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If sun, sand and surf sound like your idea of a good time, Southern California is the place to be! Whether you’re a resident or passing through, it’s easy to find a beautiful beach to spend the day at. The good news for dog lovers is that many of these beautiful beaches welcome both leashed and off-leash pups to play with. Here are the 10 best dog-friendly beaches in Southern California.
Dog-friendly Vacations In Southern California
When you and your dog enjoy one of these 10 Southern California beaches, remember to respect others who share the space. Not everyone likes being approached by dogs, so always control your dog by voice or leash. Before heading to the beach, pack water, snacks, dog sunscreen, and extra poop bags. Remember that dogs can overheat quickly, so keep an eye on the weather and give your dog plenty of rest in the shade if necessary.
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Nicole has had a lifelong love of animals of all sizes, so it’s no surprise that she has dedicated her career to helping them do what she loves most: teaching, writing and sharing her knowledge with others. She is a proud mother of two dogs, a cat and a husband. With an education and over 15 years of writing experience, Nicole wants to help parents and pets all over the planet live happy, safe and healthy lives. Then I have the right post for you with 10 amazing dog-friendly tours in Southern California that you can incorporate into day trips from Los Angeles or San Diego. Read on to find the best dog-friendly places in Southern California that you can explore as quick day trips within a 2.5 hour drive (one way)!
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I’m a San Francisco resident who has blogged a lot about dog-friendly vacations in a small town in Northern California. But in Southern California, you’ll find tons of dog-friendly hikes with beautiful weather, beach towns with warm waters (Northern California beaches are notoriously cold and windy), lots of hiking, wine tasting, and of course, good food—all dog friendly. are welcome.
Although our Southern California travels with our pups (Babu: 2010-2021 and now Gunda) are limited compared to our extensive Northern California, we were able to explore quite a bit of the state during our trip, starting with Santa Barbara in the south. . many winter holidays where going to Los Angeles was a holiday tradition for us.
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In that spirit, here are 10 amazing dog trips in Southern California that can easily be turned into day trips with dogs from any SoCal city, ie. Los Angeles or San Diego and is a ~2.5 hour drive each way (traffic permitting).
These include beach towns, small towns, wine tasting spots, desert getaways, and even a famous national park you can visit with your dog if you’re visiting Southern California. I hope this guide to dog-friendly places in Southern California that are easily accessible from Los Angeles or San Diego will help you see more of Southern California’s diversity outside of the big cities.
(a) Southern California has warm, sunny California weather almost year-round with warm, swimmable ocean water. But summer is hot, which can be painful for you and dangerous for your dog (especially his delicate paws). So if you’re planning a day trip with your dog in Southern California between June and September, choose beach towns over backcountry.
November-March is the best time to visit inland destinations such as Palm Springs, Ojai or Joshua Tree, which are popular winter destinations in California. However, winter is the rainy season in California, so prepare for rain and be flexible with your plans.
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B) If you’re planning to take dog-friendly day trips from Los Angeles or San Diego, it’s best to bring your own car. You can rent a car in Los Angeles or San Diego or any of the major airports serving Southern California.
Los Angeles is incredibly dog-friendly, but its location puts it close to some spectacular dog-friendly places in Southern California that you should definitely visit if you have some extra time. Another thing is that none of the Los Angeles beaches allow dogs, making it even more of an incentive to take dog-friendly day trips out of Los Angeles. Here are my picks based on our repeated trips with Babu and Gunda over the winter holidays:
Just a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles, Long Beach is home to the county’s most popular dog beach. Rosie’s Dog Beach. Additionally, Belmont Shores shops, stores and restaurants are very dog friendly.
There are 11 dog parks in Long Beach, and local favorites include Amusement Park, El Dorado Park, Uptown Dog Park, K-9 Corner Dog Park, and Bixby Dog Park. In addition to these, there are tons of dog-friendly restaurants on 4th Street, Uptown, Belmont Heights, and downtown that you can check out in this friendly Long Beach post!
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Check out this post on Instagram Post shared by fan page Rosies Dog Beach (@rosiesdogbeach)
Malibu may be synonymous with Hollywood celebrity vacations and weddings, but it’s also popular with furry friends! Leo Carrillo State Beach is dog-friendly, and the Santa Monica Mountains have plenty of dog-friendly hikes to keep your pooch busy. Plus, there’s the little-known wine country of Malibu where you can go wine tasting with your dog.
I recommend stopping by Escondido Canyon Park and hiking the dog-friendly Escondido Falls Trail, checking out the Soludnik Canyon Trail, hiking the Zuma Canyon Loop Trail, or hitting the Misha Mokwa Trail to Mt. Allen for a dog-friendly hike in Malibu. Highway 1 in Malibu has plenty of dog-friendly restaurants to stop at after a day of hiking—here’s a handy Bring Fido post that lists them all.
Ojai is one of the best dog-friendly hiking trails in Southern California, and it was a big surprise for us when we visited in 2019 on a road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles. While this inland city doesn’t have any dog-friendly beaches, this artsy Southern California town has plenty of other fun dog-friendly activities.
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Browse the dog-friendly shops of Arcade Plaza, stop by Barts Books, go for a Kombucha tasting at Revel Kombucha Bar, and walk your dog in Libby Park. Ojai has many dog friendly restaurants and cafes such as Farmer and The Cook, Beacon Coffee Company, The Nest (large patio) Lebanon Ojai Rotie. which is suitable for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ojai has a number of dog-friendly wineries, such as Topa Winery and Old Creek Ranch, that you should check out if you’re a wine lover. We loved our short winter stay in Ojai and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Santa Barbara is often referred to as “America’s Riviera” thanks to its great beaches, swaying palm trees, and a summer vibe that’s hard to beat year-round. Santa Barbara is also very dog-friendly with many dog-friendly beaches, restaurants and other attractions. If your dog loves the sea and sand, Santa Barbara is a dog day trip from Los Angeles that you should check out.
We have visited Santa Barbara several times over the past 12 years and rain or shine, the city has always been a lot of fun to explore with our dogs. There are several beaches and dog parks that you can visit even if you only have a day in Santa Barbara.
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My recommendations would be to start the day at Hendry Beach (aka Arroyo Burro Beach County Park) next to the Douglas Family Preserve, or explore One Thousand Steps Beach or quiet Lane Mesa Beach, take a stroll through Coastal Park, and walk around Alice Cake. Park Memorial Gardens.
Santa Barbara Harbor and the Mission Rose Garden are dog-friendly, and the District Court Gardens are not to be missed. If that’s not all, the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden also allows dogs, and it’s free too!
Downtown Santa Barbara, La Arcade Plaza, and the Funk Zone are great places to explore as well as grab a bite to eat with your dog on a leash. Santa Barbara also has plenty of dog-friendly wine tasting rooms where you can have a good time sampling some of them.
