According to a travel and pet blog called Year of the Monkey, Bloomington is the second top dog-friendly city in the Midwest, just behind Chicago. With over 25 pet-friendly hotels, 55 dog-friendly restaurants, and a number of different dog-friendly activities, it’s no wonder Bloomington is considered a top dog-friendly city.

While visiting Bloomington, you can head down to Kirkwood Ave where you can find a number of dog-friendly restaurants to take your pup to. To get your dog some exercise, you can head to Griffy Lake, Ferguson Dog Park, or even walk your dog around the beautiful trails of Indiana University. Don’t forget to stop and say hi to other dog parents around town, trust me, there are a lot of them. More and more people are owning dogs in today’s society. People are learning that dogs and humans can coexist without anything going wrong.

There are also many benefits to owning a dog. Owning a dog gives people a purpose in life. Not only do they have to wake up every morning and take care of themselves, but they also take care of another living creature. Owning a dog can also reduce your stress levels and increase your happiness. This is why so many people around B-town and the rest of the country are adding a furry friend to their family.

Galen Clavio is a professor at the IU Media School who has been a dog-dad most of his life. He enjoys taking his dog Stewart and Stewart’s brother Nelson on walks around campus. Stewart and Nelson even make guest appearances in some of Galen’s classes, which is something students love.

Galen has lived in many different cities around the US, but he says Bloomington is the most dog-friendly city he has lived in due to all the dog-friendly patios and restaurants around town. Some of Galen’s favorite dog-friendly patios are Switchyard Brewery, Upland Brewery, Nick’s English Hut, and The Tap. To learn more about the top dog-friendly restaurants around Bloomington, visit yelp.com.

Ferguson Dog Park is Bloomington’s top dog park. It has two separate fenced-in areas, one for small dogs and one for big dogs. They are very spacious areas for your pup to let all of its energy out and socialize with other dogs. Water is provided for dogs most of the year excluding colder months. Ferguson Dog Park also has two dog wash stations to clean your dog off after a fun day of playing in the mud. There are also benches and picnic tables for humans to socialize while their dogs are doing the same.

Top dog-friendly restaurants, hotels, and parks in Bloomington:

Irish Lion

Crazy Horse

Upland Brewery

Nick's English Hut

The Tap

Griffy Lake

Ferguson Dog Park

Graduate Bloomington Hotel

Hampton Inn Bloomington

Hyatt Place Bloomington

Homes2 Suites by Hilton Bloomington

Jeff Hall is the co-founder of Switchyard Brewerying Co who took his idea of owning a brewery and added a twist. Since there is no kitchen right in the building of Switchyard, Hall and his partner made the decision to allow dogs inside the brewery. This makes Switchyard stand out from the other breweries in Bloomington. Switchyard is a place for the entire family to come and hang out without having to leave the pup at home.

Dogs of IU is an Instagram account that shows off all the beautiful pups of Bloomington and what they are up to

For more information on all the dog-friendly activities in Bloomington, click here