Dog-friendly flea markets – or as I prefer to call them, dog-friendly antique markets – are what I’m looking for this Spring. I’m on a mission to find Beswick ceramic animal figurines for reasons I have yet to understand. But I’m enjoying the hunt.
Who better to scavenger hunt with than my trusted spaniel, always with her nose to the ground? Granted, this won’t help me at either antique or flea markets, but I don’t like to leave home without her.
Recently, dogtrotting.net recently researched dog-friendly flea markets across Canada, now we’re doing the same for the United States. Only this time, we didn’t (or haven’t yet) visited every dog-friendly flea market in our guide.
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Therefore, this list of antique markets you can take your dog to has been compiled based on recommendations of other pet people from around the country. I tapped the collective experiences of fellow dog travelers. And here it is:
The dogtrotting.net guide to dog-friendly flea markets across America
1. California – Santa Monica Airport Antique Market
At this outdoor dog-friendly flea market, you can furnish a house in a day, according to organizers. Shop for everything from Victorian and mid-century antiques to posters, lithographs and African art. This market is a destination for interior designers and designer wannabes. Yes, friendly leashed dogs are welcome.
- Name: Santa Monica Airport Antique Market
- Location: Interim Open Space, 3233 Donald Douglas, Santa Monica, California
- Hours: first and fourth Sunday of every month, 7 am to 3 pm.
- Admission: admission $5 and free parking
- Dog policy: friendly pets are welcome on leash
2. California – Artists & Fleas
Every Saturday, rain or shine, this outdoor market promises a fabulous line-up of vendors specializing in art, home decor, antiques, vintage ware, along with food trucks on site. Present are fifty plus sellers, many artisans. Bring your leashed dog to stroll with you through the grass.
- Name: Artists & Fleas Venice
- Location: 1010 Abbot Kinney Road (on an outdoor lot of an elementary school), Venice in Los Angeles, California
- Hours: every Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm.
- Admission: free parking and free admission
- Dog policy: leashed dogs welcome
3. Colorado – A Paris Street Market at Aspen Grove
Leave the fleas to the dogs (but don’t leave the dog at home) because A Paris Street Market is a dog-friendly destination focusing on vintage, antique, and artisan treasures. Located outdoors in Aspen Grove and now in it’s 22nd year, this market advises arriving early prepared to walk. Cash is king here, and so are crowds. Food vendors on site.
- Name: A Paris Street Market
- Location: 7301 S Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, Colorado
- Hours: first Saturday of every month, May to October, 8 am to 2 pm.
- Admission: free parking and free admission
- Dog policy: very dog-friendly according to organizers
4. Florida – Howard’s Flea Market
Howard’s Flea Market in Homosassa, Florida seems to be a mecca for collectible hunters around the country. Open every weekend, this family-run business has a 40-year history in Citrus County. Bring your walking shoes and dog on a leash because you and your pooch will get plenty of fresh-air exercise exploring the 800 covered booths on 55 acres of property. Admission is free, and there’s an on-site restaurant for breakfast and lunch.
- Name: Howard’s Flea Market
- Location: 6373 5 Suncoast Blvd, Homosassa, Florida
- Hours: Sundays and Saturdays, 8 am to 3 pm.
- Admission: free and free parking
- Dog policy: friendly, leashed dogs welcome
5. Illinois – Randolf Street Market
Magazines seem to love this primarily outdoor mega-street market. Self described as a European-style antique and vintage market, the Randolf Street Market closes down streets in Chicago three times every summer. Dogs are welcome outdoors, but not inside the Plumbers Union Building. In fact, the market sponsored a pets at the market photo contest in 2017.
- Name: Randolf Street Market
- Location: 1341 W Randolf Street, Chicago, Illinois
- Hours: May 27 & 28, July 29 & 30, September 23 & 24, 202, 8 am to 5 pm.
- Admission: $10 general admission
- Dog policy: dog-friendly on-leash outdoors. However, no dogs indoors.
6. Indiana – Shipshewana Trading Place
Rows and rows of covered buildings create the outdoor Shipshewana Trading Place that is the size of 30 football fields. This dog-friendly flea market promises deals on almost anything – furniture, home decor, plants, books, vintage items, and collectables. The market is outdoors, with fine gravel footing so bring your walking shoes, large bag, cash, umbrella (if necessary), and poop bags – because this place is pet-friendly. Also, this is Amish country and you’ll find evidence of that at the market.
- Name: Shipshewana Trading Place
- Location: 3445 S Van Buren St., Shipshewana, Indiana
- Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, May to September, 8 am to 4 pm.
- Admission: Admission is free. Parking is $5
- Dog policy: Leashed dogs are welcome. Please clean up after your dog.
