It was our first time visiting Yuma, Arizona for a dog show. We had enough free time in between dog shows to enjoy and discover fun dog-friendly things to do in Yuma, Arizona.
Where is Yuma, Arizona?
Yuma, Arizona is situated between San Diego, CA, and Phoenix, AZ. The proximity to Mexico (12 miles) contributes to the city’s diverse and vibrant community.
What is Yuma Arizona best known for?
Yuma, Arizona is known as the Sunniest City on Earth, due to its location along the Colorado River, which contributes to its warm climate. Yuma receives a total of 11 hours of sunlight in winter and up to 13 in summer, experiencing minimal rainfall with an annual average of 3 inches. Additionally, Yuma holds the title of the Winter Lettuce Capital of the World (winter vegetable capital of the world), producing over 90% of the leafy greens.
10 Dog-Friendly Things To Do in Yuma, AZ
1. Stay at A Dog-Friendly Hotel
We stayed at Home2 Suites by Hilton, located in the heart of Yuma’s Historic Downtown. It’s a fairly new hotel, built in 2020. Our room was spacious, especially for two dogs, with 2 queen beds plus a sofa and a small kitchen. The lobby always smelled clean, and the staff were super friendly. There’s a non-refundable $75 pet fee and a maximum of 2 dogs per room.
2. Visit Pivot Point
Walking distance from Home2 Suites and next to Hilton Garden Inn is the Pivot Point. It is an outdoor exhibit that features a restored 1907 Baldwin steam locomotive – the first railroad train entered Arizona in 1877.
Additionally to the railroad exhibit, there’s a lovely public plaza (walking park). Pivot Point is part of the city’s Yuma Crossing National Historic Landmark.
3. Visit Gateway Park
Located at East 1st St. & South Gila St. or the end of Madison Avenue in Historic Downtown Yuma, this wonderful river-side dog-friendly park is huge. There are lots of beautiful walking paths.
The bridge over the Colorado River is called the Ocean to Ocean Bridge. It was built in 1915 and was the first highway crossing the lower Colorado River.
4. Visit West Wetlands Park
West Wetlands Park, established in December 2002 on 110 acres of city-owned land, sits along the Colorado River within the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. This public city park, located at the northwest edge of Yuma, Arizona, invites dog owners to enjoy walks along its scenic paths.
Additionally, the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Creative Playground, also known as the Castle Park, is located at West Wetlands Park. Due to a fire in December 2014, the playground was destroyed. However, the City of Yuma came together to rebuild, creating a bigger, better, and safer playground known as Castle Park, which reopened in December 2015. We were informed that Castle Park is recognized as one of the top 20 playgrounds in the world.
Unfortunately, the park is not dog-friendly, but we loved hearing the kids playing and enjoyed seeing it from afar.
Getting through West Wetlands Park by car can be tricky. The actual address location is 282 N 12th Ave, Yuma, AZ. A must-visit dog-friendly park in Yuma, AZ.
5. Explore Historic Downtown Yuma
When visiting Yuma, Arizona, don’t miss a stroll through its Historic Downtown Yuma, featuring charming buildings and delightful, unique shops.
Many special events in Yuma, such as their festive Christmas tree lighting, take place in Historic Downtown Yuma.
6. Dine With Your Dogs
Yuma has lots of diverse restaurants and food selections. Many have outdoor patios and are dog-friendly.
Our 3 Favorite Dog Friendly Restaurants
1) Cafecito – serves Yuma’s best coffee, super friendly staffs and delightful outdoor patio
2) Da Boyz – serve italian cuisine such as pizza and pasta
3) Prison Hill Brewing Company – Yuma’s one and only brewery and restaurant
7. Explore Yuma’s Public Arts
You can take a self-guided tour of Yuma’s Public Art by visiting the Yuma Art Center at 254 S. Main Street and picking up the Public Art Map. Alternatively, you can download the Public Art Map from the City of Yuma website. The map categorizes the types of art – murals, sculptures, or paintings and provides locations for each piece of public art.
This is a fun way to explore Historic Downtown Yuma with your dog. Here are some of our favorite murals.
8. Watch Yuma’s Amazing Sunset
Due to Yuma, Arizona’s abundance of sunny days, it often leads to stunning sunsets. We were so lucky and enjoyed many beautiful sunsets during our evening walks.
9. Attend A Special Event
Since we visited in December, we enjoyed Yuma’s annual Lighting of the Main Street Christmas Tree. It was a big event and well-attended by locals and visitors like us. Both KB & KENZO enjoyed all the pets from everyone. The fun part was seeing Santa, saved by the city’s firemen, and lit the Christmas tree.
We were told that the Iceberg Drop is another fun event in January where giant iceberg lettuce drops from the sky. This is a unique Yuman tradition, especially considering Yuma’s reputation as the Winter Lettuce Capital of the World, producing over 90% of the world’s lettuce crop. It’s a festive way to celebrate the new year.
10. Stay at A Dog-Friendly RV Resort Park
Many of the people we met walking in downtown Yuma and attending the Christmas tree lighting were RVers. They stay in Yuma in the winter because of the warm weather and they travel with their dogs. They informed us that many campgrounds and RV resort parks are dog-friendly. One of their favorites is the dog-friendly Yuma Lakes RV Resort.
Visiting Dog-Friendly Yuma, Arizona
Visiting Yuma, Arizona for the first time provided us with a unique and exciting opportunity to explore the city’s fun dog-friendly activities and sights. From staying in a dog-friendly hotel to exploring Historic Downtown Yuma, visiting the Pivot Point, dining at dog-friendly restaurants, exploring Yuma’s public art scene, and attending a memorable holiday event, both KB & KENZO had an enjoyable adventures.
Yuma, Arizona has something for everyone, and it’s especially dog-friendly.
