While we love our strolls in the city, we also crave to explore nature close to home. Arboretums are a great place to visit with your dog when you both want to be apart of nature. Arboretums are basically a botanical collection of trees and a few pretty gardens. Here are my 3 favorite dog-friendly arboretums to visit near NYC, less than an hour away.
Bailey Arboretum – Located in the North Shore of Long Island in Lattingtown, New York, this beautiful 42-acre accredited arboretum allows dogs as long as they are leashed. With the ponds, turtle island, trails, and redwood trees, it feels like a magical place. You’ll see lots of tree varieties and wildlife like turtles, ducks, and chipmunks. There’s a cute little rose garden with a play area for children. When we’re not strolling in the city, you’ll occasionally find us roaming through here.
Laurelwood Arboretum – Less than an hour away from NYC, this 30-acre arboretum is located in Wayne Township of northern New Jersey. You can hike through their woodland trails, take your dog to smell the flowers from the 7 gardens. There are two ponds and you’ll see a lot of wildlife, especially chipmunks!
Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens – You must visit this arboretum in Stamford, CT with your dog! It’s about an hour away from NYC. With 93 acres of trails and gardens to explore, you’ll think you’re in an enchanted magical forest. On one of the trails, there’s a beautiful wooden path that takes you through the wetlands. Gatsby’s favorite thing to do here is to chase after the butterflies in the gardens.
While it’s ideal to visit arboretums during the spring so you can see trees and flowers in full bloom, it’s also gorgeous there during the fall and winter. Have you visited any dog-friendly arboretums lately? Which ones would you recommend?
