NORTH CAROLINA
By any definition, the public beaches of the barrier islands of North Carolina are among the dog-friendliest in North America.
Recommended Tail-Friendly Beaches
Duck. This beach town in the northern Outer Banks allows dogs on the beach year-round under voice control. If it’s along walk you are after, head north.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore. If it is really a long walk you are after, there are some 70 miles of dog-friendly sand here. Ocracoke Island, reached via a free ferry, delivers an undeveloped, dune-backed stretch of sand that is second to nonefor dogs.
Emerald Isle. Most towns on Crystal Coast permit dogs onthe beach year-round; Emerald Isle has the most parking.
Fort Fisher Recreation Area. Just avoid the swimming areas and you have miles of wide, white sand beaches open to your dog year-round.
Sunset Beach. Dogs are allowed year-round after 6:00 p.m. to soak in that sunset, walking south. Parking can be a problem at this residential beach.
Outer Banks
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH YEAR-ROUND ON 6-FOOT LEASH
252-473-2111
Corolla
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL
877-CURRITUCK
Duck
Town Beach
UNLEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
252-255-1234
Kill Devil Hills
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH FROM MIDSEPTEMBER TO MID-MAY
252-449-5300
Kitty Hawk
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED UNLEASHED SEPTEMBER 1 TO JUNE 1 AND BEFORE 10 AM AND AFTER 6 PM OTHERWISE; LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 10 AM TO 6 PM JUNE 1 TO SEPTEMBER 1
252-261-3552
Nags Head
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH YEAR ROUND ON 10-FOOT LEASH
252-441-5508
Southern Shores
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH SEPTEMBER 15 TO MAY 15
Crystal Coast
Cape Lookout National Seashore
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH YEAR-ROUND ON 6-FOOT LEASH
252-728-2250
Atlantic Beach
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH EXCEPT IN THE CIRCLE AND BEACH AREA IN FRONT OF CIRCLE FROM EASTER TO LABOR DAY
252-726-2121
Emerald Isle
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
252-354-3424
Ocracoke Island
Village Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH YEAR-ROUND ON 6-FOOT LEASH
252-928-6711
Cape Fear
Carolina Beach
Town Beach
UNLEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON NORTH SIDE OF ISLAND
910-458-8434
Holden Beach
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH LABOR DAY TO MEMORIAL DAY AND DURING THE SUMMER BEFORE 9 AM AND AFTER 5 PM
910-842-6488
Kure Beach
Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH IN NON-SWIMMING AREAS
910-458-5798
Oak Island
Long Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
910-278-5811
Ocean Isle Beach
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH LABOR DAY TO MEMORIAL DAY AND FROM JUNE 1 TO AUGUST 31 BEFORE 9 AM AND AFTER 6 PM
910-579-2166
Sunset Beach
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH LABOR DAY TO MEMORIAL DAY AND DURING THE SUMMER BEFORE 8 AM AND AFTER 6 PM
910-579-2151
Topsail Beach
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED MAY 15 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30 AND UNDER VOICE CONTROL AT OTHER TIMES
910-328-5841
Wrightsville Beach
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH FROM OCTOBER 1 TO APRIL 1
910-256-7910
SOUTH CAROLINA
Get away from the people and commercial beaches and there is plenty of dog-friendly sand in the Palmetto state. The state parks at the South Carolina coast should be your first choice - welcoming to dogs with plenty of parking for your admission fee.
Recommended Tail-Friendly Beaches
Hunting Island Beach State Park. The palmetto trees come right down the beach in this marvelous park. You won’t wonder why the jungle scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed here.
Edisto Beach State Park. Plenty of room for your dog to stretch out on the sand here but if you run out of beach you can keep hiking on the dog-friendly residential beach next door.
Myrtle Beach State Park. Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach at the popular resort in the summer so just mosey three miles south and enjoy this undeveloped beachfront with your dog. Over a mile of dune-backed sand in the park alone.
Huntington Beach State Park. Some of the money from the original Transcontinental Railroad dribbled down to the magnificent surfside estate built here in the early 20th century. Today, head for the northern section of the park for long walks on the beach and in the maritime forest.
