Dog owners, let’s talk about a very tender thing. You’re out with your dog on a walk, trotting along connected by the leash, and your dog turns their head to look at you, and you’re struck by that wave of adoration that flows between you. It’s amazing!
And San Francisco is a particularly great place to walk your dog—in fact, a study by MarketWatch Guides says it’s the best place for dog walkability. San Francisco earns that ranking because of its year-round comfortable temperature and the number of dog parks per capita.
We’re personally partial to the Francisco Park Dog Play Area on Bay at Larkin, but we know other dog owners who swear by Mission Dolores Park’s two large, grassy off-leash areas. For large-scale play, McLaren Park has vast stretches of fields and trails that can host hundreds of dogs a day, while Duboce Park also earns high points. At a dog’s absolute favorite terrain in the world—beaches—you can find playspace as well. San Francisco’s beaches are, obviously, unfenced and for leashed dogs or dogs that are under excellent voice control—but check the rules before you go: Try Fort Funston, Crissy Beach, Muir Beach, Lands End and Ocean Beach.
Although San Francisco wins for the best place to walk your dog, the study includes a list of the top 100 dog-friendly cities, and San Francisco doesn’t appear until #57. On the other end of the spectrum, is it mean to point out that three Central Valley cities were ranked the very worst? Other dog-focused San Francisco points of pride: We are ranked #5 for having the most squirrels per square mile, and #4 for ordering the most Starbucks pup cups per capita.
Other California cities on this list:
44. San Diego
50. Irvine
57. San Francisco
63. Long Beach
66. Oakland
67. Chula Vista
72. Sacramento
74. Anaheim
81. Fremont
83. San Ana
87. Santa Clarita
91. San Jose
92. Los Angeles
94. Bakersfield
96. Fresno
96. Riverside
97. Stockton
The top three cities on this list are all on the East Coast: Raleigh, NC; Nashville, TN and Madison, WI.