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If you are looking for things to do with your main furry squeeze in the greater Phoenix area, we’ve got a fantastic list for you. Whether you want to take a pleasant stroll through downtown Mesa or enjoy a short hike to an amazing sunrise in Tempe, there is a ton of options in the East Valley region of Phoenix, Arizona.

1. Dutch Bros Coffee

1326 S Alma School Rd, Mesa, AZ 85210 ( MAP)

We originally thought Dutch Bros Coffee was a local coffee shop in Arizona, but they are actually the largest privately held drive-through coffee chain in the United States. They are headquartered in Oregon and have locations throughout the western US. 

The service here is joyful and all the employees we encountered at the walk-up window were so cheerful and gave our pups so much love and attention. Our coffee and latte were delicious and the pups each received a VERY generous portion of Puppuccino.

For those that don’t know, Puppucinos (or Pup Cups) are just whip cream in a cup. They usually serve them at Starbucks and it’s on their secret menu. Dutch Bros takes their Pup Cups one notch up and added a doggie biscuit on top. Kuma and Zooey both loved their Puppucinos so much that they got into a little tiff when one got close to the other.

The drive-through had a very long line, so we parked and ordered from the walk-up window. There was also a small area where you could sit down and enjoy your coffee and goodies outdoors. 

2. Hole in the Rock

625 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008 ( MAP)

We saw a ton of amazing sunrise photos at the “Hole in the Rock” online and knew we had to make the easy trek with our pups here. Located in Papago Park, it was only a 20-minute drive from our Airbnb in Mesa. The natural geological formation here is a fabulous site to see and the trail is short and easy. The views from the top are amazing and we couldn't get over the purple and orange colors that blanketed the sky. 

There is loose gravel along the trail so make sure to wear appropriate shoes. Once you get to the top, it’s a little cramped and a few big steps are required. Kuma needed a little assistance with her short corgi legs and Zooey (being the opposite) needed to be held back from running after the birds. Candy was a little scared that Zooey was going to pull her over the rocks and had to keep a really tight leash on her. It’s probably not a good idea to take a large dog up here if it’s not properly trained on the leash.

Also, make sure you don’t park all the way at the Phoenix Zoo (we did this initially). There is a much closer parking lot that will take you right to the start of the trail. 

3. The Merchantile of Scottsdale

3965 N Brown Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 ( MAP)

We are all about shopping small and The Merchantile of Scottsdale is located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. We saw on their Instagram account that they were pet-friendly, so it was perfect to stop by here to do a little gift shopping with the pups. As soon as we walked in, both pups were excitedly greeted by several of the employees. Zooey and Kuma were super excited to get so much attention and couldn’t get enough of it.

There were so many adorable shops here that it felt like we were at an Etsy store. Candy especially adored the handcrafted wood signs from the different merchants, but her favorite was from The Painted Ladies. Their collection of hand-sketched, hand-painted designs are all handmade and so fun. 

Crystal loves dainty jewelry and found an adorable cactus necklace from a local maker called Age. Candy was kind enough to buy it for her for Christmas. We also purchased a few face masks and almost bought a doggie backpack for Kuma but it was a little too small for her. 

4. Saguaro Hotel

4000 N Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 ( MAP)

Just a few steps from The Merchantile is the Saguaro Hotel, which is pretty hard to miss as it’s a very colorful and eye-catching building. We walked over to take a few photos in front of their bright-colored mural and then headed inside to grab some lunch at the La Señora Patio. We had the option to sit indoors as well but wanted to enjoy the patio since we had the pups with us. 

Both Zooey and Kuma loved the outdoor space and so did we. The staff were super friendly and immediately offered to provide the pups water. It was so thoughtful of them to bring each of them their own bowl of water. Kuma is a little quirky and doesn't like sharing water, so we’re certain she was very pleased. 

Both the atmosphere and Mexican fare food (and a margarita!) were fantastic. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to dine with the pups. 

5. Downtown Mesa 

Downtown Mesa also does an excellent job making FREE parking easy to find for visitors. You can get their parking map HERE.

Downtown Mesa is a pleasant area to walk the dogs where you can enjoy taking photos of fun sculptures and delightful murals. There is a collection of 36 sculptures scattered throughout downtown Mesa where you can do your own self-guided walking tour. We didn’t do the entire tour, but we did find the life-size classic character of Humpty Dumpty and the Big League Dreams sculpture. For some funny reason, Zooey was scared of the boy in this sculpture. 

Straight ahead from the Big League Dreams sculpture is the famous Downtown Mesa Mural. It’s a striking design (by Lauren Lee) with vivid colors and creates a gorgeous backdrop for photos. There are several murals throughout downtown that we couldn’t get to all of them. We did see a couple of women having a ton of fun taking pictures at the Gotham City Mural, which is pretty cool if you are a Batman fan. 

6. The Fix

5135 E McKellips Rd., Mesa, AZ 85215 ( MAP)

If you and your pup need your morning fix, we recommend stopping by The Fix. This local coffee shop brews premium quality beans and the friendly baristas at the Mesa location gave our pups so much attention.

Kuma and Zooey got a free Puppuccino topped with a biscuit with the perfect portion size for our little ones. You can either drive through or order at their outside window, which is what we did. There was a small seating area outdoors that had that bohemian flair that Candy just adores.

We initially didn’t have plans to sit down and were going to drink our coffee at the dog park, but it looked so cozy and comfy that we couldn’t resist. Plus, they provided a throw blanket, which was much needed since it was a little chilly. It’s definitely a great place to grab your coffee to start your day off right. 

7. Quail Run Dog Park

4155 E Virginia St., Mesa, AZ 85215 ( MAP)

This is very well-maintained and one of the largest dog parks we’ve ever been to. We took the pups here on a Monday morning after grabbing some coffee and Puppuccinos at The Fix.

There is plenty of parking, restrooms, and two sections where the dogs can run around off-leash. During the warmer months, the grass is green, and there’s plenty of dog waste stations and water buckets. If you have a dog that loves to chase balls, this is a fantastic park to bring the Chuckit! Ball Launcher.  

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed all of these dog-friendly locations with our pups and hope you will too. If you want to take your pup for more hikes and enjoy other fun outdoor activities nearby, the Apache Trail is an excellent scenic drive where there are many dog-friendly stops.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at a gorgeous pet-friendly Airbnb in Mesa, which is a fantastic and convenient location to all the things we listed. It’s a beautifully designed home with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, so if you’re traveling with a large group, this is the perfect place to stay.