Great places for dogs and their humans
Dog Jaunt recently gave away three great Outward Hound pet carriers in giveaways that asked entrants to tell me about their favorite dog-friendly place. I loved the winners’ recommendations, but I also loved the suggestions that other entrants posted. It would be a shame to let them go to waste, so here are the ones that grabbed me, in no order at all:
“Cesar Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina [Berkeley, CA] has got to be the best dog park ever. It has a 360º view of water, rolling hills, and tons of room. Ruby and I adore it!”
“My favorite dog-friendly place is Woodside Intermediate School in Cromwell, CT, with its huge, grassy campus and driveway — all the dog people in the neighborhood walk their dogs there on weekends because they don’t have to worry about cars or other hazards. It’s my toy poodle, Jack’s, favorite place for a walk.”
“Sellwood Riverfront Park in Portland, OR: Open 5:00 am to midnight, large areas to let your dogs run off leash and an area where they can swim.”
“My favorite place with my dog – The Philadelphia Java Cafe (you know…the one from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Not only is it dog friendly, but they have little treats to hand out to the pups while you wait in line. Plus, great coffee and food. What more could you want???”
“Frankie and I love to walk along the Rillito River Park in Tucson. The river’s been dry for a long, long time and the park isn’t all that leafy, but the backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains is spectacular, and you share the trail with horses, bicyclists, bunnies — and, yes, the occasional coyote (which is why Frankie stays on his leash).”
“Great coffee shop in Carefree, AZ named Black Mountain Coffee Shop. Great food and very pet friendly which is great to enjoy because there are not many places around this area like that. Now I can have lunch dates with my puppy 
”
“Bastrop Bark Park in Bastrop, Texas. It a great place to meet new friends both two legged and four legged. It has a side for big dogs and a side for the little one. They meet every Sunday at 11 for doggie play.”
“My favorite dog-friendly hotel is Loews in Philadelphia. When you check in, your dog is given a treat. They have a special menu for dogs. They hire dog walkers and pet sitters so someone can keep your dog company while you are at a museum or other place that isn’t pet-friendly. Loews’ employees also gives you maps of nearby dog parks and a list of pet-friendly businesses.”
“Not necessarily our fave – but certainly one of the cooler things GoPetFriendly has done with Ty and Buster. Carriage rides in Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Chicago are pet friendly!”
“Our favorite activity is to go paddle boating on Post Dispatch Lake in St. Louis, and then have a little lunch with the doggies at the Boathouse Restaurant. Great fun.”
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Thanks for not keeping all of these places to yourself! The more important point that these anecdotes bring out is that it’s relatively easy to include your pet in your life if you choose to. And think how the dog feels about getting to accompany its human instead of being left behind.
Absolutely! And the dog owners are obviously having a great time too — I’m not saying that sharing your life with a dog is effortless, but the rewards are huge.
Loews Philadelphia is one of my favorite dog-friendly hotels too. We also stayed at the Four Seasons, and they welcome dogs too. It’s quite luxurious, and more expensive than Loews.