Places to take your pets for some outdoor fun

If you're an animal-lover, you know that most things in life are better enjoyed with "man's best friend" by your side. We asked local pet-owners where they like to hang out with their pets and compiled a few ideas for summer outings with your furry friend.

Castor River Shut-Ins

The Castor River Shut-Ins, halfway between Fredericktown and Patton, Mo., are a great place to take your pet on the long, hot, "dog days" of summer. The area is home to the state's only pink granite shut-ins, and you'll find a series of streams, waterfalls and pools, making this a perfect spot for splashing and wading. Visitors are also welcome to fish and check out the nearby Hahn's gristmill, which operated in the 1870s.

Elephant Rocks State Park

It's fun for humans and animals alike to walk between -- or try to climb -- the giant granite boulders at Elephant Rocks State Park near Graniteville, Mo. About 1.5 billion years ago, hot magma cooled, forming coarsely crystalline red granite that later weathered into huge rounded boulders. One of the largest rocks, called Dumbo, weighs 680 tons. In low areas on the crest of the granite outcrop, you'll find "solution pans" or "tinajitas," large, circular depressions up to several feet in diameter. When dry, they make an interesting crater to sniff around, and when wet, they collect pools of water where tadpoles like to swim.

Giant City State Park

There are hundreds of unique sights and smells to be found at Giant City State Park, just south of Carbondale, Ill., in the Shawnee National Forest. The park was named for the unique impressions made by its massive sandstone structures, but the area is also home to lush patches of fern, moss, flowering mints, wildflowers and towering trees. You and your pet could make a weekend of this trip, as there are camping and picnic areas as well as a dining room. (Giant City also has a lodge and cabins, but pets are not allowed there.)

Cape Girardeau

If you'd rather stick close to town, Cape Girardeau is its own pet paradise of sorts. The Dogtown Dog Park inside Kiwanis Park offers a one-acre fenced-in area with separate sections for big dogs and small dogs. Each section has play features, including a play tunnel, dog water fountain and fire hydrant.

You and your furry friend can take your pick of places to exercise together in Cape Girardeau -- the Mississippi River walk, Capaha Park and the LaCroix Recreation Trail come highly recommended by local animal-lovers. You might like to join up with the Canine Cruisers, who meet Saturday mornings at Busch Pet Products to walk the Recreation Trail and chat with dog trainer Betsy McCoy.

There are also a variety of places to pamper your pooch with homemade treats, luxurious grooming and unique toys -- try Mississippi Mutts, Dana's Pet Salon and Busch Pet Products, to name a few.