Croydon

The Balmain peninsula's leafy tip, with waterfront parks and ferry calm. Quiet, scenic and made for a slow harbour stroll.

A leafy inner-west favourite of cafes, quiet lanes and light-rail ease. Walkable, friendly and reliably dog-welcoming.

Cooks River-close and leafy, with foreshore paths and a quiet village pace. Walkable and made for a riverside lap.

Sydney's Little Italy: Norton Street espresso, gelato and Pioneers Memorial Park for the walk-off. Loud, warm and family-run, dog absolutely welcome.

Inner-west diversity at full tilt — dumplings, grocers and Ashfield Park's green at the centre. Busy, well-fed and easy for an after-dinner lap.

Grand homes, leafy streets and busy eats around the station. Green-edged, well-fed and good for an easy walk.

Cooks River wetlands and a big riverside reserve, with off-leash green close by. Walkable and made for a riverside run.

Inner-west edge with Sydney Park's off-leash acres on one side and a craft-brewery strip on the other. Industrial bones, Newtown energy and plenty of green to burn off.

The Inner West at its scruffy best: craft breweries, multicultural eats and Cooks River trails where dogs rule. Come for the dumplings, stay for the off-leash runs.

Grand terraces, leafy streets and a quiet that belies how close Newtown sits. The inner west's calm side, made for an easy, unhurried walk.