If your phone search reads “pet friendly RV park near me” and you’re somewhere between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, put Fireside RV Resort on the short list. Fireside lets dogs stay at its RV sites in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, a short hop from I-12’s Exit 47, with New Orleans roughly an hour’s drive away. Leashes can’t run longer than 6 feet, and Fireside’s cabins are pet-free.
- Where dogs stay: RV sites only, never the cabins.
- Leash rule: 6 feet max, or keep your dog in a contained area, and pick up after it.
- Pet-free zones: in or near the pool area, plus restrooms and every indoor space.
- Winter rate: $55 a night for a standard RV site, November through March.
- Address: 42053 Hwy 445, Ponchatoula, LA 70454.
What makes a pet friendly RV park worth booking?
A pet friendly RV park worth booking, whether it’s Fireside RV Resort in Ponchatoula or a stop farther down the road, tells you its dog rules before you pull in: how long the leash can be, where dogs can’t go, whether pets can sleep in the cabins, and where your dog can stretch its legs. Rules change from one park to the next, so get the answers before you pay a deposit.
Plenty of RVers plan the whole rig around the dog. A 2025 owner profile from Go RVing and the RV Industry Association found that 43% of RVers cite bringing their pets as a crucial factor in their decision.
Here’s the checklist we’d run through before booking anywhere with a dog:
- Is there a pet fee, and is it charged per night or per stay?
- Does the park restrict any breeds or sizes?
- How long can the leash be, and is there a fenced pet area?
- Which spots are off-limits, like pools, restrooms or the clubhouse?
- Can pets stay in the cabins or rentals?
- Where are the pet waste stations?
- Where’s the closest 24-hour emergency vet?
The best pet friendly RV park for your trip answers all seven on its own website, no phone call needed. Fireside keeps its pet answers in one spot, the Fireside rules and policies page.
Is Fireside RV Resort a pet friendly RV park?
Fireside RV Resort is a pet friendly RV park for anyone camping in an RV, and its rules draw a simple line: RV sites welcome pets, and cabins don’t. Dogs at Fireside stay on a leash of up to 6 feet or inside a contained area, and every owner picks up after their own dog.
You’ll find pet waste receptacles placed around the resort, and Fireside’s rules page mentions a Pet Park on the property too. No breed list appears anywhere in Fireside’s posted pet rules. Behavior is what counts at Fireside, and a pet that disturbs guests or causes a continued problem that can’t be resolved can get its owners asked to leave with no refund.
At Fireside, pets can’t go in or near the pool area, and restrooms plus every building interior are off-limits too. Cabins are the biggest rule to know. Bring a pet into a Fireside cabin and you’ll lose the rest of your stay and owe a $150 cleaning fee on top, so plan on an RV site if your dog’s on the trip.
Shade matters when you camp with a dog. Fireside’s full-hookup RV sites sit under tall Louisiana pines, and each one has water and sewer hookups, 30-amp plus 50-amp electric service, a fire ring for grilling and a picnic table. Standard sites at Fireside are 20 by 50 feet, while the premium pull-throughs stretch to 20 by 65 feet.
How much is a pet friendly RV site this winter?
Winter pricing at Fireside RV Resort runs November through March: $55 a night for a standard RV site and $65 for a premium site in 2026. Fireside’s nightly price covers the site and up to four guests. No resort fee shows up on a Fireside bill, and neither does a site lock or community impact charge.
Fireside’s weekday special cuts standard RV sites to $35 a night and premium RV sites to $45 on Sunday through Wednesday nights in November and December, holidays aside. Fireside takes 10% off for seniors 65 and older, AARP and Good Sam members, and military guests, though only one discount applies per stay. The full rate sheet, extras included, is on the Fireside rates page.
Thinking about wintering here with your dog? Snowbirds can rent a standard RV site at Fireside by the month for $650 from November 1 through March 31, and that monthly price already covers electricity and Wi-Fi. Monthly stays are phone-only at (985) 277-1059, and the snowbird RV park details spell out the rest.
Where can you take your dog near Ponchatoula?
Mandeville’s Bark Park at Pelican Park, a 35-minute drive east of Fireside RV Resort on I-12, gives dogs 4.65 acres to run, with separate sides for big and small dogs. Baton Rouge and New Orleans each have a public dog park worth the trip if you’re already headed that way.
Pelican Park’s dog park page lists Bark Park hours of 7am to 9pm daily, minus maintenance closures on Tuesday and Friday mornings and the first Wednesday of each month, so call 985-626-1444 for current park status first. The same recreation district runs Pretty Acres Dog Park, a 1-acre park on Andrew Lane off Highway 190 in Covington with a dog pool, a paw wash station and a 0.25-mile concrete walking path.
Closer to Fireside, Hammond’s Zemurray Park has a fenced off-leash dog park near the back of the park, divided into small-dog and large-dog areas, according to The Lion’s Roar at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Baton Rouge’s park system wants every dog wearing rabies and registration tags, according to the BREC dog park rules. Over in New Orleans, NOLA City Bark admits dogs that are at least six months old, spayed or neutered, heartworm-negative and current on Rabies, DHLPP and Bordetella shots, so pack your dog’s records.
