Everything becomes instantly better whenever a dog is involved, and that’s a fact. When I first moved to Lake Norman, the first thing I noticed was the fact that it is super dog-friendly. I love taking my dogs with me when I explore the Lake Norman area, and I’m sure they’re just happy to be out of the house. There are so many restaurants, parks, and trails for us to go to without worrying whether or not they’re allowed. If you’ve got a furry friend, I highly recommend taking them to any of the places below. You will not be disappointed, and I’m sure your pup will love you for taking them on fun, new adventures!
Restaurants and Bars
Lucky Dog Bark & Brew
19607 Statesville Rd, Cornelius, NC 28031
Lucky Dog Bark & Brew is an indoor/outdoor dog park that’s perfect for any pup. While your dog is running around, you can sit at the 21+ sports bar and enjoy a drink. This bar is open to furry children only, and they also offer doggy daycare, overnight boarding, and baths!
Yappy Hour Bakery
Check out their Facebook here.
This activity is more for the pups than it is for humans. The Yappy Hour Bakery is an all natural, gourmet, mobile dog bakery that offers a ton of different dog treats. They make some greats birthday cakes too! (For dogs, of course.)
Cafe 100
100 Huntersville-Concord Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
At Cafe 100, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner with your pup on their outdoor patio.
Birkdale Village
16725 Birkdale Commons Pkwy, Huntersville, NC 28078
Birkdale Village is a beautiful outdoor shopping center here in Huntersville. On the weekends, you can find a bunch of people walking their dogs throughout the shopping center. Birkdale Village is so pet-friendly, you’ll even find several water dishes for your pup to drink from outside of some of the stores. There are also many restaurants that allow you to dine with your dog in their outdoor seating areas.
Outdoors
Latta Plantation Nature Preserve
6211 Sample Rd. Huntersville, NC 28078
The Latta Plantation Nature Preserve has 16 miles of hiking trails that weave their way through different terrain. From the trails, it’s easy to find beautiful views of the lake, streams, and the forest. The Latta Plantation Nature Preserve welcomes pups as long as they’re on a 6-foot or shorter leash, and you can even bring your horse! It’s the only Mecklenburg County property that’s completely open to horseback riding.
Jetton Park
19000 Jetton Road/Cornelius, NC 28031
Jetton park is a 104-acre lakefront part that’s perfect for hiking on a beautiful day!
Swaney Pointe K-9 Park
18441 Nantz Road/Cornelius, NC 28031
Swanet Pointe K-9 Park is a four-acre, fenced-in, off-leash area for dogs. It’s located in Ramsey Creek Park, and has two areas that operate larger dogs from smaller dogs.
