Omaha is the largest city in Nebraska and runs along the banks of the Missouri River in the midwest United States. The city has just under 500,000 residents and has been ranked one of the best places to live in the US for many years. It has a low cost of living and a lot of dog-friendly places and activities, so it is the perfect place to visit or live with your fur buddy. It is also known as the beef state because of its amazing Omaha steaks, but it was the home of the Reuben sandwich as well.
Being so dog and family-friendly, you probably already guessed that there are a lot of parks and recreational spaces in Omaha. In fact, there are over 250, and most of them welcome your pooch to join you. The city also has several off-leash dog parks where your cuddly canine can play off the leash, but some require a leash. Here are our top 15 dog park choices in Omaha.
Beardmore Freedom Dog Park
You probably would not think to bring your cuddle buddy to a car dealership to play, but Beardmore Chevy has an awesome pup play area called Beardmore Freedom Dog Park that makes it worth your time! It is only seven miles south of downtown Omaha and is completely fenced with security gates. There are poop bag dispensers and lots of green grass most of the year. You can find this great place right next to the parking lot, so it has easy access.
There are two sections, with one for large dogs and another for small or timid pups. Both sides have lots of open space for playing fetch or frisbee, and there are several benches in each area for the pet parents to relax while their fur puppy plays. You will need to bring your own water, and you may as well pack extra doggie bags just in case they run out.
Canine Courtyard
Also known as Aksarben Dog Park, Canine Courtyard is about five miles to the west of the City of Omaha on 67th and Shirley Streets in Aksarben Village. Besides having separate areas for large and small pups, this fun pup park also has some great agility equipment, including awesome tunnels, weave poles to wiggle through, and some really cool hexagonal hoops to jump through for those athletic pooches. There is also a long dog walk with steps and a ramp, as well as space underneath to crawl under.
The park also has some pedestals to balance on, water fountains so your canine companion can get a drink, and lots of room to chase each other. Bring a ball to play fetch or a doggie disc to toss around. Canine Courtyard also has several waste stations with doggie bags and receptacles for easy cleanup. And pet parents have plenty of choices on where to sit whether it is under the shade structures or out in the sunlight.
Chalco Hills Recreation Area
Does your furry friend need to get out and run around for a while? Take him to Chalco Hills Recreation Area, where there is a little bit of everything for everyone. If you want to go boating, fishing, or swimming, you can enjoy Wehrspann Lake, where your pooch can join you as long as he is on a leash. Take your cuddly canine for a hike on one of the trails, or let the kids play at one of the playgrounds. There are picnic areas with tables and grills, too!
But up in the northeastern corner of the park, you can take your fur baby off the leash at the Chalco Hills Dog Exercise Area. It is a huge space where your pooch can run free, but make sure he has good recall because it is not fully fenced. Also, it can be muddy during and after wet weather. There are no doggie bag dispensers or water fountains, so make sure you bring your own.
Dewey Dog Park
Open to the public from dawn to dusk, Dewey Park has its own pooch park that your fur buddy will love, and so will you. Let’s face it. We are happy when our dogs are happy. Just seeing them running around unleashed and having fun with other pupsters fills your heart with joy. And Dewey Dog Park will do just that, let your pooch have unleashed fun. Just two miles west of downtown, this fun place is wonderful with both natural and manmade obstacles and agility equipment.
This is one of the newest pup parks in Omaha and has a half acre of space divided between small dogs. The other space is for dogs of all sizes and breeds to play together. Both sides have play equipment like a seesaw, tunnels, a dog walk, ramps, and jumps. There are also large flat boulders for climbing or sitting. Your cuddle buddy also has free access to water for drinking, and during the summer, there is a splash pad and pool. And you cannot beat the self-cleaning artificial turf!
Gene Leahy Mall Dog Park
Whether you are planning to shop, have a bite to eat, or just want to let your pup play, Gene Leahy Mall Dog Park is perfect. If your canine companion needs to get rid of those zoomies, this is such a fun place to go for that. Not only is it separated for small and big dogs, but it also has a self-cleaning astroturf, hills and tunnels, a seesaw, and lots of climbing. The water fountain is amazing with a huge built-in doggie bowl to drink from.
