In the southeastern corner of the southern state of Georgia, Savannah was established in 1733 with just over 100 residents. Today, the city has a population of almost 150,000 people with approximately 12,500 fur babies. It is the state’s oldest city, founded by General James Oglethorpe and 120 others who sailed with him that day. In fact, Oglethorpe made slaves, alcohol, and lawyers illegal in 1733. However, they were all found legal again not long after.
Savannah is a warm city all year long, with highs in the 90s in July and 60s in January. This means more parks and recreational spaces for outdoor fun. From the one-third-acre Summerside Park to the 77-acre Daffin Park, there is something for everyone in Savannah. There are quite a few dog parks as well where you can let your pooch play off the leash, but some parks require leashes. These are our top 15 dog parks in Savannah, Georgia, for you to check out.
Herty Pines Dog Park
Herty Pines Dog Park, also known as the Daffin Dog Park, can be found in Daffin Park, about 15 minutes south of downtown Savannah in the small village of Parkside. The pooch park is at the western end of the park by the playgrounds across from the pond and tennis courts. It is a very shaded park with separate spaces for big and small pups, cleanup stations with baggies, water fountains, and lots of seating.
There is plenty of space for running around, playing fetch, and chasing each other. The rest of Daffin Park is dog-friendly, too, as long as you put your fur baby’s leash back on. There are 80 acres to explore that include soccer and football fields, hiking, rugby, and even a public pool. But no dogs are allowed in the pool, unfortunately. However, your pooch will love the pond where he can cool off, and you can go fishing or just watch the turtles.
Mother Mathilda Beasley Dog Park
Named after the very first African American nun in Georgia, Mother Matilda Beasley Dog Park is located in the downtown Savannah historic district. Mother Mathilda began the St. Francis Home for Colored Orphans in 1887, where she taught slaves how to read. The dog park opened in 2008 and is one of the most pup popular spots in the city. It has a lot of open space for running and playing fetch, as well as cleanup stations with baggies.
During the summer, you will also find several bone-shaped swimming pools and water fountains for pups and their pup parents. There are also numerous concrete picnic tables for seating, some with pavilions for shade. The rest of the park is pup-friendly too as long as your dog is on a leash the whole time you are there. And be sure you bring extra doggie bags if you plan to visit the playground, trail, or other fun areas.
Mohawk Dog Park
Your cuddly canine is invited to play at Mohawk Dog Park, located twenty minutes from downtown Savannah. There are two dog parks, one for small dogs and another for big pups. They are both completely fenced in, so you do not have to worry about your pup running off if he sees a playful squirrel. You will find water stations with drinking fountains and a puppy pool, as well as shaded seating, Mutt Mitt dispensers, and baskets full of tennis balls.
Put your pup’s leash back on, and you and he can explore the rest of Mohawk Park. The main attraction here is the 17-acre lake stocked with fish, so bring your gear and a fishing license. Or you can get out on the lake in a kayak or canoe. There is also a children’s playground for the little humans to enjoy with a merry-go-round, swings, and slides. Pack lunch, and you can have a picnic at the pavilion too!
Bryan County Bark Park
Pups can play off-leash at Bryan County Bark Park in Richmond Hill, about 25 minutes to the southwest. It has a small pond right inside the dog park where your fur puppy is welcome to play and swim or just splash around. The dogs love it, especially during the hot Georgia summers. There is also an agility course for your pooch to enjoy, including ramps to run up and down, hoops to jump through, and tunnels to run through.
Afterward, wash your pooch off at the self-service dog washing station, where there is a ramp for your cuddly canine to just walk up into. No heavy lifting. The rest of Bryan Park is also pup popular for leashed pups. There is a fantastic modern playground with lots of interactive fun for kids as well as picnic tables, restrooms, a walking path, and more. Sometimes, they hold events like Yappy Hour on National Dog Day, which is August 26th.
Pineora Dog Park
In northwestern Savannah, Pineora Dog Park can be found in the Pineora Ball Park in Rincon. You can take your pooch off his leash for a while to play inside the fences here with other fur puppies. It is the first off-leash dog park in the area and features agility equipment, water stations, and waste stations. Your canine companion must be up-to-date on their shots, non-aggressive, and either spayed or neutered.
