The Dog Mom Tour: Dog-Friendly Austin at Hotel Ella

I bet traveling to places that are fun and exciting is somewhere on your bucket list. And for good reason! Creating lasting memories with the ones you love is a must! And the ones we really love are those furry family members who want to travel too! We gals are taking on the dog-friendly US! That’s right! We are taking all of your traveling questions and putting them into action to bring you The Dog Mom US Tour 2020! We’re kicking off this amazing tour in Austin, Texas. 

Why did we start with Austin? Because Austin is one of the most dog-friendly cities in the United States! Austin ranks FIRST in dog-friendly restaurants per capita and FIRST in the number of dog-friendly hotels! We also can’t get enough of the dog parks and Instagram-worthy shots all around the city! 

Hotel Ella 

This quaint little boutique-style hotel is everything we dreamed of. With a luxurious appearance and down-to-earth staff, we could not have chosen a better place to stay with our pups.

 Hotel Ella is located in the heart of downtown Austin, just a 10-minute walk from the capital and right down the road for the famous 6th street. It is the perfect location for anyone coming to experience Austin in its fullest.  It is a beautiful and stylish boutique hotel housed in the historic Goodall Wooten House, one of Austin’s original landmark estates. Constructed in 1900, the Greek revival-style mansion. With only 47 guest rooms it is the perfect place to fill at home with your pup!

 As soon as we walked through the front doors, the staff greeted Abbie and Pharrell with toys, treats, and lots of belly rubs. When we got to our room is bright and welcoming with two dog beds ready for the pups to relax in. The look in their eyes said, “can we live here?”... And so did ours! The history of Hotel Ella was so fun to learn through the framed photographs on the walls and knowledgeable staff members. 

Dog-friendly Austin 

Austinites love getting out and doing things. And they REALLY love getting out and doing things that include their precious fur babies. There are so many hiking trails and off-leash parks for you and the pup to have the perfect day today! Some of the favorites to us gals and the locals are below! 

Zilker Park, While not fenced, this dog paradise features an abundant area for your pooch to enjoy. Abundant in the grass and well known among the locals, this area will have your dog's tail wagging with joy. 

The Triangle Dog Park is a large open area that you can have some off-leash fun with your dog after a long day of shopping and dining in the area. On Wednesday's you can explore the 100% locally grown foods, honey, plants, meats, cheese, and eggs that they have at Farmers Market. 

Red Bud Isle, This hidden island gem is among Austin’s favorites for dog owners due to its off-leash friendly setting. Relax and enjoy the time while your pooch swims in the lake, barks squirrels up trees, and relaxes from the restraint of their leash. Some minor parking waits are expected, but it's truly a paradise on earth for dogs! 

 They have dog-friendly events all year long so you will always be able to find something to do!

Restaurants and Bars

If you’re looking for a great dog-friendly bar in the heart of downtown, we recommend Little Woodrow’s West 6th. Their outdoor area is SUPER nice with faux grass, pretty lights, and the drink selection is so great! We will always visit Little Woodrow’s when we visit Austin. Yard Bar is also one of our favorites because of its many dog-friendly food options! We don’t just want to bring our dogs with us to events, we want to INCLUDE our dogs in the fun! If you want to branch out from what we’ve tried, here’s a full list of dog-friendly bars in Austin.

Almost every restaurant in Austin is dog-friendly and some even have a special menu for your pup! The weather in Austin is almost perfect all year round so it is perfect for sitting on a patio, dipping some chips in queso and sipping some margaritas as you watch the Texas sunset with your pup by your side (too romantic?) Below are some of our favorite places to dine with your dog in Texas best city! 

Banger's is the place to be if you love a huge selection of beer, great food, and mutts! This Rainy St. sausage house and beer garden have a large outdoor seating area that is picnic table style where you get to bump elbows with fellow patrons. Banger's so dogs friendly that they host events called Mega Mutt Mondays to support Austin Pets Alive, you won't want to miss it!

Cane Rosso specializes in authentic, wood-fired, Neapolitan pizzas. They also offer a wide selection of pasta, salads, and sandwiches. But most importantly, dogs are a big deal at Cane Rosso! Your dog is welcome on the patio, and owner Jay Jerrier even started his own dog rescue group.

Yard Bar is a sprawling mulch ground shaded by nearby buildings where pets can roam free and interact in a safe environment. Bark Rangers patrol the area, break up dog fights, and keep the environment clean. Guests can enjoy craft beers that rotate regularly and home cooking if you're on an empty stomach. Grab a homemade treat for your dog as well!

El Mercado, With an event like Yappy Hour once a week, how could you not love El Mercado! The Tex- Mex joint loves dogs and their owners. With a playground outback, this place is great for the whole family. Alongside killer Mexican food, you will find a dog menu with food that is safe for your friend to eat.

Shopping 

Shopping is the way to our soul, and when you add our pups into, it’s pure bliss. Austin is known for its outdoor shopping malls like The Domain, which is perfect for a day date with your pup and your wallet! There are a handful of amazing pet boutiques in Austin as well like DogBoy’s Dog Ranch, Lofty Dog, Prime Pet Austin, and Natural Pawz. 

Rescues 

One of the things we love most about Austin is their love for dogs and their passion to save as many as possible, Austin has 100s of rescues that are dedicated to pulling dogs from situations, getting them off the streets and putting them in their forever homes. Below are just a few of the amazing organizations in ATX! 

Since 2006, Austin Dog Rescue has been taking in homeless mix-breed dogs from the Central Texas area and fostering them until they can find a loving home. 

The Austin Humane Society is a non-profit no-kill animal shelter ran by the city of Austin in an effort to find cats, dogs, and rabbits find a new home. Working with the city they have worked on reducing pet overpopulation through spaying and neutering of homeless pets.

Austin Pets Alive is a no-kill shelter that works with the community to raise awareness and money to support animals until they can find a happy home. Since Austin Pets Alive started in 2008 they have saved over 25,000 pets. 

Wags & Licks takes in neglected, homeless, and kill shelter dogs and rehabilitates them. After training and bonding with the dogs, they promote them at local shops to find them the perfect home.

Love A Bull’s mission is to educate the general public about proper guardianship of Pit Bulls and Pit mixes. This organization is full of Pit lovers who want to inform and promote the proper image of this woefully misunderstood dog breed.