7. Minnesota – Hot Sam’s Antiques and Foto Park
This one is a little different because it’s not a market but a permanent log cabin antique shop situated on several acres of forest filled with well, junk. Old cars, signs, metal statues, a submarine, VW bus … basically, oddities of all kinds weathered and worn outdoors. For $25, you spend the day taking photos in the foto park – imagine the opportunities to pose your pup – but shopping in the store is free.
- Name: Hot Sam’s Antiques and Foto Park
- Location: 22820 Pillsbury Avenue, Lakeville, Minnesota
- Hours: Open six days a week (closed Thursdays), 10 am to 6 pm.
- Admission: Admission is free to the log cabin store. $10 to $25 to the foto park.
- Dog policy: dogs welcome, especially in the foto park
8. Missouri – Mike’s Unique Antique Flea Market
This one is unique on the list in that Mike’s Unique Collectable & Antique Flea Market is one of the few indoor markets we found advertising themselves as pet friendly (including dinosaurs). Inside the building are 250 vendors who update merchandise weekly. Plus, the market supports and sells the works of local authors.
- Name: Mike’s Unique Collectable and Antique Flea Market
- Location: 3335 W Sunshine St., Springfield, Missouri
- Hours: Open Mondays to Saturday, 9:30 am to 6 pm and Sunday 11 am to 6pm.
- Admission: Admission is free
- Dog policy: dogs welcome, especially little ones in carts
9. New Jersey – New Egypt Flea Market
The New Jersey New Egypt Flea Market is an iconic landmark in the area thanks to an expansive foot print, 40 rustic shops – many historic buildings moved here, such as a WWII barracks – and a 60 year history. With only 60 vendors, this is not the biggest antique or flea market in the state, but it is one of the oldest and most diversified considering the new and used vendor merchandise.
- Name: New Egypt Flea Market
- Location: 933 Monmouth Road, Creamridge, New Jersey
- Hours: Wednesday and Sunday, 7 am to 2 pm.
- Admission: free
- Dog policy: leashed dogs are welcome but must be curbed away from where people walk.
10. New York – Brooklyn Flea
Opened in 2008, the Brooklyn Flea is an outdoor market featuring vintage clothing, furniture, antiques, collectables, and (according to organizers) tightly curated artisans and jewelry makers (which I assume there are many of in Brooklyn). Located in the burrow’s iconic ‘archway,’ this outdoor market is dog-friendly and offers some protection on rainy days – it runs regardless of weather.
- Name: Brooklyn Flea
- Location: DUMBO Archway, 80 Pearl Street, Brooklyn, New York
- Hours: Saturday and Sunday, April to October. No hours provided.
- Admission: free
- Dog policy: pets welcome including leashed dogs
11. Washington – SODO Flea Market
This smaller outdoor dog-friendly flea market brings together a community of 60 vendors selling everything from antiques and vintage clothing to handmade items. SODO is a pet-friendly market is also hosts food and coffee trucks partnering with adjacent store Epic Antique.
- Name: SODO Flea Market
- Location: 3701 7th Avenue S., Seattle, Washington
- Hours: first Saturday of every month, 10 am to 4 pm.
- Admission: free parking and free admission
- Dog policy: pet-friendly outdoors
Note: All written content on this list was researched, verified, and written by a person based on suggestions and experiences from actual people. The images on this post, however, are AI generated.
Considerations when taking your dog to flea and antique markets:
- First rule of dog travel anywhere is clean up after them. This is particularly important (and sometime challenging) in high traffic areas where the need to be thorough is pressing. Walk pups outside venues to ‘empty’ them before entering any market or pet festival.
- Leashes are mandatory, particularly short non-flexi leashes to keep your dog close and untangled. Most markets advertise themselves as ‘crowded.’
- Speaking of crowds, consider your pup’s temperament when venturing out anywhere public. Most antique markets are crowded and, although outdoor ones usually offer a bit more space, dogs should be comfortable with a lot people, kids, and even noise.
- Flea markets are by nature are smelly and, although we might not love this, our dogs do. A common complaint at antique markets is dogs ‘marking’ or ruining merchandise by lifting a leg to leave a message. Remember: if you pee on it, you’ve purchased it.
- Please curb your dog. You might see this sign at dog-friendly flea markets. It’s an older expression that means don’t let your dog poop and pee where people walk, but on grass away from the crowds.
Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria. Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!
[…] and essentially giant flea market that’s – wait for it – entirely dog friendly. If you love vintage hunting, you can spend hours here … unless you’ve got an impatient pulling spaniel with you like I did. […]
[…] I’ll admit dog-friendly antique markets are now on my radar. Why pet-friendly? Because I like to take my dog everywhere, so my first foray into the world of antique markets – or in most cases, flea markets – involved taking my dog with me. (Check out our US list here) […]