The park is open from sunup to sundown and welcomes all breeds as long as they are over four months old. There is a seesaw, weave poles, ramps, and jumping hoops for the pups to enjoy, and lots of shaded benches for the pet parents. If you have a large dog, make sure you use the large dog section. Small dogs can use either side. Even though they have water fountains and waste stations, bring your own water and doggie bags, just in case.
Hardeeville Dog Park
Hardeeville Dog Park is one of the newest dog parks in the area, opening in 2021. And although it is technically in South Carolina, it is only 17 miles from Savannah, so it is actually closer than some of the Savannah dog parks. Located behind the Hardeeville, SC, city hall, this special pup park has three sections, including one for small pooches, one for large dogs, and another for senior pups aged seven and older. It is perfect for those older dogs that get overwhelmed by all the rambunctious younger pups.
During the spring, summer, and fall, the park has water fountains and even swimming pools for your pooches, which is good because there is really not much shade here. There is a shaded bench in each section for the pup parents and cleanup stations with baggies and waste cans, as well as a restroom that is open all the time except for winter.
Georgia Welcome Center
The Georgia Welcome Center on I-95 in Port Wentworth is the perfect spot to stretch your legs, use the restroom, and walk your pup. It is located in northwestern Savannah, just across the highway from the National Wildlife Refuge and the Savannah River. Just recently, the center has been updated with all sorts of new attractions, information areas, and outdoor spaces to enjoy. Your canine compadre is welcome to join you as long as he is on a leash.
Although there is no designated off-leash dog park, there is a pet relief area where your fur baby can do his business. Make sure you bring doggie bags to pick up whatever he drops. He will have to stay on his leash, but you can let him run around and play before getting back in the car. Inside, you can check out the highlights of Georgia with interactive experiences and an information center.
Loves Travel Stop Park
There are several Loves Travel Stops in the Savannah area. The closest is #893-Garden City in Northwestern Savannah on Highway 307. This may not be a dog park that you go out of your way to take your dog to, but it is really great for those pet parents who are on the road or happen to be in the neighborhood with their poochie. This Loves Travel Stop has showers, wifi, propane, video games, laundry facilities, a Hardee’s Restaurant, and a dog park.
Southwest of Savannah, #338-Richmond Hill, is on the corner of I-95 and Highway 144. This one has a fenced dog park, so your pup can run around off the leash for a while. In fact, you may want to choose this place for a day trip. They have a McDonald’s Restaurant, showers, wifi, RV dumping, propane, laundry facilities, and overnight parking. The dog park area has benches so you can relax while your dog plays, but you need to bring your own doggie bags.
Tom Triplett Dog Park
Just across Interstate 80 to the southwest of Loves Travel Stop #893, Tom Triplett Dog Park can be found in Pooler. This is a good-sized dog park that is completely fenced for safety and has space for big dogs so the smaller fur puppies can run around in their own area too. There is agility equipment, including tunnels, climbing ramps, and jumping poles. Your pup is allowed to bark, dig, and just be a dog while you relax.
Even though there are waste stations with baggie dispensers, it is a good idea to bring your own just in case they run out. It is a newer dog park, so it is very pup popular. Outside the dog park, your pup can join you on a leash. There are tennis courts, a bike and walking track, a fishing lake with piers, an 18-hole disc golf course, horseshoes, picnic areas, and a modern playground for your little humans.
Tybee Island Dog Park near Jaycee Park
The Tybee Island Dog Park is about 20 minutes to the southeast, near the South Carolina border. This is a popular park with locals as well as visitors because dogs are not allowed on the beaches of Tybee Island. You will find a nice shady park with large shade trees, tunnels for running through, lots of chairs and benches for pup parents, and mulch on the ground to help prevent dirty dogs. Pups under 20 pounds have their own section, and there is a Mutt Mitt dispenser in each area.
The park is right across from the Tybee Island Police Station and the historical Habersham Battery. It is also just down the road from the Rivers End Campground and Park, where you can stay for a few days or a few weeks. They offer over 100 campsites and several cabins that allow pets. Whether you are staying or just passing through, the Tybee Island Dog Park is a great stop to make.
