Dog-Friendly Activities in Menlo Park, CA

Fido is welcome to join you as you hike, run, or bird watch at the pet-friendly Bedwell Bayfront Park. This park features both easy and challenging trails with beautiful views of the bay where your leashed pet is welcome to join you.

Nealon Dog Park is an off-leash area located inside the larger Nealon Park in Menlo Park, CA. The dog park is only open for limited hours during weekdays. Please check their website for updated information on hours of operation. The park also features ballfields, paved walking paths and more.

Bring Fido to the dog park at Willow Oaks Park in Menlo Park, CA. This enclosed, off-leash area has a double-gated entrance and all-weather surface. The fenced park is intended for both large and small breeds of dogs. Dogs must be leashed when entering and exiting the designated dog area.

Two- and four-legged outdoor enthusiasts are invited to visit the 2.63-acre Willow Oaks Park in Menlo Park, CA. This pet-friendly neighborhood recreation space features a playground, walking paths, a soccer field, tennis courts and an off-leash dog park. Canines must be leashed when entering and exiting the designated dog park area.

Pets are welcome to join you on-leash as you explore the rocky shores of Bean Hollow State Beach in Pescadero, CA. Bring Fido to enjoy this great spot for for tide-pooling and beachcombing.

Hapa’s Brewing Company is a pet-friendly brewery in San Jose, CA, where Fido is welcome inside and outside. Sample IPAs and other craft beers while you play a game of cornhole. Food trucks are sometimes onsite in case you get hungry; check their website for the current schedule of events.

Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline is a dog-friendly recreation area located in San Leandro, CA. The shoreline features picnic areas and miles of trails for you and Fido to enjoy. Some of the wildlife you may encounter includes jackrabbits, garter snakes, birds of prey and more!

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is a pet-friendly recreational area in Portola Valley, CA. Leashed dogs are allowed on all trails at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve except Lost and Razorback Trails. Dog owners are reminded to clean up any mess that is left behind.

Dog-friendly Butano State Park is a quiet canyon brimming with babbling creeks and redwood trees in Pescadero, CA. Leashed dogs are welcome in the campground and in paved developed areas. Dogs must be confined to a tent or vehicle at night, and they are not allowed on trails.

The Arizona Cactus Garden is a pet-friendly botanical garden located inside Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Fido is welcome to join as you tour the grounds, but please note that there are no boundaries around the cacti. Guests can expect to see a variety of unusual plants, including Cholla, Prickly Pear, several types of Aloes and more.

Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos, CA is dog friendly. Bring Fido along as you explore the serene natural beauty of this park. Enjoy a scenic walking trail around the lake, stroll along shaded pathways and take advantage of the 45 acres of lush lawn.

Let Fido enjoy a day in the sun. Both horses and leashed dogs are welcome at the pet-friendly Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay, CA. The area is operated by the city and dogs are allowed on the sand, unlike most of the state-run beaches.

Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve is a dog-friendly park in Redwood City, CA. Take your pet for an on-leash hike throughout this large, lovely nature preserve, or let them run free in the 17.5-acre area located in the center of the preserve, accessible from the Cordilleras Trail, Polly Geraci/Hassler Trails and the Blue Oak Trail. Be careful as the area is fenced and signed at entrances, but there is no fencing around the off-leash area. Dogs must be on a leash when outside of the off-leash area.

McLaren Park is a dog-friendly park in San Francisco, CA. The park features two separate fenced-in areas, McLaren Amphitheater Dog Play Area and McLaren Park Geneva Dog Play Area, where dogs can run and play off leash.

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is a dog-friendly recreational area in Sunol, CA. The preserve features more than 9000 acres of woodlands for you and Fido to explore. Hop on one of the hiking trails and enjoy views of Pleasanton and Livermore Valleys.

Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos, CA is pet-friendly. Committed to providing a great experience to children and adults alike, ride aboard a real steam engine as it goes through beautiful Oak Meadow and Vasona Parks. Dogs & Pets are permitted on the train as long as they are on a leash.

Leona Canyon Open Space Regional Preserve in Oakland, CA, offers 290 acres of natural space for you to enjoy some exercise with your pup. This pet-friendly preserve welcomes you and your leashed dog to explore the Leona Trail, which runs through gorgeous wooded canyons along Rifle Range Creek. Please note that dogs and people are not allowed in the creek or on the banks as the creek is a protected area.

Pets love the chance to run free at Seal Point Harbor Dog Park in San Mateo, CA. This 3-acre, fenced, off-leash dog park, located within Seal Point Park includes a separate small dog area and crushed gravel ground cover to reduce mud. Seal Point Park includes pathways for walking, cycling, and bird watching. You can walk the boardwalk along the Bay Marshes with your leashed pup, too.

Bring your pup to this hidden gem and enjoy views of the Tri Valley and San Francisco Bay area at Dublin Hills Regional Park in Dublin, CA. This pet-friendly park covers 654 acres in Alameda County and is part of the East Bay Regional Park District. Enjoy hiking the trails with Fido through grasslands past several seasonal streams and springs. Parking and restrooms are available at the Donlon Point Staging Area.

Jose Higuera Adobe Park is a pet-friendly community space in Milpitas, CA, spanning 5.5 acres. It features open fields, wildflowers, a historic cactus plant and a tree-lined creek, along with interpretive signage. The park also includes a paved path and a children's playground.