7 places you can bring your dog around Milwaukee this summer
Now that it's finally warm in Wisconsin and we've emerged from hibernation, we're looking for every excuse to get outdoors. And we want to bring our furry friends along.
Many local businesses and public parks are beginning to open up to dogs. Water fountains have spouts designed for pooches, and many restaurants have water bowls ready for pups who stop by with their humans.
Dogs are generally welcome on restaurant patios as long as they're well behaved. But here are some top spots to visit and fun things to do with your best friend.
Iron Horse Hotel
The Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St., isn't the only pet-friendly hotel in Milwaukee, but it does go the extra mile to accommodate dogs. The hotel welcomes your dog by name on a chalkboard, it has complimentary treats at the front desk and an in-room dining menu for pups.
There is a $100 fee for any dog who stays. Bigger dogs can get the VIP package, which costs $150 and includes treats, a toy, a doggie bed and more.
Those who aren't staying the night can still bring their pooches to The Yard, the hotel's outdoor dining and bar area. There are regular Yappy Hours for dogs and dog lovers, and water bowls are always available.
Art Bar
Art Bar, 722 E Burleigh St., didn't mean to be dog-friendly. It just happened.
"I think it started when we were a coffee shop, and a lot of people were out walking their dogs in the morning, so they'd ask to bring in their dogs. And then it became a dog-friendly coffeeshop," said owner Don Krause.
Dogs are still welcome now that it's a bar. Krause said people often stop by for happy hour with their pups.
"A lot of people get home from work and take their dogs on a walk," Krause said. "The dogs practically pull their owners here because they know they'll get a treat."
Krause said everyone is respectful. "We don't want to be a dog park." But the bar hosts puppy birthday parties and other dog-friendly gatherings.
Black Husky Brewing
Nearby in Riverwest, the owners of Black Husky Brewing, 909 E. Locust St., embrace their namesake. Toni and Tim Eichinger had a small kennel up north, and they named the brewery after their husky, Howler. Each beer is named for one of the dogs from their kennel.
Needless to say, they love dogs — their own and the regulars.
"We always laugh because we learn the dogs' names before the people," Toni Eichinger said. "We'll say 'Olive was in' and we have to scramble to remember their owners' names.
"You work all day, you leave your dog at home, so you go somewhere and you don't want to leave them again," Eichinger said. "So it's nice to have a place to bring your dog."
Dogs are permitted inside the tap room and on the patio.
"The only thing we say is on a leash and under control," Eichinger said. "We're dog friendly — we're not the dog park."
Beer gardens
The outdoor dining area at the South Shore Terrace, 2900 S. Shore Drive, is so packed with pups it can feel like the humans are in the dogs' world. The beer garden's location in South Shore Park and along the Oak Leaf Trail makes it a prime spot to stop for an ice-cold beverage and a nap under a picnic table. But it's not your only option.
Hoyt Park in Wauwatosa, Hubbard Park in Shorewood and Estabrook Park in Milwaukee also have beer gardens along the Oak Leaf Trail and offer a sweet spot to relax for people and pooches alike. Estabrook Park has the added bonus of being a Frisbee's throw away from a dog park.
More: 30-plus patios at bars and restaurants for dining in Milwaukee where you can eat or drink outdoors
Seven Bridges Trail at Grant Park
Dogs are not allowed on any of Milwaukee County's public beaches, and they're not permitted in nature areas like Schlitz Audubon or Retzer nature centers in favor of the other animals that are protected there.
However, you can hike and explore the nearly 2-mile Seven Bridges Trail in Grant Park with your best furry friend. The trail leads to Lake Michigan, and dogs do need to be on leashes, but there's still plenty to sniff.
More: From Grant to Whitnall, these parks in Milwaukee County are natural gems
Dog parks
Milwaukee and Waukesha counties have plenty of dog parks where you can let your pooch run off a leash and make friends with other pups. Three Milwaukee parks (Estabrook, Runway and Warnimont) and three Waukesha parks have separate areas for small dogs.
Milwaukee County dog parks
Bay View: East Lincoln Ave. and South Bay St.
Currie: 3535 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa
Estabrook: 4400 N. Estabrook Drive
Granville: 11718 W. Good Hope Place
Roverwest: 3243 N. Weil St.
Runway: 1214 E. Rawson Ave., Oak Creek
Warnimont: 6100 S. Lake Drive, Cudahy
Waukesha County dog parks
Menomonee: W220 N7884 Town Line Road, Menomonee Falls
Minooka: 1927 E. Sunset Dr., Waukesha
Nashotah: W330-N5113 C.T.H. C, Nashotah
Mukwonago: W325-S9925 Beulah Road, Mukwonago
Dog swim areas
While dogs are not allowed on Milwaukee County beaches, there are a handful of swimming spots for your pooch in Waukesha County and in a few local state parks.
Waukesha County swim areas
Fox Brook: 2925 N. Barker Road, Brookfield; permitted in designated dog swim area only, not on the sand beach or in designated swimming area
Menomonee: W220 N7884 Town Line Road, Menomonee Falls; permitted in designated dog swim area only, not on the sand beach or in designated swimming area
Minooka: 1927 E. Sunset Dr., Waukesha
Mukwonago: W325-S9925 Beulah Road, Mukwonago
Muskego: S83 W20370 Janesville Road, Muskego
State park swim areas
Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium
Pike Lake Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Hartford
Ottawa Lake, Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit, Ottawa
Rice Lake, Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit, Whitewater
Chelsey Lewis contributed to this story.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 7 dog-friendly places in Milwaukee
