Dog-Friendly Date Destinations

Do you consider your dog a part of your family? Do you let her crawl in bed at four in the morning and lick your face until you wake up? Have her food, exercise, and bathroom schedules become a hair more important than your own? Please, tell me I’m not alone.

If you, too, are a little obsessed with your pup and count her as a close pal, then you know that when it comes to dating, sometimes it’s (more) fun to include the fur-baby in romantic outings. Luckily, my boyfriend agrees.

Outdoor dates are a thing of the near future – I hope – as temperatures begin to cool down in the next month. It’s the perfect time to consider bringing along your dog on an occasional date. It’ll get their energy out, if not from physical play and exercise, then from the stimulation of being in a public space. Plus, you can count on getting to know your date in a different setting and, most imperatively, if they’re a dog person.

Here are five dog-friendly date spots to consider on your next outing.

Pack a picnic and head to White Rock Lake. Or stop by Eatzi’s for a couple of gourmet sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling wine. Don’t forget to grab a blanket to sit on, plus some water for the little one. The White Rock Dog Park has recently reopened after a period of construction, and it now includes a “dog launch” into the lake, providing pups an easy entrance into the water.



Hit up the food trucks and dog park at Klyde Warren Park. Everyone can have fun at this 5.2-acre green space lofted over a highway in downtown. With games, classes, grassy knolls, plenty of food trucks, and a space to socialize your dog, it’ll be a hit for all along for the adventure.

Relax in your backyard away from your backyard at The Grove at Harwood. Play corn hole, volleyball, or bocce ball; sip the namesake margarita, Grovita; and chow on paninis, snow cones, or snack plates at this new pet-friendly, mega-yard on the edge of downtown.



Chill out on the vast patio of Katy Trail Ice House after a stroll on the Katy Trail. Walk the dog, burn a few calories, and then stock back up with a Revolver Blood and Honey and some chips and salsa at one of Katy Trail Ice House’s many picnic tables.



Would this list be complete without Mutt’s Canine Cantina? Of course it wouldn’t. Drinks, burgers, hot dogs, and, of course, two giant, off-leash dog parks (one for large dogs and the other for smaller ones) won’t disappoint anyone on this outing. Dog- and people-watching are both encouraged.