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. The Gulf Coast beaches in the Florida Panhandle and western coast offer precious little for dog owners. Head for Franklin County, though, where dogs are allowed on all the public beaches - and the only county in Florida to allow dogs to run free. Beaches listed south to north. 

Recommended Tail-Friendly Beaches

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.

Fort DeSoto Park.  Fort DeSoto was named “America’s Best Beach” by Dr. Beach in 2005. Your dog can’t actually go on that champion Gulf of Mexico beach but around the corner there is an enormous dog park and paw-friendly groomed sand on Tampa Bay. There are even doggie showers to spruce up a bit before you head home.

Bonita Beach.  A short walk through the trees leads to a long beach and shallow, gentle water on the Gulf of Mexico - and it is just for dogs.

St. Andrews Beach.  Another award-winning beach your dog can’t enjoy. But when you pull into the park, turn left when everyone else goes straight for the beach parking lot. Yourdestination is the mostly ignored Grand Lagoon side of the park where you and your dog can enjoy a narrow strip of sand and leisurely swimming in the shallow, gentle waters. The Grand Lagoon is reached by the Heron Pond Trail, a rolling exploration of the scrubby dunes.

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 305-292-8227
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH AT WADDELL & VERNON AVENUES 

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

Suncoast 

Fort Myers Area
Algiers Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON SANIBEL ISLAND BEACHES 
941-472-1080

Bonita Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-992-5011

Bonita Beach Dog Beach
DOGS ALLOWED OFF-LEASH ON STRIP OF WHITE SAN

Bowman’s Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON SANIBEL ISLAND BEACHES 
941-472-1080

Captiva Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON CAPTIVA ISLAND BEACHES
941-472-1080

Cayo Costa State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-964-0375

Fort Myers Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-463-4588

Gasparilla Island State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-964-0375

Lighthouse Pier and Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON SANIBEL ISLAND BEACHES
941-472-1080

Lovers Key Carl E. Johnson State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-463-4588

New Pass Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
239-992-5011

Sanibel Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON SANIBEL ISLAND BEACHES 
941-472-1080

Turner Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON CAPTIVA ISLAND BEACHES
941-472-1080

Naples Area 
Barefoot Beach State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-597-6196

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-597-6196

Clam Pass Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-213-1015

Lely Barefoot Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-213-1015

Lowdermilk Park Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-434-4698

Naples Municipal Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-213-1015

South Marco Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-213-1015

Tigertail Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-389-5000

Vanderbilt Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
239-597-6196

Sarasota Area 
Bayfront Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5923

Blind Pass Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-627-1628

Bradenton Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5923

Brohard Park Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH UNDER VOICE CONTROL BEHIND WASTE WATER PLANT 
941-488-2236

Chadwick Park at Englewood Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THE BEACH
941-627-1628

Coquina Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5926

Cortez Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5926

Don Pedro Island State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-964-0375

Englewood Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-627-1628

Greek Island
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5923

Holmes Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5923

Lido Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

Manasota Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-627-1628

Manatee County Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-742-5923

Nokomis Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

North Jetty Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

Palmer Point South
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

Port Charlotte Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-627-1628

Siesta Key Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

South Lido Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

Stump Pass Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-964-0375

Turtle Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-861-5000

Venice Municipal Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
941-488-2236

Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg Area 
Anclote Key State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-469-5942

Ben Davis Municipal Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
813-931-2121

Caladesi Island State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-469-5918

Clearwater Beach Island
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-464-3347

Clearwater Beach Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-462-6963

Davis Island
DOGS ALLOWED ON SOUTH END OF BEACH
813-931-2121

E.G. Simmons Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON SWIMMING BEACH
813-671-7655

Fort DeSoto County Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BUT PAST PARK LIMIT THERE IS BEACH ACCESS ON PINELLAS BAYWAY
727-582-2267

Fred Howard Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-943-4081

Gandy Boulevard Dog Park
DOGS ALLOWED ON THIS BAY BEACH
727-461-6963

Honeymoon Island State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON SWIMMING BEACH BUT ARE ALLOWED AT SOUTH BEACH ON LEASH (LEASH MUST REMAIN ON DOG IN WATER BUT NEED NOT BE HELD) 
727-469-5942

Indian Rocks Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-588-4852

Indian Shores
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-549-6165

John Pass Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-391-6111

Madeira Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-549-6165

Mandalay Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-464-3347

Pass-a-Grille Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-367-2735

Picnic Island Dog Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH

Redington Shores County Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-549-6165

