NearMeDog-friendly places in Alexandria
Last updatedSydney Park is the best outing in Alexandria with a dog. Dogs can run off-leash there at all times, cool off in a paddling pool, and the Sydney Park Kiosk is a 4-minute walk away for coffee. Most cafes here close between 2pm and 3:30pm at weekends, so plan the coffee stop before then.
A day with your dog in Alexandria
| Time | Where dogs can go |
|---|---|
| Any day | Sydney Park and Alexandria Park are open to off-leash dogs at all times, outside the areas dogs can't enter. Perry Park's paths and grass verges are open too, but not its synthetic sports field. |
| Weekdays, 6am to 2pm | Cafe Without A Name is open with outdoor tables for dogs, and closes at 2pm. |
| Saturday, 8am to 3pm | Cafe 0.6 is open with outside tables for dogs, and closes at 3pm. Macondo Cafe is open from 8am until 3:30pm. |
| Sunday, 6am to 3:30pm | Sydney Park Kiosk is open on the Village Green, with outdoor tables where dogs can sit. |
Sunday in Alexandria: a shady run at Sydney Park, then coffee at the Kiosk
Sydney Park is the big run in Alexandria, with a playground, a skate park and bushland, and dogs can be off-leash there at all times. Dogs are kept out of the wetlands, Alan Davidson Oval, the Sydney Park Cycling Centre, the playground and the barbecue areas, which the park marks as prohibited. The park has shade and a paddling pool for dogs, so a warm morning still works. The Sydney Park Kiosk sits on the Village Green, a 4-minute walk away, with outdoor tables where dogs can sit, so it makes a natural end point. Visitors note that the kiosk gets busy, with orders sometimes lost or mixed up, so allow extra time at weekends. On weekday mornings, a shorter outing works better: a run in Alexandria Park and coffee at a cafe that opens at 6am.
Weekday mornings in Alexandria: a run at Alexandria Park, then coffee
Alexandria Park is a neighbourhood park on Buckland Street, about 4 hectares, with off-leash dog areas outside the oval, the courts and the playground. Those areas are off-leash at all times, and the park has shade and free barbecues. The enclosed playground, the sports courts and the Getiela precinct are off limits to dogs, which keeps the play areas apart from the dog zones. Cafe Without A Name is a 5-minute walk away on McCauley Street, a relaxed cafe in a warehouse with outdoor tables that suit dogs. Regulars describe a friendly team who know their orders, and the coffee is praised for being balanced and high quality. It is open on weekdays only, so this plan is for a weekday. Saturday mornings suit a different route, the Perry Park paths and brunch at Cafe 0.6.
Saturday in Alexandria: the Perry Park paths, then brunch at Cafe 0.6
Perry Park is a public park on Maddox Street with barbecues, seating and public toilets. Dogs can be off-leash there at all times, but only on the paths and grass verges around the sports fields. The synthetic sports field is off limits to dogs. The park perimeter is fenced, but the off-leash area is not fenced off from the field, so owners should keep dogs well clear of it. Cafe 0.6 is a 5-minute walk away on Bowden Street, a bright, relaxed brunch cafe known for mochi waffles, matcha drinks and chicken congee. Dogs can sit at the outside tables. The cafe opens at 8am on Saturdays and closes at 3pm, so a 9am brunch leaves time for a run first. The rules below set out where dogs can't go in each of the three parks.
Dog rules in Alexandria: where dogs can't go
Dogs can be off-leash at all times in Sydney Park and Alexandria Park, and on the paths and grass verges of Perry Park. Each of the three is an off-leash area, and owners should keep their dog within that zone while crossing the park. In Sydney Park, dogs are not allowed in the wetlands, on Alan Davidson Oval, in the Sydney Park Cycling Centre, in the playground or in the barbecue areas. In Alexandria Park, dogs are kept out of the enclosed playground, the sports courts and the Getiela precinct. In Perry Park, the synthetic sports field is off limits. City of Sydney manages all three parks, so confirm the current rules with the council before a visit. For cafes that take dogs and more ideas, see the best dog-friendly cafes in Alexandria.
