Fun in the Sun: Top 10 Dog-Friendly Beaches in America

One of the best things about this time of year is the warm, beach-perfect weather on the forecast. Luckily, with more dogs than ever joining their families on vacations and outings, dog-friendly beach communities are stepping up to the plate and providing access to our furriest family members!

Compiled by Invitation Homes, these are the Top 10 Dog-Friendly Beaches in America:

Double Bluff Beach, Whidbey Island, Freeland, Washington: Running along the base of steep Double Bluff, the Double Bluff Beach Off-Leash Area is a two-mile-long stretch of salt water beach on Useless Bay. At the base of the bluffs, enormous tangles of driftwood make great doggy jungle gyms. When the tide is out, the beach is hundreds of feet wide but even at high tide, the beach is wide enough for dogs to run themselves to a state of blissful exhaustion.

Rosie’s Dog Beach, Long Beach, California: The only off-leash dog beach in all of LA County, Rosie’s Dog Beach offers 4-acres of beachside, off-leash excitement for water-loving dogs. Before heading out, check for hours and beach conditions.

Del Mar Dog Beach, Del Mar, California: Nine months of the year, dogs are welcomed along the entire two plus mile stretch of beach in the North Beach area of Del Mar while during the summer months, four-legged family members are restricted to half of the beach. But, even with limited access, there’s plenty of leashed and off-leash fun to be had.

Montrose Dog Beach, Chicago, Illinois: The Montrose Dog Beach is Chicago’s first legal off-leash beach. Located on the Northwest corner of Montrose Beach, this area is fenced and offers free dog waste bags and a dog-wash area. Canine visitors to the beach (and all Chicago dog parks) are required to wear a DFA (dog friendly area) tag ensuring they’re healthy and up-to-date on required vaccinations.

Warren Dunes State Park Dog Beach, Sawyer, Michigan: A beautiful beach along gorgeous Lake Michigan, Warren Dunes State Park welcomes leashed dogs along their campground, forested trails, and boardwalks.

Wildwood Dog Beach, Wildwood, NJ: Dogs visiting the Wildwoods area are welcome to join their families on the beach and to swim in the ocean within this designated dog beach area. Just look for the 25 foot high fire hydrant sculpture! The dog beach is located at Poplar Avenue, stretching one city block wide and 1,500 feet long. Fresh water and dog clean-up bags are available, and the beach is open every day from 6 a.m. until dusk. All dogs must remain on leashes.

Nags Head Beach, Nags Head, North Carolina: While there are several dog-friendly beaches in the always pet-friendly Outer Banks, Nags Head Beach provides year-round access to dogs on leashes 10′ or shorter.

Topsail Off-Leash Dog Beach, Topsail, North Carolina: Between May and September, visitors to this beautiful North Carolina beach must be on a 20′ or shorter leash, while off-leash access is allowed the remainder of the year.

Jekyll Island Beach, Jeckyll Island, Georgia: If you have a fur-faced family member, and can’t bear to leave your pal home while the family heads off to Jekyll Island for fun and adventure, then take heart. Jekyll Island is one of the most dog friendly vacation spots in Georgia. Pets must be leashed at all times.

Fort De Soto Dog Beach, St. Petersburg, Florida: Fort De Soto has the only dog park in the county where dogs are allowed on the beach, off-leash, in a designated area. There are also 2 fenced in areas near the beach for large and small dogs with rinsing and water stations.

Do you have a favorite dog-friendly beach not named above? Tell us about it in a comment below!