Summerlin is a dog-friendly community

When Summerlin resident and avid cyclist Marc Salvador grabs his backpack, it’s a signal to his poodle-mix Winzig — which is German for “tiny” — that he is about to feel the breeze in his hair. That’s because Winzig is Salvador’s cycling sidekick who gets strapped to his back for rides — often up to 50 miles.

Salvador, who is one of thousands of Summerlin dog lovers, moved to Las Vegas decades ago from San Francisco to escape the high cost of living. Luckily for him, the master-planned community of Summerlin is the perfect place to live life on two wheels with his dog in tow. Salvador rides for fitness, cycling at least five times weekly. In April, Salvador and Winzig rode together in Tour de Summerlin, the community’s popular cycling event Salvador has participated in since 2016.

“We were told Winzig would grow to be no more than 7 or 8 pounds when we got him as a very small puppy,” Salvador said. “Winzig is now topping the scale at 18 pounds so he’s not so “winzig” anymore, but he’s still a great riding companion.”

For residents like Salvador, opportunities to dine with four-legged family members in the community are plentiful. Downtown Summerlin, the community’s vibrant urban core that is home to 125 retail shops and scores of restaurants, offers a number of options, leading with Lazy Dog’s famous dog-friendly patio and menu. Most other Downtown Summerlin restaurants with outdoor patios also welcome doggy diners. A walk through Downtown Summerlin on any given day yields dozens of residents who enjoy walking their dogs throughout the destination’s active streetscapes and social areas.

At Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin, home of the Triple-A Aviators, the city’s professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and top affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, special “Bark in the Park” nights during select home games occur throughout the season. On those nights, dogs on leashes are invited to join their owners for baseball fun. For dates and information, visit thelvballpark.com/events.

In fact, dogs are such a part of the Summerlin community, it’s no surprise the destination’s popular Dogs of Downtown Summerlin calendar is about to enter its sixth year. The selection process to have dogs considered for the 2024 calendar will take place July 26 to Aug. 13. Tune in to Downtown Summerlin social media for details on how to enter your dog for consideration for one of the calendar’s monthly models. The 2024 calendar, which benefits local animal rescue nonprofits, will go on sale in October.

Select Summerlin homes are designed with dogs in mind such as Arroyo’s Edge by Tri Pointe Homes that includes a stainless-steel utility sink and dog wash in the garage.

Now in its 33rd year of development, Summerlin offers more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community, including 300-plus parks of all sizes; 200-plus miles of interconnected trails; resident-exclusive community centers; 10 golf courses; 26 public, private and charter schools; public library and performing arts center; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; houses of worship representing a dozen faiths; office parks; and neighborhood shopping centers. Downtown Summerlin offers fashion, dining, entertainment, Red Rock Resort and Class-A office buildings. City National Arena is home to the practice facility of the Stanley Cup championGolden Knights. Las Vegas Ballpark is a world-class Triple-A baseball stadium.

In total, Summerlin offers over 100 floor plans in 20 neighborhoods throughout eight distinct villages and districts. Homes, built by many of the nation’s top homebuilders, are available in a variety of styles — from single family to townhomes, priced from the $400,000s to more than $1 million. For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com. Before you visit any new Summerlin neighborhood, call the homebuilder to check on hours of operation. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are at Summerlin.com.