Beaufort
Hunting Island State Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
843-838-2011
Edisto Beach
Edisto Beach State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
843-869-2756
Folly Beach
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH IN EVENING IN SUMMER AND ENTIRE DAY OTHERWISE
843-588-2426
Garden City Beach
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE COMMAND
843-546-8436
Georgetown
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE COMMAND
843-546-8436
Hilton Head Island
Driessden’s Beach Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
843-785-3673
Folly Field Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
843-785-3673
Isle of Palms
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL FROM 5 AM TO 8 AM WITH OWNER HOLDING LEASH; LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH OTHER HOURS
843-886-3863
Kiawah Island Beach
Walker Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED FROM MARCH 15 TO OCTOBER 31 AND UNDER VOICE CONTROL REST OF YEAR
843-768-2395
Litchfield Beach
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE COMMAND
843-546-8436
Myrtle Beach
21st Avenue N to 13th Avenue S
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
800-356-3016
Rest of Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH SEPTEMBER 15 TO MAY 15 ANYTIME AND OTHERWISE BEFORE 9 AM AND AFTER 5 PM
800-356-3016
Huntington Beach State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
843-237-4440
North Myrtle Beach
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH SEPTEMBER 15 TO MAY 15 ANYTIME AND OTHERWISE BEFORE 9 AM AND AFTER 5 PM
843-280-5570
Pawleys Island
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH MAY TO OCTOBER; UNDER VOICE CONTROL OTHER TIMES
843-237-1698
Sullivans Island
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL FROM 5 AM TO 8 AM WITH OWNER HOLDING LEASH; LEASH DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH OTHER HOURS
843-958-4000
Surfside Beach
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH SEPTEMBER 16 TO MAY 14
843-913-6111
GEORGIA
The beaches on Georgia’s barrier islands are mostly under control of resorts and the Golden Isles are most welcoming to dogs. Savannah’s beach at Tybee Island is closed to dogs.
Cumberland Island National Seashore
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BUT CAN BE REACHED BY PRIVATE BOAT ONLY
818-817-3421
Jekyll Island
Driftwoods Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
Oceanfront Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH IN SEASON FROM 9 AM TO 4:30 PM; OTHERWISE LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED
912-635-3636
Sunset Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
Sea Island
Oceanfront Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH IN SEASON FROM 9 AM TO 4:30 PM; OTHERWISE LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED
912-265-0620
St. Simons Island
Oceanfront Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH IN SEASON FROM 9 AM TO 4:30 PM; OTHERWISE LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED
800-933-2627
Tybee Island
Town Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
800-868-2322
FLORIDA
Florida ranks among the most dog-unfriendly of states. Entire counties and regions ban dogs from the beach. There are so many prohibitions already against dogs on Florida beaches that when they change, it is typically in favor of dogs. For the Atlantic beaches the northeast part of the state around Jacksonville offers some of the best beaches for dogs in the state but heading south, below Daytona dogs are almost universally banned from the sand.
Recommended Tail-Friendly Beaches
Amelia Island. If you are driving south into Florida you will want to get your dog onto the sand as soon as possible. This residential/vacation beach will fill the bill nicely. It will get dreary for dogs along the Atlantic Ocean soon enough.
Sombrero Beach. Sombrero Beach in the Florida Keys is actually a park with a playground planted in the white sand, picnic tables and patches of groomed grass. Admission is free and your dogis welcome on the beach and in the water. The wide beach is framed by palm trees whose only downside is that they don’t drop any branches for your dog to fetch in the clear emerald waters. The soft sands extend far into the water so you can join your dog in the gentle surf.
First Coast
Amelia Island
Burney Beach Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-277-1221
Fernadina Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-321-5700
Fort Clinch State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-277-7274
Peter’s Point Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-277-1221
Scott Road Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-277-1221
Jacksonville Area
Atlantic Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-798-9111 x10
Big Talbot Island State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-251-2320
Fort George State Cultural Site
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-251-2320
Huguenot Memorial Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-251-3335
Jacksonville Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH EXCEPT 8 AM TO 5 PM FROM NOVEMBER TO MARCH AND 9 AM TO 7 PM APRIL TO OCTOBER
904-798-9111 x10
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-249-4700
Little Talbot Island State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-251-2320
Neptune Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BEFORE 9 AM AND AFTER 5 PM
904-798-9111 x10
North Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-798-9111x10
Ponte Vedra Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UP TO HIGHWATER LINE
904-798-9111 x10
North Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-798-9111x10
Ponte Vedra Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UP TO HIGHWATER LINE
904-798-9111 x10
South Ponte Vedra Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UP TO HIGHWATER LINE
904-798-9111 x10
Vilano Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-798-9111 x10
St. Augustine Area
Anastasia State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-825-1007
Beverly Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-439-6888
Crescent Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-825-1007
New Smyrna Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON THE BEACH IN DESIGNATED AREAS
904-424-2100
St. Augustine Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
904-825-1007
Space Coast
Cape Canaveral National Seashore
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH OR BEYOND PARKING LOT
321-267-1110
Daytona Area
Dahlia Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
386-322-5000
Daytona Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
386-947-3010
Flagler Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BETWEEN 10 STREET N AND 10TH STREET S
386-517-2000
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
386-517-2086
Smyrna Dune Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BUT MUST BE LEASHED AT ALL TIMES, INCLUDING IN THE WATER
396-424-2935
South Daytona Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
386-322-3000
Tomoka State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
386-677-0311
Melbourne Area
Cocoa Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
321-868-3333
Indialantic Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
800-872-1969
Melbourne Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THE BEACH
321-724-5860
Satellite Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BUT DOG PARK IN TOWN NEAR LIBRARY