Where these are in Alexandria
- Perry Park: Off-leash on the paths and grass verges, with three cafes within a 9-minute walk, each with outside tables.
- Sydney Park: Off-leash at all times, with a paddling pool for dogs. The Kiosk is a 4-minute walk and The Copper Mill is 8 minutes.
- Alexandria Park: Off-leash outside the oval, courts and playground, with every cafe here within a 6-minute walk.
Every dog-friendly place in Alexandria
| Place | Type | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Perry Park | Park | Off-leash area |
| Sydney Park | Park | Off-leash area |
| Alexandria Park | Park | Off-leash area |
| The Copper Mill | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Grind Pantry | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Meet Gerard | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Cafe 0.6 | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Macondo Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Coffee Creative | Cafe | Dogs inside and outside |
| Sydney Park Kiosk | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Ellen | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| That Place Next Door - TPND | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| The Grounds of | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Cafe Without A Name | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| La Cachette Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
FAQ
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Alexandria?
Dogs can be off-leash in three Alexandria parks: Sydney Park and Alexandria Park at all times, and Perry Park on its paths and grass verges. Sydney Park has a paddling pool for dogs, and its bushland suits a longer walk. Alexandria Park is about 4 hectares, with off-leash areas outside its oval, courts and playground. At Perry Park, the synthetic sports field is off limits to dogs, so keep them well clear of it. Sydney Park marks its no-go areas, including the wetlands and the playground, so check the signs as you go.
Is there a fenced dog park in Alexandria?
None of Alexandria's three off-leash parks, Sydney Park, Alexandria Park and Perry Park, has a fenced dog area. Sydney Park and Alexandria Park are off-leash at all times, and Perry Park's paths and grass verges are off-leash too. Perry Park's perimeter is fenced, but its off-leash zone is not fenced off from the synthetic sports field, so keep dogs well clear of the field. Alexandria Park's enclosed playground is closed to dogs, which keeps that play area apart from the off-leash areas outside the oval, courts and playground. Sydney Park's off-leash areas also include a paddling pool for dogs.
Which cafes in Alexandria allow dogs?
Twelve cafes in Alexandria welcome dogs, and all of them seat dogs at outside tables. Coffee Creative also allows dogs inside. The list covers The Copper Mill, Grind Pantry, Meet Gerard, Cafe 0.6, Macondo Cafe, Coffee Creative, Sydney Park Kiosk, Ellen, That Place Next Door - TPND, The Grounds of, Cafe Without A Name and La Cachette Cafe. Opening hours differ a lot. Cafe Without A Name is open on weekdays only, while The Grounds of stays open until 9pm or later, so the right cafe depends on the day and the time of your walk.
What can I do with my dog in Alexandria?
Alexandria suits a morning out with a dog: a run in one of its three off-leash parks, then coffee or brunch at a cafe with outside tables. Sydney Park is the big outing, with a paddling pool, shade and bushland, and the Sydney Park Kiosk is a 4-minute walk from it. Alexandria Park pairs well with Cafe Without A Name on weekday mornings, and Perry Park pairs with Cafe 0.6 on Saturdays. For a longer sit, The Grounds of is open until 9pm, and until 9:30pm on Saturdays, with a garden courtyard. Stay out of the playgrounds and sports courts where dogs aren't allowed, and keep to the off-leash areas in each park.
Where can I walk my dog and get a coffee in Alexandria?
That Place Next Door - TPND is a one-minute walk from Alexandria Park, and its outdoor tables take dogs. It opens at 6:30am on weekdays and 7am on Sundays, so it suits an early run. Visitors find the staff friendly and relaxed even on busy weekend mornings, and the open, airy room stays manageable when it is full. For a longer walk, The Grounds of is four minutes on foot from Perry Park and has a garden courtyard. Sydney Park's Kiosk sits on the Village Green, with outdoor tables for dogs, so either stop makes a short, easy walk between the run and the coffee.