Phoenix was founded in 1860 in the Salt River Valley and, as it grew, absorbed one town after another. It is now a huge, sprawling city that looks a lot like Los Angeles. There are now three million people in the Phoenix area. Phoenix gets very hot in Summer, with temperatures regularly above 110 degrees F. This is very hot for your dog who can get overheated much quicker than a person can. So temperature must be considered when planning a dog-friendly trip to Phoenix or for the local residents. Winter is Phoenix is excellent, with termperatures that both people and dogs can love. It's a great time to visit.
There are many centers for visitors to Phoenix to consider. Phoenix has a downtown, Scottsdale is an excellent base for tourists with dogs as well. Tempe has a nice shopping and dining district and there are open air shopping centers throughout town that welcome dogs. There are a lot of choices in
dog-friendly hotels in the area. One of the most dog-friendly is the Scottsdale Hotel Indigo in Old Town Scottsdale. For dogs up to 50 pounds, the Arizona Biltmore is a top of the line choice. The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown welcomes large dogs and provides a pet package for guests with four legged friends. The Pointe Hilton's at Squaw Peak and at Tapatio Cliffs both welcome guests with dogs as well. In suburban Mesa dogs are allowed on request at the Arizona Golf Resort, a premier golfing destination. Phoenix and the surrounding areas also have pet-friendly La Quintas, Motel 6 and hotels from almost all chains of hotels located throughout town so that you can find one near where you want to be. If you are planning on staying Phoenix with your dog for a while there are also a host of extended stay suite hotels such as Residence Inn, Homewood Suites and Extended Stay America to allow you more room for you and your pet.
If you are planning to visit Phoenix with an RV then you have a number of choices for
campgrounds in the area. Desert Sands RV Park, Covered Wagon RV Park and Pioneer RV Park are located in Phoenix. Mesa offers the Mesa Sprit and Silveridge RV Resort. Tonto National Forest has dog-friendly tent and dry camping.
The
Phoenix area has a number of dog-friendly attractions. Remember to consider the heat when taking your dog out in the Phoenix area. Take your dog to the old west at Goldfield Ghost Town. This 1890s ghost town has a narrow gauge railroad, a mine tour and more. Pioneer Living History Village is also dog-friendly. This living history museum offers over 90 acres of an 1800s village. There are pretend "Shootouts" at both of these places so be prepared for them if your dog is spooked by gunfire. You can rent boats at Bartlett Lake for you and your dog. For
dog-friendly shopping the upscale Biltmore Fashion Park at 2502 E. Camelback Rd has long been the pet-friendly shopping destination in the valley. Leashed dog may also visit Santan Village Shopping Center in Gilbert. There are others as well, including downtown Tempe, Old Town Scottsdale and others. There are also a number of
dog-friendly outdoor markets and farmers' markets in Phoenix and surrounding areas. There are a lot of
dog-friendly restaurants in both Phoenix and the
surrounding areas.
There are a
number of hiking areas for you and your dog in Phoenix. The most interesting is probably Piestewa Peak (formally known as Squaw Peak) which is 2,608 feet at the summit. Dogs are not allowed on the summit trail, but dogs and horses are welcome on most of the other trails in the park. If you go up the Freedom Trail, a 3.75 mile trail, you can reach near the summit with your dog. There are also many easy trails on the mountain. There are also hiking trails at South Mountain Park, the North Mountain Area and Reach 11 Rec Area. As always in the Phoenix area, hikers with dogs need to pay attention to the heat and watch for rattlesnakes. There are many
off-leash dog parks in Phoenix and the suburbs including PetsMart Dog Park. PetsMart is headquartered here in Phoenix.
Nearby dog-friendly places to visit from Phoenix include
Tucson, Tombstone,
Sedona and the
Grand Canyon.
