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Top Ten Northern Virginia Dog Parks

March 16, 2018 by Mary Telesz

lab running with owner in a dog parkAs a Northern Virginia dog owner living in such a crowded area it can be frustrating trying to find an open space for your dog to play in. Luckily, there are dozens of dog parks for you and your dog to explore. They vary in size, terrain and features, but some are outstanding compared to others. It’s a given that you have to let your dog out of the house at least once a day to go for a walk, but like most of us, you may not have time each day to take your dog to the park.

When that first warm spring weekend finally comes, you’re probably very excited to spend some free time playing with your canine best friend. But how will you know where to go to have the most fun with your dog? Don’t just settle for the park down the street because in this blog post, we share with you the top ten dog parks to visit in Northern VA.

1. Glencarlyn Dog Park

Glencarlyn Park is probably one of the most well-known dog-friendly parks in Northern VA. It has ample space for your dog to roam around unleashed so they can play uninhibited. This park is unique because it doesn’t have a fenced-in area for dogs, so there aren’t any limits to where your dog can explore. The park itself is amazingly scenic and quiet considering that it lies in the heart of Arlington, VA. One of the best features of Glencarlyn Park is that it is nested in the woods by a flowing stream. If your dog loves to chase squirrels, rabbits, or go for a swim, then they will absolutely love it here. But be careful to keep an eye on your dog at all times, because with no boundaries to restrict them it can be easy for them to get lost. This is park is the best of the best, so be sure to stop by and enjoy a day here.

2. Shirlington Dog Park

Shirlington Dog Park is an enormous off-leash dog park in Arlington, VA. It is especially popular on the weekends when many owners bring their dogs out in the sunshine to play. Dogs have big, open, shaded spaces to roam free, splash around in the stream, and play with other dogs they meet. Water fountains are provided on a long stretch of walking-paths, and there is even a self-dog washing shop right outside the park! For just $20.00, you can wash and dry your dog and give them a treat. As one owner put it “This is dog-heaven” You can’t go wrong if you check out this dog park. Stop on by for a little piece of heaven for you and your dog.

3. Vint Hill Dog Park

happy dog playing in a dog parkWhile it may be a little bit of a ways away for some dog owners in Northern Virginia, Vint Hill Dog Park in Warrenton, VA is one of the premier dog parks around. Aspart of a non-profit organization, Vint Hill is a private dog park with a few more rules to keep the park clean and safe, but it is still open to the public. It includes a small dog play area, provides bag for dog waste, is well-shaded, and has a big water station for when your dog gets thirsty. A great feature of this off-leash dog park is that there is plenty of play equipment included, like tennis balls and some obstacle courses. There is also a shelter, perfect for your dog to stay protected under the rain or summer heat.. Vint Hill’s Dog Park community also hosts many dog friendly events and cares deeply for the dogs that come for play. If you are able, it is well-worth the drive to bring your dog out to the park.

4. Chandon Dog Park

Chandon Dog Park is the only off-leash dog park in Herndon, VA giving dog owners a little bit more freedom when it comes to looking after their pet. Though it is fenced in, it has ample room for your dog to play. This is the place to be if your dog is social and loves to play with other dogs, but if your dog prefers only to play with you,, you can find tennis balls on site to play fetch.The park also provides fresh running water, includes water bowls for your dog to drink from, and has lots of trees for shade that will keep you and your dog cool and refreshed during the summer months.

5. River House Dog Park

River House Dog Park is a semi-private park located behind the Ashley Building of the River House apartment complex in Pentagon City. Technically the park is only open to residents of the apartments but if you find parking nearby there’s nothing stopping you from bringing your dog to the park. There are two separate parks for smaller and larger dogs and both have access to a water fountain in case your dog gets thirsty. Owners are friendly and considerate. Everyone picks up their dog’s waste and removes their dog from the park if he or she is getting too excited and misbehaving. This is definitely one of the best hidden dog parks in Northern Virginia.