Bluffton Dog Park at Oscar Frazier Park
Another park that is in South Carolina, this one is just about 23 miles from downtown Savannah and is worth the trip. The Bluffton Dog Park is located at Oscar Frazier Park, and it took 12 years of planning and saving to get it there. The shaded park opened in 2018 and has picnic tables, shade, doggie bags, and lots of room for romping around or playing fetch. This is another park with a special section for older dogs, which is totally perfect, and has a large dog section for pooches over 40 pounds.
Your leashed canine companion is also welcome outside the dog park, where you will find several baseball fields with concessions, batting cages, and a soccer field, as well as a community center and picnic areas in case you want to sit and enjoy a meal with your pup. There is also a fun playground for the kiddos, a walking path, and a pavilion.
Lake Mayer Park
South of Savannah, past the Savannah Botanical Gardens, Lake Mayer Park is another dog-friendly park with a pup exercise area. However, here your dog has to be on a leash whether he is in the dog area or in the rest of the 75-acre park. It was named one of the 10 Best Parks in Georgia because of its family-friendly activities, including a fishing lake stocked with fish, a fishing pier, an outdoor fitness track, tennis and basketball courts, and a walking trail.
But that is not all! Lake Mayer Park also has baseball, hockey, a skate park, volleyball and handball courts, picnic areas, and even a remote control car course. And, of course, there is a fantastic modern playground for little humans. It is packed with fun activities like climbing, swinging, spinning, and sliding. Pack a lunch and some extra doggie bags so you can spend an entire day here.
Emmet Park
Named after an Irish leader and patriot, Robert Emmet, Emmet Park is found on the Savannah River in historic downtown Savannah across from Morrell Park. Your leashed fur puppy is welcome to join you on this walk through history. You will learn all about the Irish workers who placed each large boulder for their cotton picking paths as well as interesting information about the Celtic Cross Monument that memorialized Irish Savannahians.
You can also see the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial, the Chatham Artillery, Korean War Memorial, and a memorial to Dr. Wimberly Jones. The Old Harbor Light is also here, placed in 1858. But the main attraction, according to the locals, is the St. Patrick’s Day festival they have every year, which is the second largest after the one in Boston. But the pups say it is Pigeon’s Wheelie Good Dog Treats that is the highlight of the park with its dog cookies and other neat items.
Skidaway Island State Park
Just 15 miles south of the city on Interstate 95, you will find Skidaway Island State Park, with close to 600 acres of recreational space. From the 90+ campsites, cabins, and yurts to the playgrounds and fitness track, there is something for everyone to enjoy here. It is located along the Intracoastal Waterway known as the Skidaway Narrows. The park is the perfect spot to check out nature with your leashed pal.
Explore the six miles of trails with your pooch from the easy Sandpiper Trail Loop of about one mile to the two-mile Big Ferry Trail, there is a lot to see here, including a 1930s liquor still site, shell middens, fiddler crab ponds, salt flats, and saltwater sloughs. Keep your cuddly canine on a short leash because gators have been spotted here. Also, look for raccoons, fiddler crabs, and deer. Being along the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, you will see lots of birds as well.
Fort McAllister State Park
Just to the southwest of Skidaway Island State Park, Fort McAllister State Park is a 1,725-acre historic site along the Ogeechee River. Leashed fur puppies are welcome at the park, where you and your best pal can explore the best-preserved earthworks from the Confederate Armies. Even though they were attacked over five times by Union soldiers, they stood their ground until 1864. The park has 68 campsites and seven cottages in case you want to stay the night.
Also, in the park, you can rent boats to go fishing out on the river or just fish from the bank. Make sure you have a fishing license. You could also rent a bike and hit the hiking paths to help your pooch get rid of those zoomies. The trails are lined with oaks covered in Spanish moss and a salt marsh where you can see lots of wild critters. Keep your pup leashed, and bring baggies.
The Final Woof
Want to learn more about Savannah? Put your fur puppy on a leash and head to Oliver Bentleys Historic Dog Walk Tour. It is a special tour made especially for pups where you will visit seven of the 22 squares in the city as well as many other attractions. Along the way, your guide will tell you about the dog-friendly places you can visit with your pooch. If you would rather catch a ride, try a golf cart tour with Savannah Cruzers. You will learn all about the art and nature of the city on a 90-minute golf cart cruise. Love to be scared? Try the Blue Orb Ghost Tours for a haunted hike.
