Austin: Best Dog-Friendly Places

Call it the coolest job ever: blogger Will Kearney and his Rhodesian Ridgeback Mr. Eko are traveling the country for Purina’sPetcentric.com blog Marking Our Territory. They stopped over in Austin during SXSW and awarded the following places with their “Best of Petcentric Places” awards. I have to say, I’m jealous of the job and I more or less agree with the picks, though I’m fairly certain I could never get Denali in a canoe in a million years … also check out 11 reasons pets make or keep you healthy here.

• Best Hotel: Decker Creek Bed and Breakfast and Biscuit
  Of all the hotels visited thus far, Eko could live in the Decker Creek B & B & B forever. Behind the beautiful cabin there are 50 acres of fenced-in property where Eko was free to run around. Dogs are even welcomed at breakfast and offered homemade treats!
• Best Park: Zilker Park
  This park offers the best of both worlds: a path where pet-owners can walk their dog on a leash and a wide open area for dogs to run free, which Eko loved. Feeling more adventurous? Jump into a rented kayak or canoe and enjoy the beauty of Austin from the water!
• Best Hike/Run: Turkey Creek
  This offers the best hiking scenery and is the only place Will and Eko have found on their trip that allows dogs to be off-leash on a trail. The two-and-a-half mile trail crisscrosses the creek, giving dogs the opportunity to splash around in the water.
• Best Pet Store: Lofty Dog
  This pet store really matches the atmosphere of the city – laid back and welcoming. Pets are allowed to roam free, which made it easier for Will to shop for treats while Eko was busy playing with the very attentive staff.
• Best Restaurant: South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery
  Many Austin restaurants are pet-friendly, so Will and Eko chose this spot (also known as Torchy’s Trailer Park) for its unusual setup and fun environment. There are picnic tables, televisions, ping pong tables and foosball tables – what’s not to love!

“Austin is a unique city with an active pet-friendly community who were eager to share their favorite spots with us,” said Kearney. Fellow animal lovers can get inspired to start their own journey by logging onto Petcentric.com or using the Petcentric Places mobile app to find pet-friendly places and information anytime, anywhere.