Best Places to Celebrate Your Dog in Georgia
Treat your pup to a special summer trip to splash and play at some of Georgia's doggie havens.
If your dog likes to travel as much as you do, there’s no better way to celebrate their birthday, their gotcha day, training milestone or just reward them for being the BEST DOG EVER than with a summer trip. Show them love and appreciation with an exciting outing in Georgia where they can splash and play to their heart’s content. From dog-friendly beaches to pool “pawties” just for dogs, your pup is sure to love exploring and meeting new playmates at these summer hot spots.
Jump to:
Dog-friendly Georgia State Parks
End-of-season Pool Pawties for Dogs
Off-leash Dog Parks with Water Features
Parks with Dog-friendly Water Features
More Pet-friendly Travel in Georgia
Dog-friendly Beaches
Jekyll Island
Treat your pup to a getaway on Jekyll Island, where most of the island’s 10 miles of beaches are dog-friendly. Stay at the oceanfront, pet-friendly The Westin Jekyll Island, and receive a Heavenly® Dog Bed, a pet welcome kit, and food bowls with a mat for your favorite four-legged friend when you check-in. Dine out at several pet-friendly restaurants on the island, like The Wharf, where you can relax by the water and watch the sunset with a cocktail while Fido enjoys unlimited ice water refreshments. Or, kick back on the shaded porch at Zachry’s Riverhouse while you enjoy Wild Georgia shrimp served with hushpuppies you might share with your furry friend. Review Jekyll’s rules for pets before your trip.
St. Simons Island
St. Simons Island’s East Beach and Massengale Park are great spots for dogs to enjoy sandy shores and play in salty ocean waters. You and your pup will love staying in a beachfront room at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, or choose a vacation rental from Lilmar Properties, including private homes with fully fenced-in yards. For great food and fun right in the heart of the historic village, eat at Iguanas Seafood Restaurant with a large patio perfect for every pup. Or for an elevated dining experience that’s also pet-friendly, book a table on the gorgeous patio at Tramici, where pups will be offered a treat. Find more pet-friendly places to go in the Golden Isles.
Dog-friendly Georgia State Parks
Almost all Georgia State Parks welcome leashed pets on hiking trails, and for the ultimate road trip doggie adventure, you can join the Georgia State Parks Tails on Trails Club and see how many of the suggested 42 hikes you can complete. Many parks schedule ranger-led hikes where you can make new canine friends.
Reserve a campsite or pet-friendly cabin so you can stay in the heart of the parks, with hiking, boating, fishing and more right outside your door. No matter what type of adventure you seek with your pet, summer in Georgia’s State Parks guarantees a wagging good time. Review the Georgia State Parks pet rules before your trip.
Popular parks with spots for your pup to play in the water include:
Sweetwater Creek State Park near Atlanta
Located just minutes from downtown Atlanta, this park's trails wind through fields and forest and along a rushing stream, showcasing ferns, magnolias, wild azaleas and hardwoods. One popular trail follows the stream to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. The park's 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir is popular for fishing and provides a pretty setting for feeding ducks and picnicking.
Don Carter State Park on Lake Lanier in Gainesville
Situated on the north end of Lake Lanier, this park features 14.5 miles of trails through the hardwood forest, including Dog Creek Inner and Outer Loops, which are popular with hikers and equestrians.
Red Top Mountain State Park on Lake Allatoona in Acworth
More than 15 miles of trails wind through this forested park on Lake Allatoona. The gravel-topped 4-mile Iron Hill Trail is open to hikers and bikers, offering pretty views of the lake's shoreline.
Crooked River State Park in St. Marys
Located on the southern tip of Georgia's coast, this park is the perfect spot to enjoy the Intracoastal waterway and maritime forest. The park's nature trail winds through forest and salt marsh, and hikers may see gopher tortoises, fiddler crabs, herons, and other birds.
End-of-season Pool Pawties for Dogs (September/October)
Many communities throw raucous end-of-season pool parties for water-loving pups before they close for the season. Make sure to get your pet in on the fun at these paws-itively splash-a-rific special events:
- Cumming Aquatic Center Dog Days (2024 date TBA)
- F.D. Roosevelt State Park Dog Splash & Luau (Sept. 7, 2024)
- Murphey Candler Pool in Brookhaven Doggy Dip Day (Sept. 7, 2024 - tentative)
- Piedmont Park Splish Splash Doggie Bash (Oct. 5-6, 2024)
- Dog Day at Splash in the 'Boro (2024 date TBA)
Off-leash Dog Parks with Water Features
Fetch Park (multiple locations)
No need to feel “ruff” on a summer day. Head to one of Fetch Park’s five locations in the Atlanta area and Columbus with your best friends while they dip their paws in the Splash Zone. Dogs aren’t the only ones with a way to cool off. Sip on an adult beverage from the BARk or grab an iced coffee from Cubano on-site. You can even book Fetch’s event space for a full-blown paw-ty for your pup! Stay overnight in Columbus at the pet-friendly Hotel Indigo, and enjoy an early morning walk along the Chattahoochee River just steps from your room. Or, pamper your pet with a stay at the W Atlanta - Downtown, where they can sleep in a luxurious W pet bed and enjoy tasty turn-down treats at bedtime.
Chattapoochee Dog Park in Duluth
With sprinklers and access to the Chattahoochee River, Chattapoochee Dog Park in Duluth is a popular place for pups to play and cool off in summer. It has separate sections for large and small dogs, water fountains, agility equipment and shaded spaces for Fido to relax and regroup in between games of chase. After playtime, you and your four-legged companion can head into downtown Duluth for a beer at dog-friendly 6S Brewing and a bite to eat at pet-friendly restaurants like Good Word Brewing and Truck & Tap.
Newtown Dream Dog Park in Johns Creek
Opened in 2011, the Newtown Dream Dog Park in Johns Creek was the first dog park makeover completed by the Beneful Dream Dog Park program, and it’s above and beyond any dog park you’ve ever seen! The one-acre park features artificial turf, sprinklers, a full agility course, fire hydrant-shaped water fountains, a splash pad and small pools for pets. Relax in shady picnic shelters while your dog makes new friends, and be sure to stop in town afterward for a pint at dog-friendly Six Bridges Brewing. Your pup will love the brewery’s dog treats made with spent grain and peanut butter.
Parks with Dog-friendly Water Features
Jones Bridge Park in Peachtree Corners
Curving along the shoreline of the Chattahoochee River in Peachtree Corners, Jones Bridge Park has several stone staircases leading to the water's edge. Leashed dogs love exploring the rocks and shoreline. After drying off in the sun, stop at Lazy Dog Restaurant and let your pup choose something to eat off the pup menu while you kick back on the patio with some housemade sangria and a burger or road trip bowl.
Murphey Candler Park in Brookhaven
Explore the paths and trails at 135-acre Murphey Candler Park in Brookhaven that circle around ballfields, tennis courts and playgrounds, and then let Fido wade into the small lake to cool off. After your adventure, join the fun at the Brookhaven Food Truck Roundup on the fourth Wednesday of the month April through October, or stop into Grindhouse Killer Burgers to grab a bite and a beer on the patio with other local pups.
More Pet-friendly Travel in Georgia
For more pet-friendly travel ideas, visit Explore Georgia's Traveling with Pets page.
