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There are errands to be run and exploring to be done, and the turn of the knob brings out the puppy dog eyes. So where can you take your dog along for the ride?
It turns out there are tons of fun places to take your best furry friend.
Many drive-thru businesses, like banks and pharmacies, offer treats when they see dogs riding shotgun. Pharmacy at Wellington, 15400 Chenal Parkway, Suite 100, is one of those.
When you’re grabbing morning coffee at Starbucks or 7 Brew, it is generally easy to get a pup cup for your sidekick. Community Bakery offers free milk bones, at the drive-thru, and for $1.95, a fresh-baked, peanut-flavored dog treat.
Veronica Ussery giver her dog Huck, a two-year old, Australian Shepard and Beagle mix a treat Sunday, May 4, 2025, at Two Rivers Park in Little Rock. Ussery said the she had rescued Huck about six months ago…(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Have a webbed-foot dog? Book a place nearby for a private swim through Swimply.com. Not all pools rented on the site allow dogs, so be sure to scroll through the restrictions before reserving a spot. State parks, like Lake Catherine State Park in Hot Springs, allow leashed pets except in designated swim areas.
Cynthia Miller at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro says dogs often accompany people digging for gems.
“They can go anywhere with you,” Miller says. “The only place they can’t go is, when you’re in the visitor’s center there’s a gift shop and (they) don’t want them in the gift shop area. They can go in the museum and they can go out in the field and everywhere else.”
Michael Bilotti plays fetch with his dog Buddy at a boat landing in Pinnacle Mountain State Park on Sunday, May 4, 2025. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Miller says other kinds of pets turn up regularly at the park as well.
“People bring cats — we’ve had a lot of those. Sometimes they’re in backpack carriers but most of the time they are on a leash,” she says. “We’ve had a raccoon before. We’ve had birds, we’ve had a monkey, we’ve had a lemur — we’ve had a lot of different animals. They just have to be on a leash and contained at all times.”
Dana Hightower at the Gangster Museum of America, 510 Central Ave. in Hot Springs, says pets are welcome among its exhibits about some of the most notorious gamblers and bootleggers in Arkansas history.
“The only restriction we have is if they make a mess — you have to clean it up,” Hightower says. “I know Superior Bathhouse Brewery, not far from here, is pet-friendly and they even have a dog menu for if you want to get your dog something to eat.”
The Friends of Paws Park, 5900 Rebsamen Park Road; the MacArthur Bark Park, 601 E. Ninth St.; and Barks and Rec, 2700 Willow St. in North Little Rock, are a few of the Central Arkansas dog parks where dogs can play unleashed after entering through double-gated entrances. There are separate areas for dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds, they are equipped with pet waste disposal stations and water faucets, and some have wading pools available as well.
Dogs of all sizes enjoy hiking along Arkansas’ trails, such as the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, as shown here. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Sheila Yount)
Several restaurants allow dogs on patios and decks, like Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack and Fassler Hall, but Bark Bar & Grille, 1201 S. Spring St. in Little Rock, is all about dogs and their owners. It, too, has a double-gated entrance, and there are bistro tables to make for a harder-to-reach surface for dog owners to stash their drool-worthy burgers, nachos and cocktails. There is an outdoor play area for dogs, and in case of rain there is space to romp inside as well.
“This is the place where everyone knows your dog’s name,” says Cici Conger-Portie.
Caroline Michaelson, a student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, is a regular. She can study and have a snack while her dog, Olive, tussles with her best friend Rosie. Rosie’s owner, Amanda Simmons, says she is there at least two or three times a week, hanging out with the staff and other regulars, while Rosie burns off some energy.
The daily rate for Bark Bar visits for vaccinated dogs over 4 months old is $10. Monthly, quarterly and yearly memberships, offering unlimited visits, are available for $30, $90 or $300, respectively.
Rosie and Olive, best dog pals, relish time spent tussling at Bark Bar while their respective owners, Amanda Simmons and Caroline Michaelson, hang out. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kimberly Dishongh)
