Neighborhood Spotlight: The Top 3 Dog Parks in Arlington

Like most of us, dogs love fresh air, sunshine and room to stretch out.

Arlington’s neighborhoods are packed with condos and high-rise apartments, but dogs without backyards still have three excellent dog parks nearby. These are all places where you can let your dog run off leash and play with other dogs while you get to know your neighbors.

Taking your dog to the dog park might even help reduce the costs of veterinary care — like us, dogs are healthier when they’re well-exercised and have time to socialize. Young dogs need an outlet for their abundant energy, while older dogs can be taken to the park and motivated to play with younger dogs.

In the video above, Keri Shull and Drew Carpenter of the Keri Shull Team break down the top three dog parks in Arlington. All of these dog parks stand within easy reach of popular Arlington residential and business areas.

3. Shirlington Park — Shirlington

Location: 2754-2798 S Oakland Street, alongside the Four Mile Run Trail. Parking is easy to find here.

Shirlington park is natural and grassy, with many areas to run. One advantage of Shirlington dog park is that the smaller dogs and larger dogs have separate play areas, so your pug won’t have to dodge the massive mitts of a Newfoundland.

2. Glencarlyn Dog Park — Glencarlyn

Location: 301 S Harrison Street, northwest of Shirlington Dog Park, also located along theFour Mile Run Trail.

Glencarlyn dog park offers free parking.

Glencarlyn is the best of these dog parks to visit if you also have children who want to run and play. It’s a beautiful park with picnic tables, a playground, an off-leash dog park area and a stream. Glencarlyn is strung with trails for biking and jogging. There’s even a “learning loop” where wobbly young bicyclists can practice their skills.

1. James Hunter Park — Clarendon

Location: 1299 North Herndon Street, this is right in the heart of downtown Arlington.

Clarendon’s James Hunter Park features a solar-powered stone waterfall pool for dogs to cool off in during the dog days of Arlington summers. This fountain runs about three seasons of the year, then closes in the wintertime.

This park is completely enclosed by a fence, so dogs can run off-leash without escaping. Unique sound paneling muffles the dog noise so nearby high-rise neighbors aren’t disturbed by raucous dogs.

This dog park is locally a bit infamous for costing $1.8 million to construct.

Parking can be a little more difficult to find here than at the Shirlington or Glencarlyn dog parks, but if James Hunter Park is within a 30-minute walk of your house or condo in Arlington, this is a park your dog will love, especially during the summer.

Dog’s Choice

What’s your dog’s favorite dog park in Arlington? How can you tell? Let us know in the comments!