Bring your pooch to play outdoors with dogs of all kinds!
San Diego dog lovers have it made in the shade. One of the most dog-friendly cities in the country offers places where you can hotel, motel, dine, wine, and vacation with your dog. It should come to no surprise that San Diego is packed with great dog parks!
Pet owners, walkers or sitters can find dog parks in suburbias, by the beach (on the beach!), downtown, on busy streets, and even in the stadium at Petco Park. Most of the dog parks have been affected by the drought and contain a lot more dirt per square foot than they used to, but all in all, the dog parks are clean, spacious, and provide the easy essentials of a dog’s play: water, doggie bags, dog pens, shade, and, of course, other dogs.
The Barkyard at Petco Park
Address: 100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92191
Hours: Park open during game times
Phone: 619-795-5000
The Barkyard is pure San Diego fun! It’s an exclusive — and pricey at $100 — dog-friendly suite attached to Petco Park. The Barkyard includes six semi-private viewing areas set up for you, three other people, and your best fur friend. Watch the game while your dog cuddles in a comfy sleeping spot or trots around the potty-friendly concrete.
The area has umbrellas and artificial turf that is great for quick mess cleanup and prevents the ground from getting too hot on those sunny SD days. The Barkyard gives each doggie their own homemade treat, as well as offers an in-seat menu for the humans. The Barkyard also features a connected Pet Relief area.
Poway Dog Park
Address: 13094 Civic Center Drive, Poway, CA 92064
Hours: Open daily, sunrise – 10 p.m.
Phone: 858-668-4580
Poway’s Community Park features a large baseball area, a slide-and-play area for little ones with trees and tables nearby, and this wonderful dog park. The dog park is 1.75 acres where dogs can romp leash-free, chasing frisbees or each other. There are three fenced-in areas, and each area includes a dog-lick faucet, picnic benches, and space for the dogs to run. Right across the street is a frozen yogurt shop with outdoor seating.
Poway asks that you walk your dog on-leash to the dog park, unleashing them once you are inside one of the gated areas. There are dog pens, as well, but reservations are possible, and those receive priority.
Grape Street Dog Park
Address: 1998 28th St., San Diego, CA 92102
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Saturday & Sunday, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 619-239-0512
Grape Street dog park is a large expanse of field that includes shady trees and picnic tables, as well as gorgeous views of downtown. The sky stretches out over pooches of all sizes and shapes loping around and sniffing, exploring the surroundings. Doggie bags are provided for the times you forget to bring your own. There are public bathrooms, handy especially if you have kiddos with you.
Grape Street dog park is not fenced off. If you’re there at dusk with your dogs, keep them close, as there are coyotes nearby.
Rancho Bernardo Dog Park
Address: 18448 W. Bernardo Drive, San Diego, CA 92127
Hours: Open daily, dawn – dusk | Closed for maintenance on Thursdays, 10 a.m. – noon
Phone: 858-538-8129
Rancho Bernardo features classic San Diego weather year-round, and the dog park benefits from the pleasant temps and gentle sun. Rancho Bernardo dog park is well-kept, picked up, grass mowed, and ready for your doggies to run in happy packs. The dog park used to provide water, but in a controversial decision, they decided to pull the water supply due to concerns about the drought.
There are occasional dog-related events at the park, and the Hotel W down the street offers a free Doggie Happy Hour, where you can bring your dog from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. (Call 619-231-8220 for more info.) Dogs are expected to be on-leash until they are in the penned dog park area. The park is closed during very rainy times to minimize damage and costs to the city.
Nate’s Point Dog Park
Address: 2500 Balboa Drive, San Diego, CA 92103
Hours: Open 24/7
Email: info@npdog.org
Nate’s dog park is an enormous expanse of free-roaming (though fenced) semi-grassy (the grass has died back quite a bit since the drought) area for dogs of all kinds to mingle and play. Tall trees provide plenty of shade, and there is a water fountain for your pup and his or her human companion. The location is a huge bonus because there are so many beautiful places to visit in the Balboa Park area, many of which are pooch-friendly. Great hiking trails allowing dogs are right next to the dog park.
This park does not have separate penned areas for small and large dogs, so care must be taken between the different sized breeds. There are no restrooms, so be sure to note that before you leave for Nate’s dog park.
Fiesta Island Dog Park
Address: 1590 E. Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109
Hours: Monday – Friday, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 619-525-8213
Fiesta Island is well known by us San Diegans, especially dog owners. Families with pooches love to visit this dog park and stay all afternoon playing by the water. Dogs have free reign to splash, get soaked (and soak others), run in the wet sand, and in general just be ridiculously happy and free.
The sand dunes are especially fun for canines to leap over and play on, and you and your family can run, splash, or ride a bike as man’s best friend runs next to you. Bring a picnic and have a beautiful day!
Dusty Rhodes Dog Park
Address: 2483 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107
Hours: Open daily, dawn – dusk
Email: dustyrhodespark@gmail.com
The dog park at Dusty Rhodes Park has two large, fenced areas — one for small dogs 30 pounds and under, and one for large dogs. Many pet owners like this kind of setup because it can avoid any issues with aggression. The fenced areas have lovely trees, chairs, picnic tables, and a water fountain.
The area is mostly grass, but like most dog parks in San Diego, there’s a lot of dirt due to water restrictions. The space is 1 acre, but citizens are requesting an expansion to possibly 5 acres. There are free dog bags for cleanup and friendly canines to play with.
Ocean Beach Dog Beach
Address: Ocean Beach bike path, San Diego, CA 92107
Hours: Open 24/7
Phone: 619-236-5555
With the ocean gently rolling in, palm trees, plenty of sand, and fur friends, Ocean Beach dog park is an ideal place to bring your doggies. This is often a very busy and dog-full beach, so be sure your pooch likes to play with others. Dogs are off-leash on this beach.
The location makes this a perfect place to spend the afternoon with the kids and canines. You can walk to the town to eat and make your way back to watch the sunset. Be sure to bring your own doggy cleanup bags, as they don’t provide them here.
Maggie Houlihan Memorial Dog Park
Address: 425 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024
Hours: Monday – Friday, 5 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 760-633-2740
The Maggie Houlihan Memorial dog park was named after Mayor Houlihan. This is one of the most gorgeous and well-kept dog parks that San Diego has to offer, with tons of greenery, grass, winding sidewalks, and carefully constructed dog areas for larger and smaller dogs.
This is the perfect dog park to spend the afternoon with a picnic: kids can play ball or frisbee while the dogs run and play, and there are bathrooms, shade, and tables. There’s even an area for first-time dog visitors or dogs that need to be separated for whatever reason.
Coronado Dog Beach
Address: 311 Ocean Blvd., Coronado, CA 92118
Hours: Open 24/7
Phone: 619-522-7342
This is a peaceful, clean, and just lovely dog beach. The sand is gorgeous and is mixed with green grass and plants that grow along the shoreline, which is rimmed with low-growing trees and shrubbery. Coronado dog beach is often less crowded than other options, so it’s a great place for more sensitive dogs.
Kids will love to tag along here for a fun beach day. The winds blow and the weather is usually mild, so sometimes the dogs need a little extra cover. This location also does not provide dog bags, so be sure to bring your own.
