Dog Friendly Activities in Texas

Don’t leave Fido in the hotel room when you’re on vacation. Get out and play! No matter where you’re headed in Texas, we can point you towards the nearest off-leash dog park, the most popular dog beach, a really great hiking trail, and lots of other places to play with Fido.

Pet Friendly Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Palo Duro Canyon State Park Palo Duro Canyon State Park is a spectacular dog-friendly attraction near the Texas Panhandle in Canyon, TX. It was formed by millions of years of water erosion, is 120 miles long, as much as 20 miles wide, and has a maximum depth of more than 800 feet. Its elevation at the rim is 3,500 feet above sea level. It's often claimed that Palo Duro Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the United States. Visitors and their leashed dogs can admire beautiful colorful cliffs that surround the valley and one of the park's most famous rock formations known as The Lighthouse. Please note that dogs are not permitted in any buildings at Texas State Parks. See Details
Pet Friendly Houston Arboretum & Nature Center
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Houston, TX's Arboretum & Nature Center offers a dog-friendly, 155-acre nature sanctuary with 5 miles of walking trails that wind through forest, meadow and wetland habitats. Please abide by all city ordinances including controlling your dog on the leash at all times and cleaning up after your pet while visiting the Arboretum. Dogs must be kept on the trails (no swimming in the ponds). Dogs are allowed in the building lobby – tiled areas only. Take a self-guided Habitat Hike - Each hike passes one of the educational Field Stations and features some of their Naturalist’s favorite stops like ponds teaming with wildlife, trees with interesting stories, insect houses, and other fun points of interest. See Details
BayWatch Dolphin Tours BayWatch Dolphin Tours is a pet-friendly, 45-minute tour of the harbor filled with dolphin sightings and fun facts about Galveston, TX. The boat departs every hour on the hour, but be sure to check their website for the current schedule. There is a fee per person, and your leashed pup rides for free. See Details
Zilker Botanical Garden Dog-friendly Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, TX, is packed with rare and unusual plants, and the campus includes various themed areas you'll love to explore with your leashed pet. This garden is a unique collaboration between the City of Austin Parks & Recreation Department (PARD) and the Austin Area Garden Council (AAGC). The garden is enjoyed by over 400,000 visitors each year and is open most days, but be sure to check their website in advance. See Details
Sea Turtle, Inc. Sea Turtle Inc. in South Padre Island, TX, is a dog-friendly, nonprofit rescue center that rescues, rehabilitates and releases injured sea turtles. Dogs and cats are allowed in all indoor and outdoor public areas as long as they are leashed or crated. Visitors can sit in on a Turtle Talk or take a self-guided tour of the outdoor facility. While they are open year-round, outdoor tanks are covered when temperatures drop below 55 degrees, and turtle viewings are limited. Admission varies depending on the season, and hours are extended during summer months, so be sure to check their website before planning your trip. See Details
San Antonio River Walk Leashed dogs are welcome on the pet-friendly San Antonio River Walk, a public park below street level with parallel sidewalks that are lined with restaurants, shops, hotels and other attractions in San Antonio, TX. Many of the outdoor restaurants and shops welcome dogs on their patios while you dine. Please call ahead to check if the specific business you wish to visit allows dogs, and please remember to clean up after your pet. See Details
Red Bud Isle Red Bud Isle is a pet-friendly area in Austin, TX. Surrounded by water on three sides, this peninsula provides a great place for pooches to socialize, swim, frolic and play off-leash. Dog owners are reminded that parking is at a premium, and to clean up any mess left behind to preserve the cleanliness of the water and the surrounding area. Make sure you keep an eye on your pup as he plays, too. This park is also popular for hiking, kayaking and canoeing. See Details
Comanche Lookout Park Comanche Lookout Park is a 96-acre recreational area in San Antonio, TX. Fido is welcome to explore the 4.55 miles of pet-friendly, multi-service trails with you but must remain on a leash. See Details
Dog Park at Pundt Park Pundt Park includes a dog park in Spring, TX. The area is grass covered with wide walkways and shady trees. There is also water access, kiddie pools, benches, and waste stations. See Details
Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours offers pet-friendly nightly Haunted History Ghost Tours in San Antonio, TX. All leashed and friendly dogs are allowed. Your guide will take you and Fido on a 90-minute stroll past three of the most haunted spots in the city, The Alamo, the Spanish Governor's Mansion and the Menger Hotel. See Details
The Shops at La Cantera The Shops at La Cantera is a pet-friendly open-air shopping center in San Antonio, TX. Well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcome in the mall's common areas, and many retailers also allow pups inside. Waste disposal bag stations are located throughout the property. Please refer to their website for a list of dog-friendly stores and restaurants. See Details
Palo Duro Creek Ranch Palo Duro Creek Ranch (previously Elkins Ranch) in Canyon, TX, is a dog-friendly, working cattle ranch in the Texas panhandle. You can marvel at the spectacular desert vistas, or reserve a jeep tour to explore the scenic canyons. Dogs of any size are allowed on the 1 or 2-hour tours, which are offered daily. Pups ride for free. See Details
Barton Creek Greenbelt Preserve Barton Creek Greenbelt Preserve is a pet-friendly recreation area in Austin, TX. This park is popular among nature lovers and adventurists alike. Visitors can enjoy activities such as hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, swimming and bird watching. Your leashed pet is welcome to join you as you explore this lovely space with hiking trails leading to Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls. See Details
Katy Trail (Dallas) The Katy Trail (Dallas) is one of 1600 rail-trails supported by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that is working to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors. Previously an unused railroad corridor, this dog-friendly "rail-trail" is now a great place to walk Fido in Dallas! The map below shows a parking area with convenient access to the Katy Trail (Dallas). Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has generously provided map data for this trail to Bring Fido for informational purposes only. For more detailed trail information, please visit TrailLink.com. See Details
Memorial Park Memorial Park, a municipal park in Houston, TX, is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Opened in 1924, the park covers approximately 1,466 acres inside the 610 Loop, across from the neighborhood of Memorial. Leashed dogs are welcome. The park offers several dog-friendly trails ranging in distance and difficulty, but the 3-mile Seymour Lieberman Trail may be best for Fido as it is pedestrian-only with a crushed granite surface and drinking fountains. The park also hosts food trucks each day near Eastern Glades - a 5.5-acre area offering relaxing picnic areas next to Hines Lake. See Details
Inks Lake State Park Bring Fido to the popular, dog-friendly Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, TX. You both can enjoy backpacking and hiking in the beautiful Texas wilderness. Dogs must be leashed at all times on leashes no longer than 6 feet long. There is a fee per person to enter the park. See Details
Bad Wolf Ghost Tours Friendly, leashed dogs are welcome on Bad Wolf Ghost Tours' San Antonio Ghost Walk. You and Fido will visit the notorious locations of historic murders, battles and otherwise untimely deaths, and learn the city's unique and gruesome history and the many hauntings that resulted from it! Dog-friendly tours are conducted nightly. Check the schedule for the meeting location. Reservations are required. See Details
Cadillac Ranch Road-tripping through Texas with Fido? Stop at Cadillac Ranch just outside of Amarillo, TX, for a unique photo opportunity. Cadillac Ranch is a dog-friendly, one-of-a-kind public art installation accessible from the I-40 Frontage Rd. See Details
Overlook Park Overlook Park is a pet-friendly recreation area in Canyon Lake, TX, where leashed dogs are welcome on the trail that overlooks the pretty lake. Don't forget to clean up any mess your pup leaves behind to preserve the cleanliness of the trail and the surrounding water. See Details
Hop and Sting Brewing Co. The pet-friendly beer garden at Hop and Sting Brewing Co. in Grapevine, TX, is a hit among local dog owners who love craft beer. They brew high-quality, small-batch craft ales and lagers available on draft and in cans to take home with you. Your pup might even make a new friend at the brewery. Dixon has been accompanying one of the brewers, Brian, into work ever since he was rescued. Dogs are allowed inside and out, as no food is served on the premises. You can also grab a bite to eat from one of the rotating food trucks on site. See Details
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