Charlottesville Dog Friendly Itinerary Guide
This post is in collaboration with Charlottesville Insider.
There are a lot of reasons why I love Charlottesville, but one of the biggest is it is incredibly dog friendly. I love being able to bring my puppy Ollie with me when I leave the house and there is a lot to do here with your furry friend in tow.
Charlottesville Dog Friendly Itinerary Guide
What makes Charlottesville so great for dog owners? For starters, there are a lot of hiking trails and national parks if your dog is active. If you have a social butterfly on your hands, there are a lot of pet friendly patios at restaurants, wineries and breweries. Depending on the type of pet friendly road trip you are planning, chances are there are activities in Charlottesville to fit what you are looking for.
Best Things to do with a Dog
There are a ton of fun and dog friendly options here in Charlottesville. From dog parks to wineries, whatever your vibe you should be able to find something suitable!
Chris Greene Lake Park
Located north of downtown, Chris Greene Lake Park boasts a one acre fenced in dog park with water access, making it a perfect spot to bring your puppy. There are also three miles of trails if you are looking to get some outdoor exercise in on your visit. Plus, if disc golf is your thing an 18 hole course is underway and set to open in spring of 2023.
The dog park opens at 7:00 AM and closes at dusk seven days a week.
Darden Towe Park
Darden Towe Park is a popular spot for local leagues to hold weekend games. It iss easy to see why, with its multiple athletic fields, pickleball court, batting cage and more. Of course, they also have a dog park, making this a great spot for your pet.
Darden Towe is open from sunrise to sunset.
Downtown Mall
Maybe nature isn’t your thing, and that’s okay! It isn’t always mine or Ollie’s (he’s a bit of a prince).
If you’d rather be enjoying a glass of wine while also people watching, then the Downtown Mall is a perfect dog friendly option for you. It’s a pedestrian mall, making it extremely walkable, and a lot of the restaurants have patio seating so you can dine with your pup.
Preddy Creek
With 16 miles of trails for hiking, Preddy Creek is a great option to explore with an active dog. Why not consider grabbing a picnic lunch to have at one of their tables before taking a nice hike with your pet on one of the trails?
Riverview Park
I personally love bringing Ollie to Riverview Park. For me, it’s the combination of being really close to town but still in nature. It is also a pretty easy walk along the river. This is often important for me, as my puppy has little legs - his bursts of energy may be big, but they don’t last long.
As I mentioned, Riverview is nice because it allows for a pretty stroll through the woods and along the river. If you like to swim, you are able to do so here or, if you are like me and prefer to follow up a nice walk with a burger and a beer, you can head on over to Selvedge at the Wool Factory, which has a dog friendly patio.
University of Virginia Grounds
The University of Virginia was founded over two hundred years ago, making it a big part of Charlottesville history. The grounds are sprawling and contain a ton of rich history, as can be seen with landmarks like Academical Village and the Serpentine Walls.
Take a stroll through the grounds with your puppy before heading over to the corner (the area near the University and primarily frequented by UVA students) for some coffee or lunch.
Breweries
Charlottesville is known for its craft beer scene and its breweries are some of the best spots in Charlottesville if you are looking to go dog friendly. As long as they have a patio or outdoor seating, you’re likely able to bring your pup along. If they don’t serve food onsite you are sometimes even able to bring them inside. Here are a few of my favorites:
Decipher
This 100% veteran owned craft brewery is super dog friendly. In fact, this is one of the first places I brought Ollie to when he was a little puppy because I knew it would be a good spot to help socialize him.
One of the big perks of bringing your dog to this spot is leashed dogs are allowed both inside and outside, so if it happens to be raining or freezing you don’t have to suffer in the weather.
Pro Re Nata
Located in Crozet and about a 20 minute drive from Charlottesville proper, Pro Re Nata is also one of the larger brewery spaces in the area. With multiple taprooms and outdoor areas, they also serve wine and cider in addition to beer, allowing for more options for a group.
Leashed dogs are welcome across the large venue and they even have designated bathroom areas for pets and multiple water stations. They usually tend to have live music as well, so if your pup doesn’t like loud sounds you will probably want to sit a bit away from the stage area.
Brewing Tree
The riverside meadow at Brewing Tree is what makes this spot so special and perfect for bringing your pet.
Located in Afton and about a 30 minute drive from downtown Charlottesville, this is a nice place to spend an afternoon relaxing and enjoying a casual setting with lots of games and music around. Owned by husband and wife team Gina and Mark Thompson, she brings her culinary experiences to Scratch Kitchen onsite and he brings his beer expertise - he was a founder of Starr Hill, one of my favorite breweries!
Random Row
For Breweries in the downtown Charlottesville area, Random Row is a nice option. While dogs aren’t allowed inside the brewery (they serve food inside - delicious pizza I highly recommend), the patio is dog friendly and even has heating lamps for the colder months. Ollie likes this spot because it overlooks a busy street and he loves watching cars and people go by.