6. Towers Park

Towers Park is a small four-acre park in Arlington, VA. Its dog park is perfect for small to medium sized dogs and hosts grass terrain unlike some other dog parks in Arlington that only have hard surfaces. Although it may not boast the biggest size, Towers Dog Park still offers generous space and friendly owners to chat with while your dogs play. Dogs are allowed to play in the dog park off-leash, but if you want to take a stroll through the park with your dog on their leash this is another great way to enjoy a day at Towers Park.

7. South Riding Dog Park

This dog park is located in Chantilly, VA and is one of the more unique dog parks in Northern Virginia. It is surfaced with wood chips and mulch, which is quite different from the other dirt, gravel, or grass dog parks in the area. The surrounding trees provide natural shade for you and your dog to play comfortably in the summer months, but make sure to bring your own water and a harness. One of the top highlights of South Riding Dog Park is its doggy obstacle course. No other park in the area offers as playful a feature as this one, and it’s almost certain that your dog will try to drag you back here every day. South Riding Dog Park is a smash hit for dogs of all sizes. Stop on by and see for yourself!

8. South Run Dog Park

South Run Dog Park is a perfect place for your dog if they like playing on various terrains from grass to gravel. It’s a small, fenced-in park, but has plenty of space for your dog to play with other small to medium-sized dogs. Owners are friendly and are happy to chat while you watch your dogs play. If you want to have some more fun with your dog and get better exercise, you can also walk with your best-friend down some of the different trails South Run has to offer. When visiting, always make sure to bring your own water and a leash to keep your dog safe, healthy, and happy.

9. Duke Street Dog Park

dog running after a ball in a dog parkThis large and wide-open spaced dog park is located in Alexandria, VA and tops out as one of the best in Northern Virginia. If you’re looking for a great park to bring your energetic dog and let them frolich around in the grass off-leash, then Duke Street Dog Park is the place for both of you. It’s fenced in, so it’s easier to keep an eye on your dog to make sure they stay happy and safe and don’t run off lost. There are tennis balls for fetch and plenty of other dogs for yours to make another friend. Owners of other dogs are friendly and take care of their pets to make sure they don’t get out of hand and that the park stays clean. Though the park does provide water bowls, don’t forget to bring your own water so your dog can have fun and stay hydrated. If you live in Alexandria, don’t hesitate to bring your dog and check out Duke Street Dog Park.

10. Benjamin Banneker Park

Benjamin Banneker Park is another Arlington dog park that is a small, convenient place to let your dog roam free off-leash to play. It’s another fenced in park, so it’s a little bit easier to keep an eye on your dog and ensures that he or she doesn’t get lost. Water is provided, as well as plenty of natural shade and some nice park benches. If you want more space for you and your dog to run free, there are plenty of large, grassy fields for exercise and play. Benjamin Banneker Park also hosts many running trails if you and your dog love to run together. Overall, this is a fabulous park to bring your dog along with you, and is well worth the visit.

Filed Under: Pet Exercise

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Centreville – 20120, 20121
Chantilly – 20151
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4.9
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
laceyrt
laceyrt
18:03 08 Mar 23
The folks at Paw Pals pet sitting are fantastic to work with. This review includes a bit of a long story but goes to show how dedicated they are to their job and the care they have for the animals they watch over. I reached out to Paw Pals, even though I live outside their service area, in a bit of a panic because our scheduled dog sitter for our family vacation suddenly wasn't available. The local sitters we've used in the past seemed like they wouldn't be able to accommodate us on such late notice and so we were scouring the internet for other options.When I submitted a request to Paw Pals, I expected to get a polite no thank you - you're out of our service area. Instead I got a call from Jen, who was so kind, helpful and accommodating and essentially bent over backwards to help set up a sitter for us. We met the sitter at her home and it was more of the same. So friendly and welcoming to our dog and fully prepared to watch her for two weeks.We ultimately didn't end up booking with Paw Pals, only because our local sitter had an opening that allowed someone to stay in home with our dog (who is a very anxious senior shepherd-collie mix). But just based on the limited experience I had with them, I would highly recommend Paw Pals. These folks are fantastic and I only wish we lived closer so we could utilize their other services on a regular basis. Five stars all the way!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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