Originally published on Texas Travel Talk; written by Adeina Anderson, Creative Lifestyles with Adeina. Follow Adeina on Instagram @adeinaanderson.
Plano, Texas, being one of the top 10 largest cities in Texas and still growing, is the perfect place for your next vacation, and you get to bring your pets along. There are many hotels, restaurants, parks, and even some attractions that are pet friendly now. I found pet-friendly Plano, Texas, accommodating as I planned our trip.
I have been traveling with my girls, Molly and Riley since they were six weeks old. I enjoy their companionship while on the road, and they make my road trips fun. There are so many pet-friendly locations around the country now, and people get a kick out of seeing them. They have appeared on many of my TV segments, and they love having their pictures taken.
Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park – Pet Friendly Hotel
We were hosted at the beautiful waterfront Hilton Granite Park Plano. The hotel offers spacious pet-friendly rooms, an on-site restaurant, an upscale bar, free WIFI, and an outdoor patio with a firepit. We brought Miss Molly and Crazy Riley, and they had an amazing little vacation along with us. A wonderful gift was waiting for us from Visit Plano that included some yummy treats for the girls. Our room was very spacious, and the bathroom was beautiful.
We arrived pretty late, but we were happy to see that the bar at the hotel was still serving food. I got the pecan & date salad, and my husband ordered the chicken strips with fries. We both got a cocktail, which was great. The food was so good I got another one of those salads the next day for dinner.
The staff at the Hilton Granite Park Hotel was excellent. The bartender told us about the outside firepit and how it was also pet friendly. We decided to grab a cocktail and some ice cream on our last night in Plano and sit by the fire outside. It was a beautiful night, and Molly and Riley enjoyed watching the fire. It was just the relaxation we needed to end our wonderful trip to Plano.
Fun Things To Do at The Boardwalk at Granite Park
Walking distance from the Hilton Granite Park Hotel is The Boardwalk at Granite Park, which offers a variety of waterfront restaurants serving great food and something different from its neighbor. It is a great place to come out and relax on the comfortable Adirondack chairs, take a stroll around the lake, and grab a cocktail or coffee. You can bring your pets, but not all restaurants are pet-friendly.
We grabbed lunch at Chips Hamburgers which offers a full menu and a full bar. They will bring out water for your pets. Our food was terrific, and the girls enjoyed people watching from their blankets on the grass.
Before we packed up and headed over to the Shops at Legacy, I went over to the boardwalk one last time to try the Golden Boy coffee that I had heard was great. It did not disappoint.
Pet-Friendly Downtown Plano
After breakfast, we headed out to explore Plano. We visited the Downtown Plano Arts District, which we found very pet-friendly. There is a huge park, Haggard Park, for the pups to run off some energy with their leash on. There is a historic train depot, the Interurban Railway Museum, and a lot of cute shops.
Our favorite shop downtown was the FurBabies Bakery*. The girls had so much fun walking around picking out goodies. They picked out toys and treats, and we even got a few gifts for their cat sister Zoey. Picking out their favorite treat was hard as there were quite a few selections from birthday cakes to toys to fresh baked goods for your fur baby. *FurBabies Bakery has closed its doors since the publishing of this article, but we are crossing our paws they will open again soon.
Murals in Plano
I was on a mission to get a picture of me with the “wings.” On our last day, we got up early, headed over to the Shops at Legacy for breakfast, and snapped a picture with the wings. The mural is located on Kincaid Road, on the south side of Legacy Drive, next to Francesca’s. If you can’t find it while at the Shops at Legacy, you may want to ask an employee, we searched both days we were there and finally asked someone.
The Shops at Legacy
The Shops at Legacy are very close to the Hilton Granite Park. It only took about 5 minutes to get there and find parking. Some of the stores are very pet friendly, like Gabriel Ontiveros Salon, where they welcome your pet with cookies and water.
Pet-Friendly Plano Restaurants
I was surprised and pleased with all of the pet-friendly restaurant choices in Plano. We only had time to visit a few, like Norma’s Cafe, Chips Hamburgers, and Main Street Bakery. All three restaurants welcomed you and your pets, and the food was excellent at all of them.
It’s always a good idea to check ahead for pet-friendly restaurants. For example, not all restaurants on The Boardwalk are pet-friendly. I recommend calling ahead to see which restaurant is welcoming your fur baby.
The first full day started at Norma’s Café. They have an outdoor patio that is pet friendly, and the girls had a blast. The waitress brought them water, and I brought their food to eat while we had breakfast.
I ordered the French toast with fruit and some of the best bacon I have ever had. My husband ordered his usual two eggs, bacon, and toast. He said it was great.
I loved Norma’s Café for its great atmosphere, like when I was a kid. It reminded me of a café I used to go to as a kid, and it even had a Big Boy statue inside, which brought back so many memories.
The Main Street Bakery and Bistro are not only very pet friendly, but so are the surrounding stores. One of the stores even had a doggy bowl and treats out for your furry friend. Our breakfast was amazing, and the girls enjoyed sharing my avocado toast with me. My husband got his 2-egg breakfast, but slightly changed it with biscuits and gravy. Everything was amazing.
Plano has so much to offer when traveling with your pet. There are so many more restaurants, parks, hotels, and attractions that we didn’t get to visit on our trip so we will be back soon for another visit. When you’re ready to book your pet-friendly Plano, Texas getaway, check out Visit Plano for activities and attractions.
For more Plano travel inspiration, visit our Plano Insider blog.
Photo credit: Adeina Anderson
