Just yards away from the shade of what’s supposed to be a new Tampa Heights water tower, a gaggle of goldies, pitties, schnauzers, Frenchies and every other breed imaginable is running around in a frenetic circle of activity. If this were a Hunter S. Thompson essay, there would be flurries of fur flying into the faces of bewildered dog owners dutifully fulfilling their doggo-mom-and-dad obligations by bringing their canine companions to Queenie’s Dog Run at downtown Tampa’s Water Works Park.
It’s slightly less exciting in reality, but that doesn’t mean minutely shady things aren’t happening. There’s the guy who refuses to acknowledge that his pup pooped (the plastic caca catchers are scented, man!), and there’s probably at least one person having a beer just outside of the Tampa Riverwalk’s approved wet zone (technically one cannot take a drink from the Riverwalk into a city park unless there is a specially permitted event happening).
Still, that doesn’t stop people (mostly myself) from procuring an adult beverage from a certain pumphouse turned beloved Tampa restaurant and walking over to the fenced-in playground reserved for our four-legged friends. It’s actually pretty chill (you know dog owners are more reasonable than most people, right?), but if you want to amplify the laid-back vibes, then brown-bag it over to Davis Islands dog park, where an ultra-relaxed crew of animal lovers bring their hounds to a place where a mix of family men and women, plus single mutt minders, gather to take in one of the most gorgeous sunsets in the area.
This story is just a taste (heh) of the great features, tips and fun coming in CL's Summer Guide 2017, hitting stands May 11.
This article appears in May 11-18, 2017.