Dog-friendly activities to do this fall on Long Island
Jackie Mitchell, left and friend Jackie Molina, both of Amity Harbor, with their dogs, Karl and Parker. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Christine Powers loves to bring Maeve, her 10-month-old golden retriever, to Six Harbors Brewing Company in Huntington, often accompanied by other friends with pooches.
"We go everywhere with our dogs if we can help it," says Powers, 30, a social worker who lives in Huntington. "We love this place. They have good food and they do a lot of events for dogs, too. Like the golden retriever meetup, we came with Maeve," she says. "They do a Halloween contest for dogs in their Halloween outfits, which is so much fun. And they do a Christmas ugly sweater contest for the dogs and they all get dressed up."
Six Harbors’ owners Karen and Mark Heuwetter have had dogs their whole lives, Mark notes.
"We opened up this brewery and spent a lot of hours down here," Heuwetter says. "We said, ‘Why are we keeping them at home? Let’s keep them here and make it dog-friendly.’ "
They decided to invite people to bring their dogs so that everybody’s happy: humans and dogs alike, and the brewery has water and dog toys on hand.
Six Harbors even named beers after their three golden retrievers: Buddy, Barley and Brandy, who "work" there on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"They come in and they provide all the love and attention to people," Heuwetter says. "They greet people at the door."
At 8½, Buddy, the oldest, is the friendliest of the golden trio.
"When he comes down here during the day, he’s like the mayor," Heuwetter says. "He walks around and greets everybody."
When you’re going out to have fun, you want to have your best buddy along for the ride, notes Ginny Munger Kahn, president of LI-DOG, an organization advocating for greater access to public parkland and beaches for Long Island dog owners and their dogs.
"Besides the fun of giving your dog new experiences and opportunities to meet new people and other dogs, getting out with your dog is a great way to meet new people " Munger Kahn says. "It’s a win-win for both people and their pups."
Here are places around the Island that allow leashed dogs to roam, play and socialize:
Spend time at a dog-friendly brewery
Six Harbors Brewing Company
243 New York Ave., Huntington
From left: Katie and Evan Pantofel, of Long Beach, with Baxter; Seth and Leighann Fields, of Hauppauge, with Lacey. Credit: Rick Kopstein
In addition to the golden retriever meetups, Six Harbors is considering meetups with other breeds, such as French bulldogs or Labrador retrievers, and will host its fifth annual "Deck the Paws" ugly sweater party at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7.
MORE INFO 631-470-1560, sixharborsbrewingcompany.com
Blue Point Brewery
225 W. Main St., Patchogue
This brewery, which offers seasonal beers, beer cocktails and exclusive brews at its brewpub, is definitely dog-friendly and has water bowls on hand.
"Dogs are allowed on a leash, outside in our beer garden and service dogs are allowed inside," says Stephanie Medina, assistant general manager.
Blue Point Brewing Company in Patchogue has a deep roster of craft brews and a full menu. Credit: David Handschuh
This fall, try Blue Point’s Oktoberfest (Märzen-style lager) and Mother Pumpkin Ale (with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice).
From noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 9, the brewery hosts its monthly adoption event to benefit Safe Haven Animal Rescue in Brookhaven, where they'll also be selling bandannas and an assortment of homemade goodies for dogs.
MORE INFO 631-627-8292, bluepointbrewing.com
Order off a doggie menu
Jackson Hall American Bar & Grille
336 E. Main St., East Islip
Jackson Hall American Bar and Grille serves American cuisine. The restaurant features a menu for pups. Credit: Heather Walsh
There's an entire menu inspired by dogs and for dogs at this restaurant.
The "A La Bark" menu, which greets you with a "bone appetite," includes a complimentary bowl of water, a Yappy Meal (grilled chicken over rice), Good Dog (skirt steak over rice), Burger & Biscuits and puppuccino (a bowl of whipped cream).
Most of the people who come with dogs order food for them and all of those proceeds are donated to various animal rescues, notes executive chef/managing partner Michael Landesberg.
"We wanted a fun safe place where people can bring their pets and eat outside, and still enjoy time with their furry friends," Landesberg says.
MORE INFO 631-277-7100, jacksonhallny.com
Park Avenue Grill
178 Park Ave., Amityville
A trio of lemon ricotta pancakes at Park Avenue Grill in Amityville. Credit: Daniel Brennan
Dogs are allowed on Park Avenue Grill's heated patio, where they can chow down on the restaurant's "Pup" menu, which features ground Wagyu beef, grilled chicken breast, scrambled eggs and rice and more.
"It’s very cute," owner Erin Gonzalez says. "People love it. We give dog bowls to everybody when they come and they get a pup cup, which is basically just a cup of whipped cream."
On weekends, there can be about two dozen dogs throughout the day, notes Gonzalez, who has three dogs who make an occasional appearance there.
"Sometimes we’ll have five or six at a time," she says.