Which nearby attractions don’t allow dogs?
Three big draws near Fireside RV Resort don’t allow pets: Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Global Wildlife Center in Folsom and the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. Audubon Zoo and the festival welcome trained service animals only, and Global Wildlife Center keeps even service dogs off its tours, so treat those outings as dog-free days with someone back at the site keeping your dog company.
- Audubon Zoo: pets aren’t allowed at the zoo, though service animals trained to help a person with a disability are welcome.
- Global Wildlife Center: the FAQ at Global Wildlife Center explains that a leashed service dog may wait on the Visitor Center grounds but can’t come along on the tour.
- Louisiana Renaissance Festival: the 2026 festival weekends run November 7 through December 13, and the festival doesn’t recognize emotional support animals as service animals.
Leaving the dog in the truck for an afternoon isn’t the answer, even when the weather’s mild. The ASPCA’s pet safety tips put it plainly: “Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle.”
How do you keep a dog healthy on a Louisiana RV trip?
Keep your dog’s flea, tick and heartworm prevention going all year on a Louisiana RV trip, winter included, whether you’re parked at Fireside in Ponchatoula or touring the rest of the state. The Companion Animal Parasite Council’s 2026 forecast says heartworm disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, “remains entrenched in the Southeastern United States.”
“Ticks don’t feed 365 days a year, but they do feed 12 months a year,” Craig Prior, a CAPC board member, said in the CAPC 2026 pet parasite forecast. Talk prevention with your vet before the trip, not after.
Pack the basics from the ASPCA’s travel safety tips, plus the records those dog parks ask to see:
- A collar with ID tags, plus a microchip
- A leash, a waste scoop and plastic bags
- Food, a bowl, medication and a first-aid kit
- Vaccination records and any travel documents
For a late-night emergency, MedVet Mandeville at 3561 Hwy 190 in Mandeville takes emergency walk-ins 24/7, roughly 25 minutes east of Fireside. Save the number, 985-626-4862, before you need it.
Coming down I-55 or across on I-10? The Kentwood Welcome Center on I-55 South and the Slidell Welcome Center on I-10 West each list a dog walk among their amenities, and both are open 8:30am to 5pm daily.
Noise-shy dogs need a heads-up on two dates from the Fireside events calendar. Fireside’s Veterans Day Weekend lands on November 7 and pairs an LSU vs Alabama game party with fireworks at the half, and the Fireside NYE Bash on December 31 ends the year with a firework show. A white-noise app and a closed RV door help, but your company helps most.
Is late fall a good time to RV with a dog in Louisiana?
Once the parasite plan and the packing list are handled, the weather does the rest. Late fall and winter are easy on dogs around Ponchatoula, since the hot, sticky months are behind you. NOAA’s normals show the Hammond 5 E weather station averaging a 70.4°F high and a 45.5°F low in November. In January, that Hammond station’s normals drop to a 61.5°F high and a 38.3°F low, so bring a dog sweater for the early walks.
Cooler weather also lines up with dog-friendly fun. The Krewe of Barkus says its Barkus Parade returns on Sunday, January 31, 2027, at 2pm, so a winter stay at Fireside can double as a parade day in the city.
Frequently asked questions
Search along your route, then read each park’s rules page before you book and check the leash length, pet fees, breed limits and pet-free areas. In the Ponchatoula area, Fireside RV Resort takes dogs at its RV sites, close to Exit 47 on I-12.
Dogs can’t stay in Fireside’s cabins, so book an RV site if your dog is traveling with you. Fireside ends the stay and charges a $150 cleaning fee when a pet turns up in a cabin.
Fireside’s posted rules don’t name any restricted breeds. The rules focus on behavior, and a pet that disturbs guests or creates an ongoing problem that can’t be fixed can mean an early checkout without a refund.
Dogs can’t go in or around the pool area at Fireside RV Resort, and the restrooms and indoor areas are off-limits too. Everywhere else on the resort, keep the leash at 6 feet or shorter or use a contained area, and pick up after your dog.
The Bark Park at Pelican Park in Mandeville is a 35-minute drive east of Fireside, with separate areas for large and small dogs. Pretty Acres Dog Park in Covington is another St. Tammany option, with a dog pool and a paw wash station.
Fireside RV Resort in Ponchatoula puts New Orleans about an hour away by car, close enough for a day trip with a dog-free afternoon in the city. Hammond sits roughly 10 minutes from the resort, and Covington and Mandeville are about 30 minutes east.
MedVet Mandeville, at 3561 Hwy 190 in Mandeville, offers emergency care 24/7 for walk-ins. The drive from Fireside RV Resort takes roughly 25 minutes.
Fireside RV Resort sits at 42053 Hwy 445 in Ponchatoula, a few minutes off I-12’s Exit 47 and roughly an hour from New Orleans. Check RV site dates or call (985) 277-1059, and let the front desk know your dog’s along for the ride. We’d love to meet you both!
