Best Dog Friendly Beaches in the United States
While the summer is coming to a close there is still plenty of time to take a trip to the beach. Dogs absolutely love beaches with crashing ocean waves and wide open spaces to run along. It would be unfair to your canine friend to plan a beach trip without them. There are plenty of dog friendly beaches across the United States. So, we compiled a list of 10 of the best dog friendly beaches in the United States.
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Jekyll Island Beach, Georgia
The first dog friendly beach on our list resides off the coast of Georgia. Jekyll Island allows dogs on Driftwood Beach as long as they are leashed. Dogs are also allowed to roam, with a leash, anywhere North of the South Dunes picnic area. This is a great beach for owners to explore and walk along with their pet. The biggest rule is to pick up after your dog poops so the beach stays clean. For all the information on this particular beach check out this blog.
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Montrose Dog Beach – Chicago Illinois
This dog friendly beach is Chicago’s first legal off-leash beach. That means your furry friend gets to run free along the beach, under your supervision of course. The beach even has a fenced area that offers dog waste bags and a dog wash area. While attending the beach is free of charge, all dogs are required to have DFA tags. Also, owners must pick up after their pets.
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Huntington Dog Beach, California
One of the most dog friendly beaches in California is so popular, it has its own calendar. Huntington Dog Beach is canine heaven as it allows dogs leash-free anytime from 5 am to 10 pm. There is over 1 mile of sandy shores and crashing waves for your canine friend to enjoy. For safety, always keep an eye on your dog and clean up after them. Learn more about this dog friendly beach and all that it offers here.
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Sanibel, Florida
The island of Sanibel in Florida is the perfect place to vacation with your dog. There are three dog friendly beaches for you and your dog to explore. Gulfside Beach, also known as Algiers Beach, is one of the more popular beaches for dogs to explore but they must be on a leash. Causeway Islands is another beach to explore and Bowman’s Beach has hiking trails to adventure on with your pup. All beaches require dogs to be on leashes and that you always clean up after yourself and your pet.
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Topsail Beach, North Carolina
Another dog friendly beach where dogs are allowed to run leash-free is Topsail Beach in North Carolina. They are only allowed leash-free during part of the year. From May 15th through September 30th all dogs need to have a leash. This beach has beautiful views for you and your dog to enjoy together. The biggest rule of the beach is that all owners must remove any waste left by their dogs.
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First Landing State Park Beach – Virginia Beach, Virginia
In Virginia, there is First Landing State Park that has a beach and campgrounds that welcome owners and their dogs. The historical park has an authentic Indian village, 20 miles of walking trails and a beach that’s dog friendly year round. This beach is unique because it is the site of the first landing of the Jamestown colonists in 1607. Explore an area full of history with your canine friend by your side enjoying the outdoors and your company. There are some areas within the park itself that don’t allow dogs and all dogs must have proof of their current rabies vaccination. Other than that dogs are free to roam around with a leash on.
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Cannon Beach, Oregon
Another dog friendly beach on the west coast is Cannon Beach in Oregon. Dogs are allowed to run around on miles of sandy beach and splash around in the water. All dogs can enjoy the beach leash free as long as they’re supervised by their owner. Dogs have access to the beach year round and there are also hiking trails nearby that dogs can adventure on with their owners. The beach rules remind dog owners to keep a leash nearby along with fresh water for long adventures along the beach or hiking trails.
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Double Bluff Beach, Washington
In Washington State, dogs have 2 miles of beach to explore at Double Bluff Beach. There are grassy picnic areas and barbecue spots for delicious meals but dogs need to be leashed in these areas. However, further out on the beach dogs have the freedom to run around leash-free as long as they behave. One special benefit of this beach is the availability of dog showers. This washing station is perfect for dog owners whose dog rolled around a few times too much on the sandy beach.
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Montauk Beach, New York
One of the most dog friendly beaches in New York is Montauk Beach. Dogs are allowed on this beach all year long except at 9 am to 6 pm from May 15 through the end of September. After September ends dogs are allowed on the beach at any time. There are no leash laws in Montauk so dogs are free to run along the beach as long as they’re supervised. It’s easy to access the beach from several points along the Old Montauk Highway or from the center of town. The only rule at this beach is for dog owners to clean up after their dog.
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Edisto Island and Town Beach – Edisto, South Carolina
The dog friendly beach in Edisto of South Carolina is only an hour’s drive from Charleston. In Edisto Island, dogs are welcome year-round and the entire area serves as a haven for dogs and their owners. This island has pet-friendly bed and breakfasts for owners to stay with their dogs. There is also the option of setting up camp on the oceanside campground that is located in a 1,255-acre state park. While leash laws are in effect all year round on the park’s 1.5 mile beach, dogs are allowed leash-free on town beach from November through April. Dogs and their owners will have plenty of activities when staying on Edisto Island. The island offers activities such as fishing, boating, swimming, biking and hiking a 4-mile nature trail.
One of the most common rules at all the dog friendly beaches is to clean up after your dog. While a majority of dog-friendly beaches have dog waste stations, it doesn’t hurt to have a pack of disposable doggy bags on hand.
Want to find dog friendly beaches in your state that aren’t on this list? Check out the website Bring Fido for all the dog friendly beaches near you.