Sand Key Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-588-4852

St. Petersburg Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-866-2484

Treasure Island
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
727-549-6165

Emerald Coast

Gulf Islands National Seashore
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-934-2600

Fort Walton Beach Area
Destin Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-837-4540

Grayton Beach State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-231-4210

Henderson Beach State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-837-7550

John C. Beasley Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-651-7515

Okaloosa Island Pier
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-651-7515

Ross Marler Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-651-7515

Silver Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-267-0683

Panama City Area
Carrabelle Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-697-2585

Dr. Julian G. Bruce Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-653-9419

Mexico Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-235-1159

Panama City Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-233-5045

Saint Andrews State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON GULF BEACH BUT ON GRAND LAGOON BEACH 
850-233-5140

St. George Island State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-927-2111

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH OR ANY PARK WATERS
850-227-1327

St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON ISLAND
850-953-9893

Pensacola Area
Big Lagoon State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-492-1595

Casino Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-983-1866

East Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-983-1866

Fort Pickens
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-492-1595

Johnson Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-983-1866

Langdon Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-492-1595

Navarre Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-983-1866

Opal Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-492-1595

Pensacola Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
850-983-1866

Perdido Key State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH BUT CAN GO ON TRAILS
850-492-1595

 

ALABAMA

For dog owners, Alabama may as well not even have the few beaches it does on the Gulf of Mexico - save for the canine paradise that is Dauphin Island.

Daphne
Municipal Pier
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
251-621-3703

Dauphin Island
Public Beach NO DOGS ALLOWED ON WEST BEACH BUT OTHER AREAS OPEN TO DOGS AS DESIGNATED
251-861-6992

Fairhope
Municipal Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
251-928-2136

Gulf Shores
Gulf State Park
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
251-948-7275

Town Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
251-974-1510

Orange Beach
Town Beach 251-981-6979
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH

 

MISSISSIPPI

For dog owners, stay on the western coast in Hancock County; dogs aren’t allowed around the populated Biloxi beaches. 

Gulf Islands National Seashore
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
228-875-9057

Bay St. Louis
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
228-467-9092

Biloxi
Town Beach
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
228-896-6699

Ocean Springs
Davis Bayou Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
228-875-4424

Waveland
Waveland Public Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
228-463-9222
 

LOUISIANA

People don’t seek out Louisiana for its sandy beaches; most of the coastline is made up of bayous. Grand Isle State Park is the only state park with access to the Gulf of Mexico. 

Port Fourchon Fourchon Beach
THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON DOGS ON THIS BEACH 
985-632-6701

Grand Isle Grand Isle State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED IN NON-SWIMMING AREAS 
985-787-2559

 

TEXAS

If you have been driving along the Gulf Coast, heading west, it has been a long trip for your water-loving dog. But the wait is over in Teaxas...

Recommended Tail-Friendly Beaches

Bolivar Peninsula.  Many miles of open beach near Galveston Island; check in at the towns of Bolivar and Crystal Beach if you require civilization.

Galveston.  The sand in front of the breakwater is not the prettiest but your dog certainly won’t mind. Since the surf is gentle most of the time it is hard to imagine this was the site of America’s worst natural disaster when more than 6,000 people died in the aftermath of a storm on September 8-9, 1900. The oldest part of the 10-mile seawall built to protect the city is still visible from 6th Street to 39th Street and dates to 1902.  

Padre Island.  Padre Island is America’s longest barrier island - there is plenty of room for dogs to roam on its 113 miles of sand. One of the best places for a dog anywhere.

Padre Island National Seashore
DOGS ARE ALLOWED ANYWHERE EXCEPT ON THE DECK AT MALAQUITE BEACH AND IN FRONT OF THE VISITOR CENTER AT THE SWIMMING BEACH. 
361-949-8173

Bolivar
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON ISLAND BEACHES 
409-684-5940

Crystal Beach
Town Beach
DOGS ALLOWED ON ISLAND BEACHES 
409-684-5940

Galveston
East Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
409-762-3278

Galveston Island State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
409-737-1222

Stewart Beach Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
888-425-4753

Port Arsanas
Mustang Island State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
361-749-4111

Port O’Connor
Matagorda Island State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
361-983-2215

Sabine Pass
Sea Rim State Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH 
409-971-2559

South Padre Island
Town Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH; UNLEASHED NORTH OF TOWN
800-SOPADRE