There are balls to play fetch, too, so you do not have to worry about bringing one. They also have doggie bag dispensers, but pack some of your own just in case. The pup parents have lots of choices for seating, whether you want to be in the shade or out soaking up the sun. You can find this great spot at the 10-acre Riverfront Mall Park, less than a mile from downtown by the Interstate 480 and Highway 6 interchange.
Hanscom Dog Park
Omaha really loves their fur babies. They have such nice dog parks that are so well-thought-out and modern. Hanscom Dog Park is two miles southwest of downtown and has plenty of space for off-leash fun. In fact, there are over two acres separated into three sections for different sizes of dogs. The small and shy dog area is about a half acre. Then, there are two sections for all sizes and breeds of dog that are almost an acre each.
What is really great here is the steep hills. Now, some people may find them too hard to maneuver, but dogs really need the exercise that running up and down steep slopes can give them. And each of the three sections has it. Of course, this is not easily accessible to some, but your cuddly canine companion will love it. Bring poop bags because they run out often since it is such a busy park!
Hefflinger Dog Park
If you have a pooch that needs a lot of space to romp around, Hefflinger Dog Park is where you want to go. This fenced area was the first dog park in Omaha, and it is perfect for just that, letting your pup off the chain for a while to just be a dog. The park is just 10 miles northwest of Omaha city center, just off Highway 64 near the Interstate 680 interchange. It is in the southeastern corner of Hefflinger Park by the parking lot caddy corner to the Omaha BMX park.
There are two sections. The small dog park is about two acres, which is humongous for little pooches. The other section is five acres and welcomes dogs of all sizes. They are both flat, wide-open spaces with tons of room for running, playing ball, or tossing a frisbee. But they also have play equipment, including tunnels, ramps, A-frames, pedestals, logs for climbing, and jumps to jump through. Bring your own water and poop bags to be on the safe side.
Jewell Park Dog Park
Your canine compadre is invited to join the other fur babies at Jewell Park in Bellevue, just nine miles south of downtown Omaha. It is a rugged and wooded location that is perfect for nature lovers but is in a cozy neighborhood, so you are never far from civilization and cell phone service. Between Camp Wakonda Fontenelle Forest, McCann Park, Bellevue Cemetery, and College Heights Park, you will feel like you are in a serene spot in the city.
There are two sections to this enormous pup play area, one for big and one for little dogs. Both sides have lots of grass, picnic tables and benches for pet parents, and a water fountain for pupa and their humans. If you would like to take Fido on a hike through the woods, put his leash back on, and he is free to join you. They also have a playground for the kids and a picnic area.
Levi Carter Park
Just to the north of Omaha City, about two miles, Carter Lake Park is a pup popular park where all fur buddies are welcome as long as they are on a leash at all times. There are over 500 acres so you are bound to find some open and secluded spaces to let your canine companion off the leash if he is voice-controlled. But that is at your discretion. The park was named after a famous industrialist, Levi Carter, who ran an ore smelter there.
This is a popular park for water sports like boating, fishing, and swimming, of course, but it is also home to basketball courts, ball fields, picnic areas with barbecue grills, and tons of trails through the woods and around the whole park. The lake is on the border of Nebraska and Iowa, so if you take a boat out fishing, you may want to get a fishing license from both states. And bring lots of doggie bags!
Love’s Travel Stop Dog Park Omaha Store 730
Most pet parents probably do not even think about a gas station or truck stop when they are looking for a play area for their pooch. But Love’s Travel Stop has over 100 of them all over the United States. Store number 730 in Omaha is about 16 miles southwest of downtown Omaha at the Interstate 80 and Highway 50 intersection, and it is blessed with one of the company’s larger dog areas. You can find it in the northeastern corner of the parking lot by the gas pumps.
It has a large and small dog section, two benches and a picnic table in each section, and a waste station with poop bags and a trash can for easier pickup. There is no play equipment, but there is enough room to romp around. The store also offers private showers, CAT scales, Wi-Fi, mechanical services, propane, laundry, and video games. They also have a Wendy’s Restaurant on-site.