Rockfish Brewing
Walking distance from Random Row, you’ll find the flagship location of Rockfish Brewing (they also have a spot on the Downtown Mall). They have a nice outdoor space perfect for bringing your dog and the location allows you to do a little bit of brewery hopping. This is also a fun spot because it started as a homebrewing venture and has a scrappy feel but with good beer.
Starr Hill Downtown
While all of the breweries in Charlottesville are great, Starr Hill Downtown holds a special place in my heart. I love the beer options (they have great sours) and the location at the Dairy Market makes it a nice option for meeting up with friends for a quick bite and a pint. Best of all, their patio is dog friendly and it’s great for people watching, which Ollie loves.
Wood Ridge Farm Brewery
About 30 miles outside of the city you’ll come across the quirky Wood Ridge Farm Brewery. Touting a “dirt to the glass” philosophy, they grow their own grains and hops on the farm. The beer is good, and the space is eclectic. There are plenty of little nooks where you can hang out with your dog over a beer.
Wineries
In addition to their craft breweries, Charlottesville is also a big location for wineries, which is great news if you aren’t a beer fan. Like breweries, it’s also easy to find dog friendly locations for wineries, making them a great dog option.
Blenheim Vineyards
Starting off our list of wineries we have Blenheim Vineyards. Located about 20 minutes from downtown, this winery allows leashed dogs and has a beautiful outdoor space with great views. The outdoor space is available on a first come, first served basis. It is a great spot to enjoy a flight, a glass or a bottle of wine.
Cunningham Creek Winery
Cunningham Creek is a super dog friendly winery; in fact, they are so dog friendly they even have a dog park in addition to their very own greeter dogs!
Located about 30 miles from the Downtown Mall, this spot is a perfect place to spend an afternoon enjoying lovely Virginia wine. Be sure and check out their website, as they usually have events going on as well.
Eastwood Farm and Winery
A majority of the wineries in Charlottesville require a little bit of a drive, so the first thing I was excited about with Eastwood was their proximity to town. It only takes about 10 minutes to get there by car but it very much has a true winery feel once you get there. Plus, they serve food and also offer beer for your non-wine drinkers.
Dogs are allowed in the outdoor spaces, so you can sit back and enjoy the space with your furry friends.
Flying Fox Vineyard
Flying Fox is a little bit different from other Charlottesville wineries. Located in Afton and about 27 minutes from town, it looks a little more like a warehouse than a winery but don’t let that deter you. Once you step inside you’ll feel like you are in a Wes Anderson movie. It’s fun and quirky - and your dog can join you either inside or out!
In addition to wine, they also make their own vermouth so it’s definitely a unique spot to check out.
Veritas Vineyard and Winery
Right up the road from Flying Fox you’ll find their big sister winery, Veritas. Veritas is the more elegant of the two, with a ton of land more like what you would expect with a winery. While dogs are not allowed in the tasting room (they serve food on the premises), there are plenty of outdoor options available. My last puppy Buster used to love coming to Veritas but Ollie is more into Flying Fox, so give both a try with your pup!
King Family Vineyards
King Family is a bit of an institution in this area. Known for their Sunday Polo matches, this is the kind of winery you visit when you want to experience some true southern charm. It’s also just a truly beautiful space and worth seeing.
Leashed dogs are permitted outside at the winery and there is plenty to explore. Bring some blankets and grab a bottle of their famous Crosé to have a lovely afternoon with your puppy.
Best Places to Eat with a Dog
I love how many restaurants there are in Charlottesville. I feel like there are always great options here for having a meal out and the that fact so many places are dog friendly makes it even better.
As a general rule, if a restaurant here has outdoor seating they are likely (though not guaranteed) to be dog friendly. Here are some of my favorite spots to bring Ollie:
Tonic
I hold a special place in my heart with Tonic because they have always been so kind to Ollie. In addition to being staffed with great people, they also serve fantastic seasonal bites and inventive cocktails (read about their bartender Cris, the Happy Bartender, and his advice on cocktails here).
The nice thing about Tonic is it is right off of the Downtown Mall but manages to feel a bit more private. They also have a fantastic patio with heating for the colder months, including fire pits. I highly recommend their marinated olives (served warm) and their house made chips & dip.
Tilman’s
If you want something with a similar vibe to Tonic (its sister restaurant) but located directly on the mall with more of a wine focus, then Tilman’s is your place. I’m a big fan of this spot, as the wine is great, they have delicious paninis and it’s a great place for Ollie to watch the pedestrian traffic of the downtown mall.
Citizen Burger
Rounding out the locations on the Downtown Mall, we have Citizen Burger. While burgers are their focus, I actually like this spot for their fried pickles and shishitos - as well as their dog friendly patio. Located across from the historic Paramount Theater, the only thing to keep in mind here is they do not take reservations and can get quite busy on weekends.
