The 5 Best Dog Camping Beds for Travel

If you love traveling with your dog like us, you’ll love these dog camping beds that are perfect for RV travel.

For many RVers, it’s inconceivable to travel without their furry companion. But just like humans, dogs need a good place to rest after a long day of adventuring.

But with limited space, what is the best way to set up your four-legged friend for a good night’s sleep or afternoon nap?

It would help if you had a durable, outdoor dog bed that can easily store and clean. It is one of the best things you can get for small and large dogs when taking with you when traveling.

Many can also easily be used on long road trips. Some beds can be used in the RV or crate to keep your provide your furry friend a comfortable place to travel.

But when we surveyed our audience on Facebook, the overwhelming majority said that their dogs slept on their bed! So we’ve sprinkled a few of the photos from that social post here in this post. If you want to see all the wonderful dog photos you can enjoy them here.

This comment from Anna really says it all. “Dog bed? Oh you mean he isn’t supposed to sleep in the queen-size pillow mattress while we camp? …we to have tried several set ups but no matter what we try he always ends up in our bed.. the strange thing is that he loves his own bed at home but not while camping. ..go figure. .“

Despite that common experience, in case you want to find a bed for your dog, the following has everything you need to know to find the best, comfortable sleeping surface for your pup on your next camping or RV trip. I include what to look for in an excellent, portable dog bed as well as my top picks!

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What’s Different About a Dog Camping Bed?

A dog camping bed is not unlike a typical home dog bed. However, they are usually constructed using less filling and more durable outer materials. That is because these beds can be used inside your RV or tent but also used in outdoor areas.

There are also some great options for backpacking with your pup and looking for something to keep your dogs warm on the trail.

How to Select the Right Dog Camping Bed

There are a few considerations when purchasing a dog travel bed.

Size

One important factor to consider is the size of the dog bed. You want a large enough bed for your dog, but not so large that it takes up unnecessary storage space.

As veteran RVers know, you need to know where you’re going to store it before purchasing it. That way you can get the perfect, compact size for easy storage.

Portability

The last thing you want to do is fuss with a pet bed after a long day traveling. Some only require being unrolled while others offer easy assembly.

Durability

You want a bed made from durable materials and will last you (and your pup) a long time. Nylon and synthetic fabrics tend to be the most durable.

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Mike and Jennifer’s Summer T-Shirts for your next adventure

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Easy Cleaning

Many beds can be shaken off, quickly removing dirt and loose debris. Some just get tossed directly into a normal-sized washing machine.

Other beds have a removable cover that is machine washable. Easily toss it into the washing machine when you return home. Or, if your dog is muddy and soils the bed, you can easily wash it while traveling.

You can also find elevated dog beds made with a mesh fabric that just gets hosed off. In fact, as you’ll see in the list of best dog camping beds below, elevated dog beds are often preferred.

Weather

Where do you like to camp? Keep the weather in mind as some beds are better for cold climates, while others are perfect for hot temperatures. I give some different options below…

5 Best Dog Camping Beds

The following are my top picks for the best dog beds you can find. They come in different sizes, and many are for outdoor use and indoor use. There is sure to be a comfy dog bed for your pup!

Ruffwear Highlands Sleeping Bag

Many dog owners consider the Ruffwear Highlands Sleeping Bag the perfect dog bed when camping!

This travel dog bed is great for many reasons. First, it is perfect for cold climates. That is because it is insulated with a compressed synthetic down material.

You can also purchase an additional pad to use with this canine sleeping bag to provide extra comfort to your dog.

It is also made with a water-resistant and quick-dry material.

In addition, this lightweight bed comes with its stuff sack. It can accommodate medium and large size dogs.

Kurgo Waterproof Dog Bed

The Kurgo dog bed is one of the best camping dog beds for cold weather and migt be the right bed for your best bud.

This cozy bed comes in two sizes to accommodate dogs of all sizes. You can also choose between brown and red colors.

The bed rolls up quickly and secures with an outer handle, much like a sleeping bag. That makes it a breeze to pack and store when traveling.

The bed is waterproof to keep your dog warm and dry. It can also keep wet ground conditions from seeping in and making your dog cold.

It is made from durable materials, featuring Microtomic ripstop fabric on the top, with the bottom constructed from Ruffex to avoid slipping when the dog moves around.

Gigatent Elevated Pet Cot

Keep your pet off of hard surfaces and cold, wet ground. This 8″ raised dog bed is constructed with a tubular steel frame and durable polyester bed material.

