4 minute read
Dog Moines
The Capital City is a pup-friendly destination with dog parks, hotels, and even spas that guarantee your furry friend will have a tail-wagging good time.
Pints and Patios
There are oodles of dog-friendly patios throughout Greater Des Moines, and 515 Brewing Company (7700 University Avenue, Clive) is one of our favorites. Located right off the most popular trail in the burbs, the Clive Greenbelt, it’s the perfect spot to end up after a long walk – a pale ale in one hand, and the other hand giving your pooch the rub behind the ears that they’ve been eagerly awaiting all day.
Eat and Play
We don't know for sure what doggie heaven looks like, but we imagine that Paws & Pints (6218 Willowmere Drive, Des Moines) is a pretty good guess. It consists of five areas, including Your Best Friend’s Bar, which includes 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor dog park space (doggy jungle gym, anyone?), along with a restaurant, bar, coffeehouse, TVs, and live music for the two-legged set. There’s also a dog spa with daycare and grooming, and a “bonetique” – a onestop-shop with everything from food and treats to toys and swag. It’s Doggie Disneyland, and we’re here for it. If your pooch is more of a suburbanite, check out Smash Park (6625 Coachlight Drive, West Des Moines), where dogs can find their happy place on Iowa’s ultimate patio while you try your hand at pickleball, shuffleboard, cornhole, or bocce ball, fueled by the Sheet Ton of Nachos and a bucket of beers. Bone appétit!
Stay and Shop
After your dog gave you those puppy-dog eyes when you were packing your bag, you couldn’t resist. Dogs need a vacation from their ruff life too. But where to stay? May we suggest the Surety Hotel (206 6th Avenue, Des Moines), which is not only one of the chicest hotels in town, but also one of the most dog-friendly, offering dog treats, toys, and dog beds, big and small. After you’re checked in, you’ll want to check out what’s happening, and for that, head west to Historic Valley Junction.
On Thursday evenings, it hosts its popular Valley Junction Farmers Market. Your dog will feel right at home with other furry friends as you’re shopping and enjoying food from local vendors – get them a doggo fruit smoothie to lap up and cool off as you explore. The cool thing about the market here is that you can also peruse all the shops lining 5th Street, including the Midwest-centric Bozz Prints (215 5th Street, West Des Moines), where you can pick up a “Dog Moines” T-shirt, sticker, or can cooler.
Sweets and Treats
Dogs live a sweet life (we have so much nap envy), but having to eat dog food every day? Oof. Treat your favorite canine to something special with a sweet treat at Snookies Malt Shop (1810 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines), one of the most iconic ice cream shops in the metro. Soak in nostalgia while your buddy laps up some vanilla ice cream in a mini cone. We’re talking absolute cuteness, and a primo photo op, whether your dog is enjoying it lick by lick or goes in for complete annihilation in one bite. Speaking of cute photo ops, Monarca Gourmet Paletas (9901 University Avenue, Suite 150, Clive) offers Insta-worthy gourmet ice cream pops customized any way you’d like, including Puppy Paletas for your best friend. Besides, a family outing for ice cream needs the family dog to achieve the full wholesome effect.
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