I use a front clip harness for my large dog to help the dog walk nicer and not pull. For smaller dogs retractable leashes are ok. But for medium to large dogs non-retractable leashes I would not recommend. They are not safe for the user if the dog chases after an animal and hard to get the animal in control. Let me know before hand if your dog has greeting preferences (when I first meet them) or walk routines to make them feel more comfortable. Any other odd behaviors to look for when walking.

While staying at my house we will enjoy fun walks through the park a couple hundred feet from my townhouse where kids like to play lacrosse and football. Although we will not get to join them in playing we will have all the good smells that the park offers. Dogs that stay over at my house are able to play with my dog to loves to share his soft stuffed animals and his chew toys. He also loves to wrestle for dogs who are interested. If the owner is ok with dog parks there are several around that we can visit as well. For overnight stays, would prefer to use a kennel for nighttime so the dog feels safe.