For many dog owners, their furry friends aren’t just pets—they’re members of the family. So when they’re planning a trip to a park, beach, or even a restaurant, leaving their dogs at home just isn’t an option. Fortunately, Tampa has many places where dogs are as welcome as humans. According to the website bringfido.com, Tampa has 87 hotels and 208 restaurants that accept dogs, 11 dog parks, and one dog beach. While there are dog-friendly venues spread across the city, the following are some of the Tampa’s best neighborhoods for dogs.

South Tampa

Dog playing in the waves

Who doesn’t love a day at the beach? Fortunately, at Picnic Island Beach Dog Park in South Tampa, your dog can join you in the fun. Dogs are welcome to play off-leash on the beach, but there are no fences to create boundaries, so you must be careful if your dog has a penchant for wandering. This 7.8-acre beach is open sunrise to sunset and also has picnic areas, a children’s play area, a pier for fishing, and a doggie shower for your dog to rinse off after enjoying the beach.

St. Petersburg

Puppy enjoying the beach

If you live outside the city, then Fort DeSoto Dog Park and Beach in St. Petersburg, which devotes one-quarter mile of its six miles as a dedicated dog beach, may be a better option for bringing your dog to the beach. Although leashes are required in other sections of the park, dogs can run leash-free on the dog beach and enclosed dog park. The park also has doggie showers for both big and small dogs.

Logan Gate

Photo courtesy of Logan Gate Dog Park

Logan Gate Dog Park features five acres of dog play area with a six-foot chain-link fence and double gated entries. There are two separate play spaces for small dogs and larger dogs. Other features include water fountains for dogs (and owners), picnic tables, shelters, dog washes, hitching posts, and doggie mitt receptacles.

West Park

Dogs playing at a dog park

In West Park, you can bring your dog to Hillsborough County’s first dog park, the West Park Dog Park, located in the western part of the county near Tampa International Airport. The play area is split into areas for small and large dogs and features five acres enclosed in a six-foot galvanized chain-link fence with double gated entries. The park also features water fountains for people and dogs, picnic tables, shelters, dog washes, a hitching post, and doggie mitt receptacles. With adjacent children's playground and baseball fields, it’s also a good place to bring children.

Downtown

Curtis Hixon Waterfront Dog Park photo courtesy of Barbthebuilder 

If you happen to be in the Downtown area, then the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Dog Park on Ashley Drive may be a good option for bringing your dog. The park is fully fenced-in and has artificial turf, agility equipment, drinking water, disposal bags, and trash cans. Although your dog probably won’t notice, you can enjoy the waterfront views.

Plaza Terrace

DogFest photo courtesy of Canine Companions for Independence

For a spacious alternative to bring your dog, the Al Lopez Park near the airport is an option in Plaza Terrace. Dogs are permitted on-leash throughout the park or off-lease in two designated dog parks. Unlike some of the other parks in the city, this park has ample trees and shade for protection in the hot summer months. This is also the site of DogFest Tampa, a fundraising event held in February for Canine Companions for Independence. The event raises money to make it possible for people with disabilities to own service dogs.

Ybor City

Dog-friendly restaurant

While dog-friendly restaurants can be found throughout the city, Ybor City seems to have a particularly high concentration of them. Bringfido cites 10 restaurants in the neighborhoods that welcome dogs in outdoor seating areas. For example, the Tampa Bay Brewing Company has an outside patio area that features its own bar and is dog-friendly (it’s ranked five out of five bones on the site) and La Creperia Cafe has outdoor seating that allows dogs.

Zephryhills

Dog sitting in the backyard

If you’re looking for a housing community that caters specifically to dogs, then you might consider Stonebridge at Chapel Creek in Zephryhills. It features a dog park open exclusively to homeowners. It also includes a play area, tot lot, pool, and cabana so humans can also enjoy the outdoors. New homes at Stonebridge at Chapel Creek start from the $170’s and offer interior layouts as well as also backyard space to run and play.