by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels
Pet lovers are united in praise of their furry friends. Even research now indicates that having a loving pet can extend the quality and quantity of life. With devotion to Fido and Rover on the rise, it’s hardly surprising that pet owners want to take their dogs along on vacation, but finding pet-friendly destinations can be difficult, so Petside.com, the popular online destination for pet owners and pet enthusiasts, recently released its list of the top ten dog-friendly beaches in the U.S.:
Cape San Blas in Port St. Joe, Florida took top honors with its leash-free policies and plethora of dog-friendly activities. Owners can bring their pups year-round, anytime of day and let them run along the entire beach.A sailing program welcomes dogs aboard and many pet-friendly restaurants welcome patrons of the four-legged variety.
Cape San Blas, Port St. Joe, Florida. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/judybaxter.
Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland reserves a fenced-off area as a special beach just for your pooch. The beach also sponsors the annual “Howl-O-Ween Barkin Bash” costume parade where dogs and owners dress up in their best costumes and parade around the park.
Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, Maryland. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/xmrocks.
Block Island in Rhode Island is a small dog-friendly island. Open year-round, the island has a relaxed leash policy prohibits all motor vehicles, so you never have to worry about your pup accidentally getting injured by a car.
Block Island, Rhode Island. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlkljgk.
Cannon Beach, Oregon is a four mile stretch of beach along the Pacific, conveniently located near a town filled with dog-friendly hotels, restaurants and shops. Dogs must stay on-leash, but the view is
worth it.
Cannon Beach, Oregon. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/paraflyer.
Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida has a unique “Paw Playground,” consisting of separate fenced-in areas for big dogs and small dogs. The park provides dog showers, a dog beach, and fresh drinking water.
Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/hushed_lavinia.
Carmel City Beach in Carmel, California is perfect for the couple looking to stroll along this breathtakingly beautiful beach with their pet. Afterward, you and your dog can meander up to the charming town of Carmel, where many restaurants and shops are completely dog friendly.
Carmel City Beach, Carmel, Caiifornia. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/j-and-p.
Jekyll Island, Georgia is known by many as the “Jewel of Georgia.” It’s a perfect, eco-friendly getaway for you and your pet. Start by walking the ten miles of unspoiled white sand beaches and spend the rest of the day taking in the natural landscape on a nature walk.
Jekyll island, Georgia. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/53902650@N00.
Coronado in San Diego, California is famous for hosting some of the most unique dog competitions in the area, including the Loews Coronado Bay Resort surf dog competition in Imperial Beach – the nation’s largest surfing competition for pups.
Northern section of Coronado Beach, San Diego, California. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/acflynn.
Stewart Beach in Galveston, Texas is regarded as one of the better family-oriented beaches in Texas, and when they say family, they mean the fine furry members as well and the two-legged kind!
Stewart Beach, Galveston, Texas. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/galvestonisland.
Montrose Dog Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois is the final pick. Luckily for Illinois pups, Chicago is home to a wonderful dog park where the city folk bring their dogs to run in the sun (off-leash, no less) on a stretch of beach.
Wading pool at the Montrose Beach dog park, Chicago, Illinois. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/midwestkimchee.
For more information on pet-friendly beaches, cruise over to Petside.com or hear is a great resource for Pet Travel.
- If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
- Share
- Prev/Next
12 Responses
We would just like to remind people who come to the beach on Jekyll that dogs must be leashed . Jekyll has some beautiful shorebirds that we need to protect. For more information visit the website . savejekyllisland.org
Friendly, I would not say so. Jekyll Island Ga. has a leash law enforced by the tough Georgia State Patrol.
Not only are you required to leash gogs, but CATS also are included. Not even allowed to feed any animals or you will be fined.
[...] I just read an interesting post that highlights the top 10 best pet friendly beaches around the world. Don’t be put off [...]
I wish I had a picture of our dog beach on Lake Michigan located in Muskegon, Michigan. No leash law. Waste disposal bins, and plastic gloves provided. As a general rule most dog owners understand their pets and the experience is generaly good. The city expanded the area this year. At times I would say is is cleaner then the public only area.
cool list!! so may dogs. Sooooooooo cute!!!
It looks very nice!!!
If you visit Europe, there are also many dog friendly beaches in the UK- you can find many friendly dog places with miles of beautiful beaches open to the public year round, England is a great place for a lazy walk along the coast with family. Suffolk coasts are famously dog-friendly, and there’s never a dog-friendly beach too far away from one of the area’s many coastal towns.
[...] blogger Barbara Weibel noted, our country has a nice selection of dog beaches where you can have some fun in the sun with your [...]
[...] blogger Barbara Weibel noted, our country has a nice selection of dog beaches where you can have some fun in the sun with your [...]
[...] want to do nothing but relax in the sun. Travel + Leisure also recently named it one of the best pet-friendly hotels in [...]
[...] lucky pups receive a basket with blanket,towel, biscuits, plastic bags for clean up and a map of pet-friendly beaches. Perks for the owners include complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres at night and gourmet [...]
[...] been using this dog park already for some time now shows just how much dog parks are now in demand, including those at the beach. Beaches should provide areas that can be enjoyed by all, including our furry four-legged [...]
[...] Island. Open year-round, the resort has gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean, where you can see Block Island, Rhode Island, and Montauk, New York. The resort also offers OH! Spa, a 12,000 square foot, seven room spa and [...]