Dog parks are the fastest-growing segment of the urban park population. Today, in the 100 largest cities in the United States, there are over 600, off-leash parks for pooches to putter around and play.
If you’re traveling the country this summer with your pooch, check out some of the greatest dog parks in the U.S.:
Laurel Canyon Dog Park: Los Angeles, California
Centrally located in L.A., this park is high in the hills of Mulholland Drive. This is home to many of Hollywood’s beautiful people and their pups. The park has been described as “a dirt oasis” for dogs, though it had a makeover in 2023 — but it doubles as a top, celebrity-sighting destination. Is that Jessica Alba and her dogs?
It’s open each day from sunrise to sunset. However, it closes each Friday morning for maintenance from 6 am until 11 am.
Magnuson Dog Park: Seattle, Washington
In a city where there are more canines than kids, Seattle has 11 off-leash parks within city limits. These include Magnuson, the only one inside city limits with access to a freshwater beach. At nine acres, the park also has a special, fenced-in section for small dogs.
It’s open from 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. every day.
Millie Bush Dog Park: Houston, Texas
Does anyone remember Millie Bush, the English Springer Spaniel who shared the White House with George and Barbara Bush? This sprawling, 13-acre dog park with three ponds, water fountains, and wash-stations was established in her honor within the George Bush Park in Houston.
It’s open from 7 am to 7:30 p.m. every day.
Montrose Beach: Chicago, Illinois
Billed as the city’s first legal off-leash beach, it remains the only Lake Michigan beach experience you can have with your dog in Chicago. Go to their website before heading to the shore and read up on dog beach etiquette, lovingly put together by the people of Mondog, a group of Montrose Beach and dog lovers who helped open the park in 2000.
It’s open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
Pilgrim Bark Park: Provincetown, Massachusetts
A relatively new park that consistently makes the cut as a top dog park in America. And here’s why. The PBP is filled with wonderful structures, painted benches, and tall sculptures donated by the surrounding artists of Cape Cod. The locale is more than just a dog park.
The park is open every day from dawn to dusk.
Point Isabel: Richmond, California
Sitting just outside San Francisco, Point Isabel is a one-of-a-kind, 23-acre off-leash dog park. It’s one of the largest in the country. It has sweeping views of the Bay Area and is well known for its dog bath facility (Mudpuppy’s Tub & Scrub) and a gourmet café for people called Sit And Stay. Half a million dogs visit Point Isabel each year.
The park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
Tompkins Square Dog Run: New York City, New York
The first of 55 dog parks now scattered across the Big Apple, New Yorkers love this place. Tompkins Square opened in 1990 after a huge community effort to take it from a square block of urban decay and turn it into a safe place for dogs. In 2008, the park went through a $450,000 renovation that included a state-of-the-art clay surface. The park hosts an annual Halloween dog parade.
The park is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.
Even if you aren’t traveling the country, chances are there is a unique dog park located near you. Know of any great dog parks you’d like to share? Tell us in the comments section.