An elevated bed can also help older dogs that have joint pain.

This bed can be easily transported and stored, with legs that easily fold in half. It comes complete with a convenient, heavy-duty storage bag.

HDP Elevated Napper Cot

This elevated dog bed is a lot like your foldable camping chairs. Not only does it take your pet off of cold, hard, and uneven surfaces. But it is also made of durable materials and a powder-coated, rust-resistant frame.

This cot bed comes in two sizes but is compact for its type. Choose from red, grey, blue, and pink.

YEP HHO Folding Breathable Cot

Lift larger dogs off the hard floor with a raised platform, breathable cot. The model offers a Teslin mesh fabric outer shell with Oxford cloth beneath. It may be the best option in hot weather since it can keep your dog cool while taking pressure off their bodies.

The bed features removable PVC legs to be easily folded and stored while traveling.

This cot can be used both indoors and outdoors. It’s also easily cleaned with a wet cloth and soap.

Related Articles

If you’re searching for dog camping beds, you’ll probably find these articles helpful, too:

• Best Dog Harness for Camping
• How to Keep Ticks Off Dogs & Out of Your RV
• 2 Awesome Tips So You Don’t Worry About Leaving Your Pet in the RV

Mike and Jennifer’s Favorite Places in Florida – all 3 ebooks!

We RVers may wander far and wide but it’s true for most of us that we end up with some favorite “Go-To” places – places that draw us back again and again.

Florida is one of those places for us. And we know it is for many RVers looking to get away and explore during the winter. 

That’s why we’ve created three guides, covering Florida’s Atlantic Coast, the Gulf Coast, and the Keys. 

Each of these guides is a seven-day guided exploration of one of the coasts. And each stop is a curated view of the best things that we’ve enjoyed on this trip and want you to experience.

Altogether these guides are over 300 pages of content! 

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FAQ’s about Florida Gulf Coast beaches of interest to RVers

What is the weather like along Florida’s Gulf Coast?

The weather along Florida’s Gulf Coast can vary depending on the time of year and the specific location. In general, the area experiences hot, humid summers and mild, pleasant winters.

The Panhandle region can be quite cool in January. It is seldom below freezing, but daytime highs are typically in the 50s. It warms up about 10 degrees each month.

You can also generally add about 10 degrees for every 150 miles you travel south down the Florida peninsula.

By the time you hit Naples, daytime highs in January are in the comfortable 70s.

Did Hurricane Ian destroy many beach campgrounds on the Gulf Coast?

While it severely damaged almost two dozen RV parks and campgrounds, about 8-10 campgrounds in the Naples-Ft. Myers area were completely destroyed. Most of the damaged campgrounds have been repaired and reopened.

Check with the Florida Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds if you have questions or concerns.

Are there any websites that can help me get a reservation for a Florida beach campground?

One of the best resources we can recommend is called Campnab. This service monitors parks for cancelations and sends you an alert when an opening matches your criteria. That said, it isn’t magic. The app doesn’t create availabilities. 

The service works – but it is not free.

Campnab offers two ways to use the service. The first is individual pay-per-use scans. These watch for vacancies at a specific park for a specific date. These work well if you know exactly when and where you intend to camp. Pay-per-use scans cost $10 – $20, depending on how frequently you want them to check availability.

The second way to use the service is through a membership. These typically run monthly and are tailored to those who camp more frequently or are looking to maximize their chance of finding a site. Membership allows you to scan multiple parks and/or dates simultaneously. With memberships, you pay a monthly recurring fee ($10, $20, $30, or $50), depending on your needs.

Are there places in Florida where you can literally camp on the beach for free?

Not many. And they are very pricey. If you want to sleep directly on the sand in an RV, you’ll have to stay at a developed commercial campground like Camp Gulf on the Emerald Coast or an RV resort like Big Pine Key Resort in the keys. Some state parks like the Gamble Rogers State Memorial Recreation Area in the Atlantic Coast or  Bahia Honda State Park in the keys or Fort Desto State Park near St. Petersburg have beachside sites, too.

But are there free, unrestricted RV beach camping spots in Florida?

Sorry, none that I know of that would work for RVs.

There is unrestricted camping on wild beaches on a couple of islands, but you need a boat to get there, and it is for tent camping only. If you want to sleep directly on the sand, there is Anclote Key offshore Tarpon Springs, and Shell Key in Pinellas County. Another favorite is Keewaydin Island between Naples and Marco Island but that area remains pretty devasted from Hurricane Ian.