NearMeDog-friendly places in Double Bay
Last updatedIn Double Bay, the best outing for a dog is an early run at the off-leash zone at Steyne Park, by the water, then breakfast at Bake Bar, a 7-minute walk away. The rule that matters most: under the park's rules, Lough Playing Fields is off-leash from 3:30pm to 10:30am, outside organised sport.
A day with your dog in Double Bay
| Time | Where dogs can go |
|---|---|
| 3:30pm to 10:30am the next morning, any day | Lough Playing Fields is open off-leash on its grass outside organised sport, under the park's rules, and the Steyne Park zone is open at any hour. |
| 10:30am to 3:30pm, any day | Lough Playing Fields is on-lead, so the only off-leash option in Double Bay is the Steyne Park zone by the water. |
| Every day, 7am to 3:30pm | White Rabbit Kiaora Place is open, with dogs welcome outside only. |
| Weekdays, 6am to 4pm | Bake Bar is open with dogs welcome outside only; on Saturdays it opens at 6:30am and on Sundays at 7am. |
Morning run in Double Bay, then brunch with dogs outside
Lough Playing Fields is a historic sports park at 104 Manning Road, and its unfenced grassy fields are the place for a big run. Under the park's rules, dogs can be off-leash there from 3:30pm to 10:30am, outside organised sport, so this run has to finish before 10:30am. The fields host netball, cricket and team training, so keep a dog close whenever a team is on the grass.
The walk to breakfast takes 11 minutes. White Rabbit Kiaora Place is a busy breakfast and brunch cafe on New South Head Road with outdoor seating, and dogs are welcome outside only. Arrive at 10:45am. It suits a sit-down brunch more than a quick coffee, so allow time. Visitors name the cinnamon French toast and the egg and sausage muffin as the dishes to order.
For an earlier start, the next plan begins at the Steyne Park zone, which is open at any hour.
Early start in Double Bay: an off-leash run by the water, then breakfast
Steyne Park has an unfenced off-leash zone by the water at the corner of William Street and Bay Street, and it can be used at any hour. The zone is narrow, so it suits calm dogs best. Everywhere else in the park dogs must be on a leash, and dogs are never allowed inside the large children's playground.
It is a 7-minute walk to Bake Bar, an organic artisan bakery and cafe in Double Bay with outdoor seating, where dogs are welcome outside only. The cafe opens at 6am on weekdays, 6:30am on Saturdays and 7am on Sundays, so a 7:30am arrival works every day. Visitors praise the breakfast and brunch range, and they say the food comes out in good time.
The rules for each park come next, since they differ from one place to the next.
Dog rules in Double Bay: where dogs can't go
Woollahra Council manages all three dog-friendly parks in Double Bay, and each has its own rule. Under the park's rules, Lough Playing Fields is off-leash on its unfenced grass from 3:30pm to 10:30am, outside organised sport, and on-lead the rest of the time. Steyne Park is off-leash only in the zone by the water, which is open at any hour, and that zone closes during sailing events on the foreshore. The rest of the park is on-lead, and dogs stay out of the large children's playground. Epping Reserve is on-lead only and has no off-leash area, so bring a lead for every dog.
Both cafes allow dogs outside only. Confirm Lough Playing Fields' off-leash hours with Woollahra Council once before a visit.
Where these are in Double Bay
- Around Lough Playing Fields: Lough is the big run, and Epping Reserve is a 3-minute walk away on lead, a quieter stop for a small or nervous dog.
- Around Steyne Park: The two cafes are a minute apart, and Steyne Park is 6 to 7 minutes' walk from both, so a dog owner can run, then eat, on foot.
Every dog-friendly place in Double Bay
| Place | Type | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Lough Playing Fields | Park | Off-leash area |
| Steyne Park | Park | Off-leash area |
| Epping Reserve | Park | On lead |
| White Rabbit Kiaora Place | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Bake Bar | Cafe | Dogs outside |
FAQ
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Double Bay?
Two places in Double Bay allow off-leash dogs, and both are unfenced. Steyne Park has an off-leash zone by the water that can be used at any hour, which makes it the most flexible option for a dog that needs a run at any time. Lough Playing Fields on Manning Road opens its grassy fields to off-leash dogs from 3:30pm to 10:30am under the park's rules, outside organised sport. Epping Reserve is on-lead only, so it suits a walk rather than a run. For a bigger run, plan Lough before 10:30am or after 3:30pm, and keep a dog on a lead everywhere else in Steyne Park.
Is there a fenced dog park in Double Bay?
None of the three dog-friendly parks in Double Bay has a fenced dog area. Lough Playing Fields and Steyne Park both have unfenced off-leash areas, while Epping Reserve is on-lead only, with no off-leash area at all. Because nothing is fenced, a dog that doesn't come back reliably should stay on a lead at both off-leash places. Steyne's zone by the water is open at any hour, so it is the easier of the two to plan a visit around. Epping Reserve is a small park at 76 Epping Road, so it suits a short leashed walk rather than a run.
What can I do with my dog in Double Bay this weekend?
Start with an early run at Steyne Park, where the off-leash zone by the water is open at any hour, then walk 7 minutes to Bake Bar for breakfast. For a later start, Lough Playing Fields is the bigger run, but its off-leash window ends at 10:30am, so finish there and walk the 11 minutes to White Rabbit Kiaora Place for brunch from 10:45am. Both cafes have outdoor seating and take dogs outside only, so the dog waits with its owner while they eat. Epping Reserve, a leashed park, is an 8-minute walk from both cafes for a quieter stroll.
Which cafes in Double Bay allow dogs?
Two cafes in Double Bay welcome dogs, both outside only: White Rabbit Kiaora Place and Bake Bar. White Rabbit Kiaora Place sits on New South Head Road, with indoor and outdoor seating and table service, and it is open from 7am to 3:30pm every day. The cinnamon French toast is the dish to order there. Bake Bar is an organic artisan bakery and cafe on Kiaora Lane with outdoor seating. It opens at 6am on weekdays, 6:30am on Saturdays and 7am on Sundays, and closes at 4pm. The two cafes are a minute apart, so one trip can take in both.
Where can I walk my dog and get a coffee in Double Bay?
Steyne Park is a 6-minute walk from White Rabbit Kiaora Place and a 7-minute walk from Bake Bar, so a run and a coffee fit in one morning. Its zone by the water is open at any hour, and both cafes open early and close at 3:30pm or 4pm. Lough Playing Fields is an 11-minute walk from both cafes, but its off-leash window runs from 3:30pm to 10:30am, so time the walk around it. Epping Reserve is an 8-minute walk from both cafes and is on-lead only, which suits a dog that needs a quiet stroll. Reviewers praise the coffee at White Rabbit Kiaora Place.