of dogs strolling Main Street on any given afternoon—and that we can take Ella along with us on a day in Franklin. The initiative also aspires to build true pet-friendly communities by supporting shelters, homes, businesses and parks, touching on four key cornerstones: shelters, parks, homes and businesses.
Pets can’t speak for themselves, so the mentality behind the program is that it’s up to people and communities to advocate for them and the many ways they make our lives better. For us, as Ella’s humans, it’s comforting that we can take her all over Franklin and aren’t going to run into “NO DOGS ALLOWED” signs around every turn.
The expansion of the program has meant signage directing you to businesses that allow your pets inside, water bowls stationed along Main Street, waste bag stations and other amenities.
And for the rare downtown business that doesn’t accept dogs–and for restaurants for whom it’s a health code violation—there’s polite signage alerting you when they are not allowed inside.
Ella gives Williamson County’s efforts two paws up and can’t wait till her next day trip to Franklin!
Where to stay in Franklin with pets
Our favorite place to stay in Franklin is the Harpeth Hotel, and lucky for you and your pup, they allow dogs. But there are dozens of Franklin hotels that accept dogs, many of them along the I-65 corridor. Pet-friendly hotels include:
Other pet-friendly places in Franklin
Franklin is more than just Main Street, so if you’re exploring beyond downtown, you may want to factor these pet-friendly stops—parks, restaurants, bars and shops that accept pets in Franklin—into your plans:
- K-9 Korral dog park at Harlinsdale Farm
- The outdoor spaces at the Factory at Franklin
- Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar
- Scout’s Pub in Westhaven
- Sarah Benson Park in Thompson’s Station
- McEwen Northside
- Neighbors Franklin
- Camden Commons
- Mill Creek Brewing Co. in Nolensville
- Triple Crown Bakery’s front lawn
- Timberland Park
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