Map of LA
If you have a bone to pick with where to take your dog for a romp in LA, here's the scoop. Dog owners and lovers have plenty of choices in town when it comes to parks that are tailored for cutting loose the K-9. Parks that cater to your dog are abundant in the Southland.
Instructions
Find the park that's right for you
1. Go to the LA Parks Website and see the official list of parks. There are nine official Dog Parks in LA according to the Department of Recreation and Parks, but there are others that exist such as the Hollywood Sign Dog Park in the Lake Hollywood area. The official parks are : Barrington, Griffith Park, Hermon Park, Laurel Canyon, Runyon Canyon, Sepulveda Basin, Silver Lake, Westminster, and Whitnall. Regardless of where you live, there's an off-leash playground for your pooch nearby. The locations and operating hours of each can be found at LA Parks web site. What you won't find on the site is the park personality you and your dog will find once you get there.
2. Narrow your choices down with these helpful insights. Barrington is a stone's throw from Bel Air Country Club. You might see a Boxer roll up in a Bentley to sniff tails with some of the wealthiest dogs in LA. Since it's also close to UCLA, the people mix can range from upper-crust socialites to young college students. Hermon Park is of decent size and has separate areas for big and small dogs. There's an "Art in the Park" section nearby so you're bound to see the multi-cultural creative crowd mingling about. Want to walk your dog with Paul Abdul, Rikki Lake or Fabio? These celebrities and many others have been spotted at the ultra hip Laurel Canyon Dog Park. It's the most famous of all with a quirky history, plenty of space and THE place to go for celebrity watching, but center stage definitely goes to the dogs. Runyon Canyon is a close second that also adds incredible views of the LA basin. Featuring miles of hiking trails, it's a great place to exercise you and your dog while mixing it up with some of Hollywood's most hip and fit. Rumor has it that the stars of the 1920's used to party there. You'll see several foundations of old structures along the trails plus an old abandoned tennis court.
3. Follow the trail of tails as far as you can! As we head out to the Valley, Sepulveda Basin has to be one of the biggest with 5 acres where Spot can run and run and run! The park also has very strict guidelines to keep pets and their owners safe and healthy. Keep in mind that it can be very hot in the summer months and take plenty of water. This park is so big, you'll run in to nearly every type of Southlander that LA has to offer. North Hollywood has a 3 acre pooper scooper spread where the the dogs can have their day. It's spacious and open from dawn to dusk. The area is quite industrial, so expect the Joe Six-pack crowd.
4. Don't forget to look in town--city slickers have dogs too. Back towards the downtown area, Silver Lake has a nice, but small off-leash park right near the lake where the K-9s can run and you can mingle with the artsy types that seem drawn to that community. If you have a Toy Poodle or a Lhasa Apso, you might visit Westminster Park on the West Side. Why? It's only a 50 x 25 foot patch of paradise that only the dinkiest of dogs can appreciate. Let the big dogs run somewhere else.
5. Be sure to wag the celebrities! There's the unofficial Hollywood Sign dog park just under the world famous landmark and just over the beautiful Lake Hollywood area. It's unfortunate that dogs aren't allowed around the lake but they can play all day off-leash in the park where the occasional celebrities like Jon Cryer have been spotted along with the dalmatians and various other breeds scampering along their merry way. Madonna's old house is right next door and you'll see the typical Hollywood Hills gang enjoying the beautiful surroundings. It's also kid friendly with a safe enclosed area including a nice assortment of play structures.
6. So now that you know find the right park in Los Angeles, just pack up the pooch and head to one of the many great Dog Parks that LA has to offer. Every day is an LA dog day afternoon for those who wish to sit, shake, roll over and beg for fun!
Tags: been spotted, have been, have been spotted, Hermon Park, Hollywood area