Austin Dog Trip

February 25, 2009 11:32 AM

Visiting Austin, TX with the dogs. Have any dog friendly visitor suggestions?

We have a place to stay tomorrow through Saturday. Looking for park suggestions, walks, hikes, picnic spots and other things to do with two dogs: a very calm pit mix and a border collie / frisbee dog. We've been to the dog park on Riverside by I-35 and plan to visit it again. We're in that area and have a car. We want to jog the trail around Town Lake with them too during the least busy time.

Besides that I don't really know what else could be fun options for us. Can you take your dog to Mt Bonnell? Isn't there a place in Zilker? Do you know any good trails like the Town Lake one? Isn't there some frisbee golf places around where the dogs would be welcome (on leash)? We're open to nearby Central Texas towns as well.

Of course we want to observe all leash laws, curb all poop, and don't want to take our dogs where they're not welcome or annoying to other visitors. Are there places we can sit outside with our dogs and have coffee or beer? I imagine city ordinances may prevent this but I'm wondering if there are some casual exceptions.

Any and all good places where we can let the border collie off-lease to catch frisbees would be great. Again, we want to be respectful visitors, not pushy entitled dog owners. Both dogs are well trained, well socialized and monitored closely by me, the dog mom. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

posted by dog food sugar to pets & animals (12 comments total)

You must go to Bull Creek Park. It's a leashless dog park in North Austin, and it's beautiful. My husband and I don't own dogs but we'd go there just because it's so pretty, and because we could watch all the dogs play with each other.
posted by Nattie at 11:39 AM on February 25 [1 favorite has favorites]

The dog park at Auditorium Shores is also great, especially if your dog likes the water. It also has a very big, open field that's perfect for frisbee or the Chuck-it. Austin is very dog friendly.

There are a lot of places where you can sit outside with your dog and have a beer. Draught House, Dog and Duck, and Crown and Anchor come to mind. Those are all perfect dog & pint places, especially if you also like darts.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 11:59 AM on February 25

Most places with patios allow dogs on leashes here. AFAIK there is no city ordinance that prevents this in Austin. Just call and ask, though the ones mentioned so far are definitely fine. Especially the Draught House!

When you said Frisbee golf, I thought Pease Park, which is dog-friendly (though leashed).
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:02 PM on February 25

Oh, and to answer your other questions: you can take your dog to Mt. Bonnell but there's nothing there that's particularly interesting to a dog. The place in Zilker that you may be thinking of is the Auditorium Shores dog park that I linked above. If you like the Town Lake Ladybird Lake trail (I live a couple of thousand feet from that, maybe I'll pass you with my blue heeler), try the Barton Creek Greenbelt, which starts at Zilker (on the south side of Barton Springs pool). It's much more wooded and interesting to a dog.

For disc golf, there's a dog park and awesome disc golf course at Pease Park.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:05 PM on February 25

Oh, and I should add that half of Pease Park is off-leash (the northern half before you cross under the bridge on 24th St), and the rest is dog friendly (there's a "all dogs must be on leash after this point" sign). Only one of the holes (hole #2 I believe) is actually part of the leash-free zone.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:07 PM on February 25

If the volume isn't too overwhelming, you might want to try this Austin Dog Friendly Establishments list.
posted by roystgnr at 12:21 PM on February 25

Red Bud Isle
Jo's Coffee
Austin Off-Leash Areas
posted by lunalaguna at 4:52 PM on February 25

Thank you all so very much! I love this list so much. I'm really looking forward to the next couple days in your lovely city.
posted by dog food sugar at 5:04 PM on February 25

Oh, and don't forget Emma Long Metropolitan Park. It's gorgeous and there are lovely trails.

I don't know what the water situation is in the creek, but check out Twin Falls (by Mopac and 360). Lots of lovely trails and your dog can play in the water (as can you at 85 degrees outside!).
posted by cachondeo45 at 5:31 PM on February 25

Follow up: Thanks again everyone! We didn't get a chance to hit all of these but I look forward to trying to on future trips. Bull Creek Park was really beautiful! Great for dogs and people alike. We also really liked Redbud Isle. Auditorium Shores was the other place we were able to fit in - also really great. roystgnr's link led us to Bouldin Creek Coffee which had great food and water bowls for the pups.

I've started an Austin Google Map (self link) of a lot of these recommendations and from other Austin AskMe's.
posted by dog food sugar at 2:23 PM on March 1

oops - map link does not work. sorry.
posted by dog food sugar at 2:27 PM on March 1

OK - figured it out: Austin Google Map of Dog Parks self link and a work in progress.
posted by dog food sugar at 3:07 PM on March 1