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Beach chair and umbrella? Checks. Mineral sunscreen? Checks. Is your puppy too cute? Survey! While Florida has no shortage of great beaches, not all of them allow your furry friend to enjoy the sun with you. *sigh* Don’t worry: We’ve found nine beaches in the state that welcome both humans and pups. Here are the best dog-friendly beaches in Florida.
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Get this: Nearly every beach in Jupiter is open to dogs, thanks to a 1989 policy adopted by the Jupiter City Council to allow dogs on area beaches. There are some rules. Dogs must be well behaved and wear appropriate tags and permits, and owners are asked to pick them up after them. Hey, nothing we can’t handle.
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Fort de Soto Park consists of five interconnected islands south of St. Petersburg, covering more than 1,100 hectares of land, and includes a designated beach dog park, as well as two fenced areas near the sand for small and large dogs. Dogs (water stations included!).
Davis Island Dog Beach, located near Peter O’Knight Airport, is one of the last dog-friendly beaches in Tampa. Expect a fenced dog park, where Fido can play off-leash, as well as a designated area in the sand.
Open from sunrise to sunset, dogs are encouraged to roam freely at Bonita Dog Beach in Bonita Springs. There are also dog bathing stations, perfect for washing the sand off Fido before heading home.
Head to Key West and find a secluded stretch of sand reserved only for dogs and their owners. Under the shade of palm trees, unleashed puppies can play in the water and sand as long as they are supervised.
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Dogs and people can enjoy the sun at Park Beach at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton. What’s even better is that these puppies can always be left loose.
Hidden Island State Park is located just outside of Tampa and features four miles of beach and three miles of hiking trails. There are also designated beach areas and pet trails, located on the south side of the park. Please note that dogs must always be on a leash.
Spend the day with your furry friend at Smyrna Dunes Park in New Smyrna Beach, where pets are allowed on the beach near the entrance, although they must be leashed at all times.
Just a block north of Sunny Isles, you can set up shop with your pup with a chair, a cooler, and a stylish umbrella at Haulover Beach Park. Dogs are welcome to hang out in the sun, sand and water as long as they are supervised by their owner.
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Clarissa Book Silverman is a writer and editor based in Miami. Her work focuses on food, lifestyle, and travel and has been featured in Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Bon Appetit, and… Florida is known for its beaches – and that’s a double-edged sword. Sure, the waves and sand are great, but it can also be very crowded. If you’re looking for a beautiful beach with a quieter atmosphere, check out the great dog-friendly beaches in the Florida Panhandle!
A trip to Florida means spending time at the beach, and there’s nothing better than finding a beach town that you and your dog can enjoy together. With 800 miles of coastline in the state, you’d think there’d be enough for everyone!
So, where do you go for quiet, dog-friendly beaches? We recommend the Florida Panhandle. Particularly the stretch of coastline from Mexico Beach to St. Marks, known as the ‘Forgotten Coast’.
In this relatively quiet, undeveloped area of the Florida Panhandle, you’ll find convenient parking, friendly locals, beautiful white-sand beaches, blue Caribbean waters, and plenty of places for your pup to splash in the waves with you!
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Start your cross-country journey at the Visitor Center in Port St. Joe. The staff is more than willing to help. But they are very happy to see our dogs and immediately invite them!
The city of PortSt. Joe is not very tall, and a walking tour of the local sights can be done in a few hours. We started on the BayWalk, a gravel path that runs from Frank Pate Park to the marina with a beautiful view of St. Joseph Bay. The trails take you directly to the historic Cape San Blas Lighthouse, which was built 130 years ago and moved here in 2014.
The one thing you won’t find in Port St. Joe’s is a cluster of hotels towering over the beach. There are a number of pet-friendly hotel options, but most people choose a vacation rental for their stay.
Located just nine miles south of downtown Port St. Joe, Salinas Park is the perfect spot for a dog-friendly beach walk. Wonderfully quiet, with sand like sugar and a gentle breeze – it’s everything you could want for dog-friendly beaches in the Florida Panhandle.
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Leashed dogs and pets are welcome on the beach all day. Horses are also allowed on the beach here. There were several horse trailers in the parking lot selling rides.
Cape San Blas continues west of Salinas Park and extends into the Gulf of Mexico. Part of this narrow spit of land is protected by T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.
The park has a pet-friendly camping area, and leashed pets are allowed at picnic areas and on nature trails. Surrounded by water on three sides, it is a great place to stroll and enjoy a picnic lunch.
Florida State Parks do not allow pets on beaches. But keep reading – there are plenty of public beaches and plenty of other places to explore!
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Florida State Park Pet Policy Pets are allowed in designated day areas at most Florida state parks. Exceptions include, but are not limited to, Elli Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet and must be well behaved at all times. Pet owners should pick up pet waste and dispose of it properly. Pets are not allowed on the beach, playgrounds, resort areas, cabins, park buildings or concession facilities. Individual parks may have additional areas where pets are prohibited. https://www.floridastateparks.org/PetPolicy
The 45 kilometer long St. George Island is divided into three sections. St. George Island State Park continues the eastern distance of nine miles. The central part provides access to the public beach, residential areas, restaurants, shops and other businesses. The West End is an exclusive, gated residential community with a private airstrip and some of the most expensive homes in the Gulf of Mexico.
Our first stop was at the state park, and again we discovered that the campground and trails were pet friendly, but the beaches were not. It’s nice to have some variety, though, and our dogs enjoyed the 2.5-mile Gap Point Trail through the pine forest. (There is parking at the campsite and the path runs to the left of the field.)
After the walk it’s time to go to the pet-friendly beach! Head back to downtown St. George, where the entire public beach is pet-friendly – all day, all year round!
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Similar to Port St. Joe, the main accommodations here are vacation rentals. Although the St. George Inn has a number of pet-friendly rooms, there are more pet-friendly hotels in Apalachicola, which is only 12 miles away.
Of all the beaches we visited in the Florida Panhandle, Alligator Point Beach was the quietest and most secluded. The nearest supermarket was about 30 miles away, but with 8 miles of virtually deserted beaches, who needs food?!
Dogs are welcome here 24 hours a day, all year round! With large shells scattered all over the beach it is a great place to go.
Rentals are your only accommodation option in Alligator Point, but if you really want to get away from it all…this is the place!
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Spending time on the beaches of the Florida Panhandle will make you hungry! Here is a list of restaurants and eateries with pet-friendly patios in the area:
The work – but someone has to do it! The Forgotten Coast may look a bit sad, but we thought it was a great place for a relaxing, dog-friendly beach holiday. We hope our visit inspires you to plan a trip to the Gulf Coast of your own.
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We’re sorry we couldn’t find any pet-friendly listings in our database. Make sure you type your search query correctly or try entering fewer characters. Are you planning a summer vacation and want to bring your furry friend? Florida offers some of the best dog-friendly destinations where you and your dog can have a great time