Kardinal Hall
Walking distance from Random Row and Rockfish Brewing, Kardinal Hall is an elevated beer hall and extremely dog friendly. While they are on a busy street, they have a large outdoor patio with heated lamps. Additionally, every time I’ve taken Ollie here he’s been fussed over so he loves it.
Three Notch’d Brewing Company
Walking distance from the Downtown Mall in IX Art Park, Three Notch’d is great year round for dogs. This craft brewery and taphouse has a huge tented patio with heating for the cold winter months. I recommend their great beers and nachos.
The staff at Three Notch’d is incredibly dog friendly - they immediately bring out a water bowl and fuss over Ollie every single time I bring him. Another great thing about Three Notch’d is they have Pups and Pints on Sundays, which is basically a dog focused happy hour where you get a dollar off of your pint if you bring your dog. It’s a wonderful reason to visit!
Beer Run
Another great tented option, Beer Run actually has two different heated patio tents and a dog loving staff. Located close to town in the Woolen Mills area, they also boast a fantastic beer collection (and a store onsite) as well as quality wings and nachos.
Firefly
Across the street from Beer Run, you’ll find another location that is not only dog friendly; it’s also very allergan friendly. Firefly has extensive menus for vegans, gluten free folks and dairy free folks. This is a great spot to visit with your dog.
The Wool Factory
Down the street from Firefly and Beer Run you’ll arrive at Selvedge at The Wool Factory. With a large outdoor patio, you have options of either grabbing a coffee or wine at The Workshop or opting for Selvedge Taphouse for an incredible smashburger and a beer. Either way, it’s a beautiful dog friendly setting at a restored wool factory.
An added bonus of this location is it is near Riverview Park, one of my favorite walks for Ollie I mentioned above. You can make a whole lovely afternoon of this spot.
Dairy Market
I mentioned Dairy Market above with Starr Hill and it’s worth noting again as a spot for food. While the inside is not dog friendly, they are welcome on the patio. The reason I like this as a location is it’s a modern food hall, so there are multiple food vendors to choose from if you are with a group divided on what they want to eat. There’s something for everyone, and it’s a cool spot walking distance from downtown.
Pink Grouse
Rounding out my dog friendly restaurant list is the Pink Grouse. This great restaurant is a fantastic option on West Main Street and is also part of the Quirk Hotel (more on that below). It’s also what I would consider more of a fine dining spot, so it proves you can even have a fancy date night with your dog.
The restaurant has a courtyard patio and I love this setting. It makes you feel like you are both in a larger city somewhere while also feeling completely tucked away. Ollie absolutely loves this spot.
These are spots I’ve found to be particularly dog friendly, but that doesn’t mean other places in Charlottesville are not. I’ve often found just checking in with restaurants with patio seating is worth it, as even places you might not realize are dog friendly tend to be. It never hurts to ask!
Best Places to Stay with a Dog
There are always a few things to consider when looking for pet friendly hotels. Several charge a pet fee and oftentimes there are size restrictions. Additionally, hotels will require crates if you are leaving your pet in the room alone, which can be a challenge if you aren’t driving and is something to consider when planning a vacation with your pet.
I wrote a post about my dog friendly staycation at Quirk Hotel and I recommend this hotel if visiting dog friendly cities Richmond or Charlottesville (there are locations in both cities). You are able to have your dog almost everywhere in the hotel. The only exceptions are the indoor spaces of the rooftop bar and the Pink Grouse restaurant, which is to be expected of any place making and serving food.
On the rooftop at Quirk Hotel with Ollie.
Another way to find great pet friendly options in Charlottesville is via Stay Charlottesville’s site. This site enables you to explore the available dog friendly carriage houses, estates and apartments in or near downtown Charlottesville. This can be a nice option if you are traveling with a larger group.
How to Get Around with a Dog
My biggest recommendation for Charlottesville dog friendly travel is to figure out which parts of the area you are most excited about. If you want to explore UVA, the Downtown Mall, the restaurants and the breweries in town then I would opt for a place centrally located so you can walk to most places. If you are going to be visiting wineries or nearby national parks, I would either rent a car if you are flying in/taking the train or check in with your Uber or Lyft to ensure the driver allows pets.
How to Start Planning Your Visit
If I’ve enticed you to visit Charlottesville with your pet, be sure and check out some of my other posts on this blog. Additionally, I would recommend checking in with Charlottesville Insider.
Charlottesville Insider is essentially a boutique travel bureau specializing in curated experiences. Check out their website to see various guides on what to check out in the area or to see how to book an experience like the Monticello Wine Tour.
If you find yourself on the Downtown Mall, stop in at their brick and mortar location to get their tips on what to see, eat and do from one of their expert staff.
Until next time, cheers and happy exploring!
