Berkeley is a city full of pet lovers – just open a history book for the proof. In 1979, the first dog park in the United States opened in Berkeley. Originally called the “Experimental Dog Park,” today the Martha Scott Benedict Memorial Park is still unique from other dog parks across the country.
Instead of being a dog run in a separate park, this park is truly a full-size park that includes dogs. There are tons of amenities for owners, like benches and shade pavilions. The dog park also has unique quiet hours, in the early morning and late at night, that help make the space agreeable to those in the nearby neighborhood while still providing excellent opportunities for owners to take their pets off-leash. In addition, the local Cesar Chavez Park has an off-leash dog run.
Berkeley has unique rules that permit dogs being off-leash in undeveloped areas, if the owners carry a leash, and the dogs are under voice control. The Tilden Regional Park is one of the best local areas for off-leash play, as it covers almost 2,000 acres of beautiful forest and lakes. Dogs are even allowed to play on the beaches in non-swim areas. For an extra special adventure, take your on-leash dog to ride the miniature train located in the park!
