Seattle obviously loves its dogs, between its wealth of green spaces with trails and its bendy rules on bringing pets at eateries.
If you want to take your good boy or girl out on the town, you’ve got options around here. But maybe you’ve run the old standards a little ragged and you’re looking for a new way to entertain your doggos? We’ve got a handful of hopefully new-to-you suggestions to keep your pal as happy as a dog with two tails.
📸: Meg van Huygen
1
Have alfresco dinner and drinks 🍹
Not only are dogs welcome at Dreamland Bar and Diner, Fremont’s classic/futuristic new bar-resto at 34th and Evanston, but they’re so beloved here that their Instagram account’s got a Story Highlights feature titled Dream Pups to showcase all the visiting cuties and beauties. In particular, Dreamland’s vaporwave-y, slightly hallucinogenic patio bar, called Carnelian Bay, is ground zero for doggie patrons (despite being big cat-themed—think Thundercats!), so maybe head there first. But your buddy will be greeted and doted upon wherever you choose to sit. And, I know, probably you too.
📍 Dreamland Bar and Diner: 3401 Evanston Ave. N
Dreamland is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 am to 11 pm, Friday from 11 am to 1 am, Saturday from 10 am to 1 am, and 10 am to 9 am on Sunday. Saturday is the weekly, extremely dreamy Dream Girls Drag Brunch, which starts at noon and will require a reservation. You might also need a reservation on a weekend evening if you wanna sit outside in the Carnelian Bay area, but it’s worth it. You gotta see this place.
They deserve a treat too 🦆
If you’re low on treats or toys or just want to poke around, indie-owned Crown Hill Pet Supply on Holman Road is stocked with healthy snacks for dogs and cats. Owner Chris Mitchell’s focus is on carrying small, family-owned brands as well as unique items, such as duck heads and quail eggs. This cozy pet shop sells raw pet food too, in addition to the regular kind, of course! Shop local!
📸: Meg van Huygen
2
Commune with nature 🍃
Everybody knows about Carkeek Park (y’all know about Carkeek, right?), but its smaller, quieter cousin, Llandover Woods Greenspace, is just up the street in Broadview, and it’s like if Carkeek were in the middle of the Olympic National Forest. Oftentimes, it’s so pristinely quiet at Llandover that you can hear a leaf drop. This lush public forest is perfect for dog-walking and is used pretty exclusively by the local mansionites from Broadview and the Highlands next door to, ahem, release the hounds. But it’s a pretty well-kept secret. You and Bella might not have the whole nine acres to yourself, but you also most certainly might.
📍 Llandover Woods Greenspace: NW 145th St. and 3rd Ave. NW
The park is open daily from 4 am to 11:30 pm and is located at the western terminus of NW 145th Street, kitty-corner from Seattle Golf Club. There’s a slight incline to this trail, so prepare for a beginner-level hike. Watch for mountain beavers along the paths and for chanterelles in early fall!
Up for another adventure? 🐾
If you actually don’t know about Carkeek, it’s right around the corner from most of these locations, and it’s really worth a visit. Carkeek has everything you could ever want in a park, rolled into one: a lush forest, hiking trails, a flowing stream with salmon in it, an entire orchard, about a mile of untouched and high-producing blackberry brambles, and beach access with an unobstructed view of Shilshole Bay. And a cool old footbridge that goes up and over the railroad, from which the view is somehow even more spectacular than on the beach. (Also, the best entrance to the park is right behind the QFC on Holman Road, so you can get snacks for you and your doggle beforehand.)
📸: Meg van Huygen
3
Do some off-leash socializing 🎾
Up in Greenwood, Voff (which means “woof” in Norwegian!) is a serious neighborhood gem for dog owners and dog-free folks alike. Owner Ryan Matthews started out in 2018 as Voff Bark and Brew, a bar with a dozen or so craft taps built into a hand-renovated 1930s Craftsman house on a double lot—and turned its huge yard into an off-leash dog park. The business emerged from the lockdown as Voff Dog Park, the main difference being that the bar is in a heated enclosed patio now, rather than inside the house. Pooches are expected to be trained (“We’re a place for good dogs and good owners,” Matthews specifies), and there are a few rules. Dog owners can pay a monthly member’s due or a per-visit fee, and you don’t even need a dog if you just wanna stop by for a drink and watch the canine bedlam. They have boozy slushies, too—hell yeah.
📍 Voff Dog Park: 9731 Greenwood Ave N
The park and bar is open Monday through Friday 3 pm to 10 pm, Saturday 12 pm to 10 pm, and Sunday 12 pm to 9 pm.
📸: Meg van Huygen
4
Take a vending-machine bubble bath 🧼🛁
It’s easy to miss this dog-wash automat on the corner of 85th and 15th, which looks at first glance like it’s part of the Walgreens next door, possibly thanks to the giant Walgreens logo above the door. Don’t be fooled! There’s a whole dog-washing emporium in there! Like the Lake City location, Pawfect Wash is the exact same concept as a DIY car wash: they provide the tub, the shampoo and conditioner, the sprayer, and the blow-dryer, and it’s all set up like a vending machine with a bill/card slot. There’s even an optional herbal-based flea repellant cycle! All you gotta do is add the dog. It’s a tidy way to clean up after a hard day’s play!
📍 Pawfect Wash: 8500 15th Ave NW Unit B
The dog wash is open every day from 9 am to 8 pm.