MORE INFO 631-598-4618, parkavenuegrill.net
Run on the beach
Shadmoor State Park
900 Montauk Hwy., Montauk
The Shadmoor State Park hilltops provide views of Ditch Plains, the popular surfing beach just east of the park in East Hampton. Credit: Newsday/Mark Harrington
A quarter-mile east of Montauk Village, Shadmoor State Park features more than 2,400 feet of ocean beach accessed by two stairways (open dawn to dusk; free to park). The park also has bluffs, wetlands, hiking trails and elevated platforms for birdwatching and enjoying the views.
A maximum of two dogs (per person) is permitted unless prohibited by signage, which may be present during bird nesting season, and they must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
MORE INFO 631-668-3781, parks.ny.gov
Mud Creek Park
341 Roe Ave., East Patchogue
Jade Adamson, of Brookhaven, throws a Frisbee with her dogs Blanca and Disco at Mud Creek Dog Park. Credit: Morgan Campbell
At Mud Creek Park, which has a nonswimming beach, dogs can roam freely off-leash, kick up some sand and romp in the waters of the Great South Bay (open dawn to dusk; free to park).
The site, which has no water, benches or garbage cans, is designated "carry-in, carry-out," meaning that people must dispose of their dog waste properly away from the site.
MORE INFO 631-854-4949, suffolkcountyny.gov
Bring Fido to the winery
Croteaux Vineyards
1450 S. Harbor Rd., Southold
Harkening back to the wine country of France's Provence region, Croteaux features a tasting garden and vineyards set amid two historic farms that have been in agricultural production since the 1700s.
Dogs are always welcome, but must remain leashed at all times in the vineyard.
The tasting garden is open until late November and reopens in April.
MORE INFO 631-765-6099, croteaux.com
Pindar Vineyards
37695 Rte. 25, Peconic
Paige Pfeifer, co-owner of The French Picnic, shows guests her finished charcuterie board during an event at Pindar Vineyards in Peconic. Credit: Emma Rose Milligan
Dogs on a leash are welcome at this vineyard, both outside and in the tasting room, where they'll also find treats, owner Pindar Damianos says.
There’s live music on The Pavillion at Pindar from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in November and December.
There are glass-painting workshops from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 and Dec. 7, for $40 per person, which are also open to well-behaved pooches.
MORE INFO 631-734-6200, pindar.net
Have fun on the farm
Waterdrinker Family Farm
663 Wading River Rd., Manorville; 4560 Sound Ave., Riverhead
Aldo Gonzalez snaps photos of Nicole York and her dog among the sunflowers at Waterdrinker Farm in Riverhead. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Through Nov. 2, the farm hosts its annual Fall Fest with live music, pumpkin picking, hayrides, lawn games, a haunted corn maze and food trucks. The farm's Winter Wonderland opens Nov. 22 and families can roast s'mores around a firepit.
COST Fall Fest and Winter Wonderland: $20 per person
MORE INFO 631-878-8653, water-drinker.com
Kerber’s Farm
309 W. Pulaski Rd., Huntington
Bring your leashed pup to Kerber's Farm in Huntington. Credit: Marisol Diaz-Gordon
Along with the wandering hens, dogs are welcome to stroll around the grounds at Kerber's, where, if they're lucky, their owner will treat them to a $2.50 chicken potpie (or two), made exclusively for the canine set. They don't put out water bowls, but if your pooch seems thirsty, just ask for a cup of water.
MORE INFO 631-423-4400, kerbersfarm.com
Explore a local park or arboretum
Bailey Arboretum
194 Bayville Rd., Locust Valley
Brittany Gilligan and Konrad Wroblewski, of Greenvale, walk with their dog Haze at Bailey Arboretum. Credit: Rick Kopstein
The former estate of horticulturist and philanthropist Frank Bailey, Bailey Arboretum is a 42-acre park with meandering trails and lush gardens, including the world's largest Dawn Redwood, a tree that, until 1941, was thought to be extinct.
Dogs are allowed on the trails and on the grass, but not inside the buildings, notes Michael Maron, arboretum superintendent.
"We’re an arboretum first that allows dogs," Maron says. "We do have guidelines posted throughout the arboretum about dogs and they’re pretty much allowed on the property, but they need to be leashed and we ask that people pick up after them."
MORE INFO 516-801-1458, baileyarboretum.org
Blydenburgh County Park
Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown
Linda Spottiswood, of Bohemia, tosses a ball to her Belgian Malinois dog at the dog park at Blydenburgh County Park. Credit: Newsday/Kendall Rodriguez
A 627-acre park located at the headwaters of the Nissequogue River, Blydenburgh County Park offers views of Stump Pond, miles of trails and a boardwalk that takes visitors on a 5.7-mile loop around the entire pond. Dogs can be off-leash only in the park's dog run.
MORE INFO 631-854-3712, suffolkcountyny.gov
