NOVA This Week

Dog-Friendly Patios and Parks in Arlington

Fort Barnard runs 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; Wet Dog Tavern opens at 4 p.m. weekdays for beers, burgers, and a dog-friendly patio.

Arlington · 12 listings · Checked 9/4/26

Dogs relaxing with their owners on a shaded outdoor patio beside a green neighborhood park.

If your dog needs to actually run, start at Shirlington Dog Park. It’s the strongest all-purpose choice in Arlington: fenced, off-leash, set along a river, with a paved walkway and multiple water stations. That combination gives you a defined path and a built-in water stop, so the outing doesn’t require any improvising. It’s also the easiest of these parks to recommend to a first-time visitor who wants the trip to feel organized rather than winged.

The real decision is what kind of outing you’re after — a straightforward off-leash run, a destination with somewhere for the owner to sit, or a park-plus-patio combination.

Choose James Hunter when you want a destination, not just a run

James Hunter Dog Park has a small pool and waterfall for water-centered play, plus tables and benches so the owner has somewhere to sit while the dog works. That makes it a better fit than Shirlington when the point of the trip is to linger — Shirlington is built for the walk-and-run itself, James Hunter is built for staying a while.

Choose Fort Barnard for a simple, no-frills run

Fort Barnard Dog Park is the least complicated of the three. There’s no water feature or seating setup to plan around — it’s the pick when you just want an uncomplicated off-leash stop without deciding between amenities.

Finish at Wet Dog Tavern

Wet Dog Tavern is the clear choice once the dog has had its exercise and the humans want to stay out. The patio is dog-friendly, the food is beers-and-burgers casual, and the setting is upbeat and industrial-chic — suited to an easy post-park meal rather than a drawn-out occasion.

The short version: default to Shirlington for the run itself, move to James Hunter if you want a place to sit and let the dog play in water, use Fort Barnard when you just want something uncomplicated, and cap the visit at Wet Dog Tavern if you’re staying out to eat.