Photo: @mklaxiong
Minnesotans sure do love their doggos. And plenty of local businesses love ‘em too — case in point, the very dog-friendly North Metro.
We set out to highlight a few of our favorite pup-loving spots one area at a time – starting with the North Metro. (Wags to our Dog Friendly Twin Cities Facebook group for helping us select which area to shine a spotlight on first. Check out our roundup of dog-friendly finds in the South, East, and West Metros, too.)
Let’s get right to it! Here are some of the North Metro’s wag-worthy hangouts:
Eats
Grab a bite with Fido on one of several dog-friendly patios, like the lakeside digs at Admiral D’s Waterfront Tavern in White Bear Lake or the cozy back patio at Pompeii Pizzeria in Elk River. You can also pony up to the outdoor bar at Pub 42 in New Hope or indulge in a juicy burger at 5.8 Grill & Bar in Champlin.
Drinks
Wash down all that grr-eat food with a craft brew from 10K Brewing in Anoka (dog-friendly inside, too!), Alloy Brewing in Coon Rapids, Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake, Wicked Wort in Robbinsdale, Big Wood Brewery in White Bear Lake, and HammerHeart Brewing in Lino Lakes. (Note: Most suburban breweries are dog-friendly on the patio only, but check our Directory for exceptions.)
If you and Rover have a more ruff-ined palette, sniff out the Great Dane sized wine lists at POUR Wine Bar & Bistro in Elk River and BRIO in Andover.
Treats
Need a sweet treat? How about some ice cream goodness from Cup and Cone in White Bear Lake! Be sure to share a lick or two with your pooch. (For more dog-friendly ice cream recommendations throughout the Twin Cities, don’t miss this guide.)
Parks
For a good romp, you’ve got plenty of dog parks to choose from, like the huge Elm Creek Dog Park in Champlin or Rice Creek North Trail Corridor Off-Leash Area in Shoreview which each have tons of open space, trails, and a swimming pond. There’s also Bunker Hills Regional Dog Park, Aquatore Dog Park, Brookdale Dog Park, and more.
On extra hot or chilly days, head to Stone Mountain Pet Lodge’s indoor dog parks. And if your pooch loves to do the doggy paddle, check out the White Bear Lake Dog Beach.
Farmers Markets
After tiring out your pup at one of the pawesome dog parks, take a stroll through a dog-friendly farmers market in the area for some local goodies to bring home for later. Maybe you’ll even find some homemade doggy treats!
Shops
Got a project you need an extra set of paws for? Dogs are welcome at Frattallone’s Ace Hardware stores throughout the northern suburbs. Plus there’s Primp Boutique and Elevated Beer, Wine & Spirits in White Bear Lake, and St. Croix Saddlery in Hugo for more shopping alongside your BFF.
While you’re out enjoying the fur-friendly North Metro, be sure to share your adventures with #SidewalkDog. And let us know if you’ve got a favorite we missed so we can add them to our directory!
If you haven’t checked out our whole doggone Directory lately, hop to it – our list of dog-friendly spots in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas continues to grow by leaps and hounds.
Stay tuned for highlights from more of our pawesome metro areas.
Next up: Share all of your pup’s adventures with #SidewalkDog for the chance to be featured. Then head to our Dog-Friendly Twin Cities online forum for super local, pooch-centric chat with the some of the best people we know – dog people.
And since you clearly love being out and about with your doggo, you NEED our Dog-Friendly Passes! These puppies score ya FREE beer or wine on dozens of local patios, and inside some taprooms, too. Get your paws on ‘em today. (They make grrr-eat gifts, too!)