Let’s face it, sometimes our family isn’t complete without our four-legged furbaby. Add in the difficulty in finding pet sitters, boarding, or the anxiety levels of the pet from being left behind, to take into consideration, it may become a priority for you to keep your family intact and take the family dog along. Assuming you have found a pet-friendly method of transportation and lodgings in Florida, will you even be able to take them out to the beach? The good news is, yes, there are several beaches in Florida that allow dogs on them. This article will go over several of the most popular ones and give a brief description of each. Hopefully, this will help you find the best beach locations to take your beloved dog.
This will list and describe various beaches along the Florida coast that allows dogs. They are located all along the coasts of and will hopefully help you plan additional activities that will include your dog while you’re on vacation. Some may require vaccination records and some may charge for parking or use. A few require leashes, but many are off-leash or have off-leash areas.
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- Flagler Beach, and Palm Coast
- Fort De Soto Park, Dog Beach & Paw Playground
- Davis Islands Dog Beach
- Sanibel Islands & Captiva
- Bonita Beach Dog Beach
- Key West Dog Beach
- Rickenbacker Causeway Beach
- Miami Beach’s Bark Beach
- Jupiter Beach
- Panama City Beach Dog Playground
- Gulf County
- St George Island
- Pensacola Beach West Dog Park and Pensacola Beach East Dog Park
Flagler Beach and Palm Coast
Known as one of the most pet-friendly beaches in the state and country, it has beautiful beaches and weather and delicious seafood. Located between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, the pet-friendly places are north of N 10th Street or south of S 10th Street. All the beaches toward The Hammock, Marineland and Beverly Beach are dog-friendly. Please remember to bring a leash and clean up after yourself and your doggie.
Fort de Soto Park, Dog Beach & Paw Playground
Located on the west central coast in Pinellas County, this beach was voted 1 of 5 top pet beaches in the south. Two large fenced areas, one for small and one for large dogs, cover nearly 3 acres of grass in area next to 300 yards of the beach. Fountains for them to quench their thirst and hoses to wash or rinse off with later are provided. The surf is smooth and the dogs can run off-leash here. The beach is free and parking is $5.
Davis Islands Dog Beach
South of Tampa, on Davis Island’s southernmost tip, are two fenced-in areas for the dogs to run off-leash. One is 200 yards of beach for them to play, and the other is 1 acre of dry land for them to also play. Water stations and poop trash bags are available throughout the park.
Sanibel Island & Captiva
On the southern coast, there are 15 miles of beaches that are dog-friendly. Gulfside Beach (also known as Algiers Beach), is also dog friendly. Your dog must be leashed and you must clean up after them. The beach has picnic tables and enters into a nature trail. Parking is $3/hour.
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Bonita Beach Dog Beach
This is located near Fort Meyers and Bonita Springs. An off-leash beach, on the Gulf of Mexico, provides calm, serene waters for the doggos to play in. Portable toilets and dog shower stations are also available. Parking is free.
Key West Dog Beach
Located at the nation’s southernmost point, this small beach is an idyllic location for you and your pup to play. Afterward, you can head to Louie’s Backyard, a Victorian-themed, pet-friendly, oceanside restaurant.
Rickenbacker Causeway Beach
Located on Hobie Beach, just between downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, and Bricknell, this popular pup site allows you to play with your pup with the gorgeous Miami skyline in the background.
Miami Beach’s Bark Beach
This is the only dog park in the city of Miami. It is next to the North Shore Open Space Park, which is also dog-friendly. Also, there are several dog-friendly restaurants in the vicinity. Dogs are on leash except where noted and must show up-to-date vaccinations. The daily permit is $5 for city residents and $25 for non-residents.
Jupiter Beach
Jupiter Beach is an off-leash beach that allows dogs. It is 2.5 miles long and parking is free. Dog waste bags are available.
Panama City Beach Dog Playground
400 feet of beach, located on the southern end of Pier Park, west of City Pier. A hose is provided to rinse off your pooch. Stroll along the boardwalk or visit one of the many pet-friendly restaurants along the way.
Gulf County
All beaches in Gulf County, except for St Joseph Peninsula State Park, are dog-friendly.
St George Island
22 miles of beautiful beaches are here, where you can walk, shell or fish with your best friend by your side or look at the wildlife.
Pensacola Beach West Dog Park and Pensacola Beach East Dog Park
The west side is on the west side of the island on Fort Pickens Road. The east side is located on the east side on Via De Luna. Waste bags, containers, and cleaning wipes are available. They are open from sunrise to sunset, except for turtle season, May 1- Oct 31, when they are open only from 7 a.m. to sunset.
Conclusion
These are just some of the main places and dog beaches that allow your family dog to come to visit and play. Some may or may not charge fees or parking, depending on each one. Some may require up-to-date vaccinations. Some are off-leash and some are not. Each is a beautiful locale where you can enjoy some quality time with all of your family, even your four-legged ones. Come see a Florida beach and plan your vacation for everyone! Happy vacationing!