321-773-4407
Sebastian Inlet State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON OCEAN BEACH BUT DOGS ALLOWED ON INLET SIDE
321-984-4852
Sebastian Area
Ambler Sands Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
772-589-9223
Golden Sands Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
772-578-9223
Sea Grape Trail Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
772-589-9223
Treasure Shores Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
772-589-9223
Turtle Trail Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
772-589-9223
Wabes Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
772-589-9223
Treasure Coast
Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON OCEAN BEACH BUT DOGS ALLOWED ON INLET SIDE
561-468-3985
Pepper Beach State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-468-3985
Highland Beach Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-278-4540
Hutchinson Area
Alex’s Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Bathtub Reef Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Bob Graham Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Chastain Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Fletcher Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-344
Glasscock Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Sea Turtle/Jensen Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Stuart Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Tiger Shores Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Virginia Forrest Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Waveland Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
732-334-3444
Juno Beach
Town Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-626-4122
Loggerhead Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-626-4122
Ocean Cay Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-626-4122
Jupiter J
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-546-6141
Carlin Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL IN NON-GUARDED AREAS
561-746-5134
Dubois Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL IN NON-GUARDED AREAS
561-746-5134
Jupiter Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL IN NON-GUARDED AREAS
561-746-5134
Orchid
Town Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-567-3491
Tequesta Coral Cove Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-746-7111
Vero Beach Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON UNPROTECTED BEACHES
561-567-3491
Gold Coast
Boca Raton
Red Reef Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-393-7806
South Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-393-7806
South Inlet Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-966-6600
Spanish Reef Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-393-7806
Boynton Beach
Boynton Public Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-375-6226
Gulf Stream County Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-966-6600
Dania
John U. Lloyd Beach State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-923-2833
Delray Beach
Anchor Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-243-7250
Atlantic Dunes Park Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-243-7250
Delray Municipal
DOGS ALLOWED ON SIDEWALK AND GRASSY AREA WEST OF THE DUNE LINE ON THE EAST SIDE OF A-1A
561-243-7352
Sandoway Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-243-7250
Fort Lauderdale
D.C. Alexander Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-761-5346
Fort Lauderdale Dog Beach
100-YARD STRIP OF BEACH AT SUNRISE AND A1A ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS FROM 3-6 PM; ONE DAY PASS AND SUNDAYS FROM 3-6 PM; ONE DAY PASS REQUIRED
954-828-7275
Fort Lauderdale Beach-North
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-828-7275
Fort Lauderdale Beach-South
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-828-7275
Harbor Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-761-5346
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BUT CAN GO IN PARK
954-564-4521
Vista Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-761-5346
Hallandale
Hallandale Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-457-1456
Hillsboro Inlet
Deerfield Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-480-4429
Friedt Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-776-0576
Hillsboro Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-776-0576
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-776-0576
North Ocean Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-786-4111
Pompano Beach Public Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-941-2940
Hollywood
Hollywood Public Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-921-3423
North Hollywood Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
954-926-3423
Homestead
Biscayne National Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED AT CONVOY MAIN LAND AND IN DEVELOPED AREAS OF ELLIOTT KEY BUT NO BEACHES OR OTHER ISLANDS
305-230-7275
Key Biscayne
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-361-5811
Crandon Park Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-361-7385
Lake Worth Area
Lake Worth Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-533-7367
Lantana Municipal Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-540-5735
Manalapan Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-233-3000
Phipps Ocean Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-533-7367
Richard G. Kreusler Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-533-7367
Miami
Rickenbacker Causeway and Beach
NO ALLOWED ON BEACH HERE AND NOWHERE ELSE IN MIAMI
305-250-5360
Miami Beach
Bal Harbor Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-866-4633
Collins Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
Golden Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-884-1101
Haulover Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-944-3040
Indian Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
Lummus Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
North Shore Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
Oleta River State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
Pier Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
65th Street Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
South Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
South Pointe Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-673-7400
Singer Island
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
561-624-6950
South Miami
Matheson Hammock County Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-665-5475
The Keys
Bahia Key
Bahia Honda State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-872-2353
Little Duck Key County Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-872-2353
Key Largo
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-451-1202
Key West
Clarence Higgs Memorial Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-292-8227
Dog Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH AT WADDELL & VERNON AVENUES
305-292-8227
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH OR FORT
305-292-6713
Smathers Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-292-8227
Long Key
Long Key State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-664-4815
Lower Matecumbe
Anne’s Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-292-4560
Marathon
Sombrero Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
305-292-4560
Tavernier
Harry Harris Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH IN SWIMMING AREAS
305-852-7161