How to Find Off-Leash Dog Parks to Keep Your Pup Happy

RV Life

Woman and dog running and having fun at a dog park

These Tips Make it Easy to Find Off-Leash Dog Parks When You Travel

According the results of a survey done by the RV Industry Association, more than 65% of RVers travel with a pet, and 93% of these RVers bring a dog with them. And it’s no wonder. For me, no road trip would be complete without having a dog or two involved in my adventures. My two pointers have played a crucial role in multiple RV road trips throughout the US and Canada. We’ve covered close to 20,000 miles together over the last six years and the dogs are always eager to go exploring with me. With that being said, keeping my dogs happy and exercised is important. So, finding off leash dog parks on whatever route we travel is an essential part of trip planning.

The Best Methods for Finding Off-Leash Dog Parks Along Your Route

There are numerous ways to find great off-leash dog parks, almost anywhere you’re headed. However, traveling in an RV requires special consideration, since most dog park parking lots are designed for small passenger vehicles, and some may have overhead clearance considerations too. RV LIFE’s RV Trip Wizard is very helpful for finding RV safe routes to dog parks, It’s also a good idea to use Google Street View to check out the area for dead ends, parking spots and trees with low hanging branches before you drive there in your RV.

RV Trip Wizard

Many campgrounds have discovered that the majority of RVers bring at least one dog. Having access to a simple, fenced off-leash dog park can be a major attraction when it comes to RV trip planning. RV Trip Wizard makes it easy to find campgrounds with off-leash dog parks.

To find dog-friendly campgrounds in RV Trip Wizard, open a trip. Then simply click the filters tab, click on “parks,” and scroll down to “Pet Area.” Your route map will now show campgrounds that have a pet area. Click here to view a helpful video about using filters in RV Trip Wizard.

Google Maps

Google maps is a another great tool for finding dog parks along any given route. Open Google Maps and find the route you want to take to your destination. Then go to the “search along the route” search bar and type “dog park along the route.” Google Maps will mark dog parks on the map. What’s more, Google Maps lists the dog parks along with star ratings and reviews for each park.

When you find a dog park you’re interested in, open a new map in Google Maps and do a search for it. A map will pop up with a small Google street view icon in the bottom right. Click on the Street View icon, and you’ll get a 360-degree view of the street in front of the dog park.

If you aren’t camping in the area with access to a passenger vehicle, use RV Trip Wizard to plot an RV-friendly route to the dog park.

small dog off leash park at four paws kingdom — Image: @___Jennifer Blake___, ____(RV LIFE Campgrounds)____

Truck Stops

Truck Stops and Travel Centers are recognizing the value of offering fenced off-leash dog parks to their customers. Love’s Travel Stops began installing 50-by-120-foot fenced grass areas for dog-loving truckers and RVers in 2019. That started a trend. Not only are there now dog parks at more than 350 Love’s locations, but dog parks are now a popular addition to many other truck stops across the US. Here are a few that jumped in on this trend.

TravelCenters of America
Iowa 80 Truck Stop (The World’s Largest Truck stop)
White’s Travel Center (Raphine, Virginia)
Big Apple Travel Center (Joplin, Missouri)
Central Bark Dog Park at Fair Oaks Farms (Next to the BP in Fair Oaks, Indiana)
OnCue locations (Oklahoma)

Dog Park Apps

Dog Pack and Sniffspot are two popular apps that can be used on both Ios and Android devices. The free Dog Pack app is great for finding a complete listing of nearby public dog parks wherever you happen to be. Dog Pack app has user submitted reviews and photos to help you decide if a park is right for your dog.

Some dogs prefer to get their exercise without the presence of other dogs. The free Sniffspot App is perfect for finding private rental dog parks where your dog can run and play for 30–60 minutes. Private dog parks usually rent for between $10–$15. The rental fee is worth every penny for one-on-one time such as training or just playing a game of fetch.

Dog Days, Everyday!

Dogs make the best traveling companions. They’re always happy to go anywhere with us and love to explore new places. Visiting off leash dog parks along the way can help keep our four legged friends exercised, mentally stimulated and on their best behavior. There are now easy ways to find great dog parks wherever you are.