The calendar may not officially say fall yet, but we’re already feeling an autumn crispness here in Texas. While I love summer, by this time of year I’m ready (really, really ready) for some cooler weather. During the hottest months of the summer, our dog travel gets curtailed and limited to swimming–and enjoying our air-conditioning–but when the weather turns cool, we love heading out for dog-friendly fall day trips!
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
We’re already planning a fall trip down to Elgin Christmas Tree Farm, a dog-friendly getaway near Austin that also has a huge pumpkin patch, Halloween-related activities, and rural grounds for a family picnic. You might get lucky and even find a pumpkin patch that offers dog-friendly hayrides, like ours does!
Participate in a Dog Festival
The Halloween-themed festivals and dog parades start early so start making your costume plans now! Every weekend from now through Halloween features festivals that aren’t just dog-friendly but are dog-centric with costume contests, parades, agility demonstrations, and much more.
Find a Dog-Friendly Maze
Autumn is synonymous with mazes so check your local area for dog-friendly mazes. We enjoyed a fun maze with Irie and Tiki (although Irie’s very favorite part was rolling in the pine needles that lined the maze walkways!)
Enjoy a Drive-In Movie
This is on our to-do list for this fall. Austin has a funky dog-friendly drive in movie theater we’ve been wanting to try called Blue Starlite (now with locations in Colorado and Florida, too). We can’t wait to give it a try when the evenings get nice and crisp!
Shop a Local Farmers’ Market
Many farmers’ markets–typically held outdoors–welcome four-legged shoppers!
Do Some Leaf Peeping
Our leaf peeping season won’t start until late fall but it’s exciting to watch for the change of colors! One of our favorite places to check out the changing fall foliage is Guadalupe River State Park, just outside of San Antonio.
Gather Around a Campfire
Even if you’re not camping overnight, look for campfire opportunities, whether that means an early dinner around the fire or just the chance to enjoy the fire, as we did on our visit to Canyon of the Eagles.
Visit a Dog-Friendly Winery
With their expansive grounds, many wineries welcome woofers to outdoor areas. Across the country, you and your dog will find an increasing number of dog-friendly wineries (like Becker Vineyards, above, in Fredericksburg, Texas), perfect for a taste of the vines, a memorable picnic, and a great chance to capture the fun in photos.
Enjoy the Spirit of Oktoberfest
Whether you call it a Biergarten or a beer garden, these outdoor eateries and gathering places are the perfect place to get into the Oktoberfest spirit. Irie and Tiki love the Aldorf and Auslander biergartens in Fredericksburg, Texas; both are dog-friendly and specialize in German food that’s perfect for an autumn getaway lunch.
Do Some Star Gazing
See if you can spot Sirius, the dog star. This star is the brightest in the night sky—but that’s no surprise to dog lovers!
SGilbert
September 15, 2016 at 7:59 amGreat ideas! We love to walk the beach on Lake Michigan with Schooner and Skipper. The kids are in school and you can take the dogs on the beach. Schooner and Skipper get a good run on the beach.
Dawn Rasor
September 15, 2016 at 8:31 amWe love these ideas! We too love this cooler autumn weather and enjoy taking our collies Murphy & Coach Izzo to our Rockford Farmers Market on Saturday mornings!