Love’s Travel Stop Dog Park Pacific Junction Store 704
Another Love’s Travel Stop, this one can be found in Pacific Junction, Iowa, less than 20 miles southeast of downtown Omaha. The dog park here is not quite as big as the one in Omaha, but it is still larger than many of Love’s dog parks. Love’s Travel Stop 704 also has separate sections for large and small pups so those little ones with big dog anxiety can relax and have fun, too! Pet parents have picnic tables and benches as well as dog poop bag dispensers for cleanup.
Anyone who travels with their dog knows that it is important to let your pooch get out and stretch his legs, run around, and get rid of that excess energy. Actually, you do not even have to travel to know this. And this park gives you what you and your cuddle buddy need. There are also showers, wireless internet, scales, light mechanical, propane, and a Subway Restaurant here.
Miller Dog Park
Located in northern Omaha, about five miles north of downtown, Miller Dog Park has 8,750 square feet for your poochie to play in. There is a separate section for little or shy pups. You can find it in the middle of Miller Park, and it just opened in 2020, so everything is still pretty new. There are several shaded benches, a small dog section, and water fountains with doggie bowls to keep your fluffy buddy hydrated while he plays.
This place is not huge, but it is decked out with high-quality state-of-the-art doggie play items like the canine condo with steps, a covered pedestal, and a ramp with dog bone steps. There are natural agility equipment, including a long, wide log to climb on and a few huge flat rocks. The park also provides dog waste stations with poop bags to make things easier for you. Bring extra water and bags, just in case, though.
Omaha Dog Park Bar
When you want to have a cold brew with some other pup parents while your pooch plays with the other pups, head to Omaha Dog Park Bar. It is right in downtown Omaha on 14th Street in the Little Bohemia neighborhood and is so friendly and fun you will never want to leave. And neither will your fur baby. There are 5,000 square feet inside and 10,000 square feet outside with drinks as well as food. They even have a special area for small and shy dogs.
For designated drivers and non-drinkers, there are a variety of non-alcoholic beverages too, like coffee, juices, soft drinks, and tea. Humans are free, and dogs are just 10 bucks! Or, if you live nearby, you can get a membership to save money. You will need to show proof of vaccinations, and pups over a year old have to be spayed or neutered. And, of course, it is important that your dog is well-behaved and social.
Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park
Tom Hanafan Park is just across the Missouri River bridge in Council Bluffs, Iowa, less than three miles from Omaha. In fact, as the name implies, it is on the banks of the river, and canines are welcome as long as you keep him on a leash the whole time you are here. You will also need to bring plenty of doggie bags to pick up anything he leaves behind. There is a five-acre lawn that is perfect for playing fetch or frisbee, but keep that leash on!
The trails here connect to more than 40 miles of paths on the River’s Edge, where you will see bikers, runners, and walkers enjoying the flora and fauna. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is a really cool place to get some awesome views and great selfies with your pup. The river is a great place to let your pooch get wet if it is warm enough too!
Walnut Creek Dog Park
Pack up the car, and do not forget the water and doggie bags for a trip to Walnut Creek Park Leash Free Park in Papillion. It is about 17 miles southwest of Omaha downtown and has two separate spaces for little and big dogs. Both sides have separate access to the creek as well as the pond, so your cuddle buddy can play in the water if you want him to. They do have poop bag dispensers that are almost always full, as well as lots of seating for pup parents.
The larger park area is about 450 acres and is dog-friendly for leashed dogs. There are trails, lake access, and camping here, as well as playgrounds and picnic areas for family fun. You can even bring your horse if you have one. The fishing pier allows for easy access, and there is a boat dock if you have one of those. Bring extra water for both of you and always pack doggie bags in case you need them.
The Final Woof
With all the pup popular parks in Omaha, you can stay busy for days. But there are lots of other dog-friendly things you and your fur puppy can do while you are here. For example, you can your leashed pup can shop at Imaginarium Super Store on South 16th Street. They have furniture, antiques, and collectibles, as well as clothing and toys. You may even find something you remember from your childhood days. You could also take your canine companion on a SUP pup adventure. Driftwood Paddle Adventures welcomes pups to join you on a stand-up paddleboard adventure. They will provide everything you need, including life vests for you both.
