The Best Dog Friendly East Coast Beach in Florida

dogs running on the beach

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Overview:

Dog Friendly Beaches in Florida

Finding that perfect dog friendly beach in the east coast of Florida can be difficult.

Here we will breakdown some beaches where you can bring your furry little friend.

At first it’s hard to know what beaches in Florida are dog-friendly. Afterall, there’s so many.

The whole circumference of Florida is covered in white sand and beach waves, so it’s hard to miss any beaches at all.

If you go to the east coast, you end up at New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach, and even Vero Beach.

Dog Friendly Beach Pins 3

If decide to go North you have St. Augustine Beach and even Jacksonville. Anything South from there, you’ll end up at Jupiter Beach, Fort Lauderdale or even Miami Beach.

If you go West of Orlando, then you’ll likely run into Tampa Bay and anything above that will be Clearwater Beach and further up to Panama City Beach.

If you go South of Tampa Bay then you’ll be at Sarasota Beach or Siesta Key.

Yes, all these beaches are amazing and it could drive you bonkers to decide which beach to start with.

But to save you the stress of where you can or can’t take your dog to which Florida beaches we got you covered.

One of the best dog beaches on the east coast of Florida is New Smyrna Dunes Park.

new smyrna beach
New Smyrna Beach shore

A Dog Friendly Beach near Orlando

If you come to the summer to visit, one of the most popular destinations in all of Florida is Orlando.

Despite the nonstop thrilling theme parks and unremarkable tourist attractions, there is still so much tranquility you can find nearby.

Traveling with your furry friend is not only amazing and comforting, but it’s definitely a must do!

Believe it or not traveling with you furry mascot has become more popular with time.

Why would you even think about leaving fluffy home when more and more places are becoming pet friendly and accepting of your best friend.  

Next time you find yourself in Orlando, be sure to take your pet east coast of Orlando until you run into the New Smyrna’s dog friendly beach.

It’s definitely a dog welcoming beach that will allow you to bring fluffy into the water. 

New Smyrna Beach is outstretched and has many parking options depending on where you would want to be situated.

If you Google the directions to this beach, then you’ll most likely end up on the most popular street entrance called Flagler Avenue.

It is definitely an artsy place that has restaurants, bars, and shops. If you want to learn more of what New Smyrna Beach brings, then check out the cheatsheet of what to expect in New Smyrna Beach.

However, if you want to hit the welcoming pet beach area, then head straight to New Smyrna Dunes Park.

It is here, where dogs are allowed to splash and take the waves in without any worry.

new smyrna dunes park
New Smyrna Dunes Park

New Smyrna is a Pet Friendly Beach for Pets

If you are finding a place to bring your pet and have a summer-splashing time, then definitely head straight to New Smyrna Dunes Park.

At this park you can find many dogs happy and having a splashing beach blast.

Of course, it always helps to be prepared on what to expect when arriving at the pet friendly New Smyrna Dog Beach Park before actually heading out this summer!

Check out our blog of what dog accessories you need for the beach this summer.

New Smyrna Dog Beach Dunes Parking

Parking is a little difficult since New Smyrna Dunes Park has limited parking (approximately 50 spots total).

Not to mention what day of the week you find yourself there, avoid the stress and come early.

It is best to arrive early in the morning to assure you get a good parking spot and avoid the headache of looking for one.

Also, the price of parking at New Smyrna Dunes Beach is $10 a car as of (2018).

There is a person inside a little toll booth at the entrance of this beach. An annual pass is $20 a year, so you may consider buying one if you see yourself coming two times or more.

In the end, the best option would mostly likely be the annual parking pass since it will pay for itself with only two times of visiting.

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Side boardwalks lead to extensive view of the beach

How is New Smyrna Beach a Pet Friendly Place

Because of the surplus of pet owners bringing their pets here, the rules are that dogs must be leashed at all times.

Although, you will be surprised how many people actually do not follow these set of rules.

Be wary of other unleashed dogs roaming around the area and always keep in eye on your dog. You just never know how aggressive another dog can be towards your pet.

In addition, the New Smyrna Beach dog area has wash areas to help keep your dog clean after that cool splash in the waves.

What is very helpful is the abundant doggy-poop bags available to pick up after your pet. So really, there is no excuse why you should not even think about picking up after your pet.

It is still surprising how many people actually do not do this simple task that takes less than 10 seconds.

You’ll sometimes find some dog stools laying around since there is still some irresponsible dog owners.

So, please do NOT be one of those! Pick up after your pet. No matter which dog friendly beach or park community you ever visit.

dog with owner
An owner walking its dog on the shore.

There are trails where dogs can walk alongside the beach. In order to get to the beach you will see signs leading you out.

Once you get to the parking lot you will see the rangers office unit next to nearby picnic tables where you can eat lunch if you need to.

The restrooms facilities are also in the same area in case you need to use them. It is very convenient right before getting on the boardwalk trail.

In order to get to the beach, there is about a mile and half boardwalk to the actual dog beach area.

So you must walk fluffy along with your beach things about half a mile before actually seeing the water.  

Don’t be caught off-guard like many others. Equip yourself with our top favorite 5 essential beach must-haves and avoid common beach pitfalls! 🏖️🌞🌊

1. YETI Wheeled Cooler: Keep your drinks and snacks chilled under the sun.

2. Kelty Tent: Seek refuge from the sun with a lightweight, easy-to-set-up beach tent.

3. BeachBub Umbrella: Stay cool and protected with a durable, stylish UPF beach umbrella.

4. Trailhead Chair: Sit back and relax with a comfortable and sturdy beach chair.

5. CGear Sand-Free Mat Sand Blanket: Keep the sand at bay and stay comfortable with a sand-resistant blanket.

The boardwalk is amazing, though part of it is under construction so you cannot complete the boardwalk in its entirety.

Don’t be discouraged because some of the boardwalk is still accessible and leads straight to the beach dunes. So be prepared to do some walking.

You’ll be surprised by the large amount of surfers that you see taking this boardwalk in order to get to the actual beach area.

What is really nice is that you will find some picnic tables along the beach boardwalk where you can eat a packed lunch if you brought one.

girl with dog in beach
Sand kissed under a girl flip-flops alongside with her dog. Photo by V Hui 

Why you should visit New Smyrna Dog Beach

If you are not a pet person or do not like dogs then maybe look elsewhere for another beach.

The New Smyrna Dog Friendly Dunes Park is one of those beaches that invites furry friends with their people.

If you are in the Orlando area and need to know six wonderful beaches near Walt Disney World then click here.

Another beach near Orlando is Cocoa Beach which is highly recommended.

But all in all, you can definitely not beat the amazing beach sunrises or sunset at New Smyrna Dog Beach.

This beach has more of a tranquility vibe that allows you to really appreciate beaches and bring man’s and woman’s best friend.

dog in new smyrna beach
A photo of a dog under the beautiful sunset. Photo by Tomasz Wyka 

Reasons to visit New Smyrna Beach Dunes Park.

  • Pet friendly beach zone
  • There are pet washing areas for your furry little friend
  • There are many waste-bags available to pick up after your pet
  • There are many waste deposit cans along the beach
  • It is quiet and peaceful
  • There is a fishing pier here
  • There is a boardwalk

Because Florida is known for its amazing beaches and white sandy shores, there is a couple dog beaches where it is recommended to bring fluffy.

One of the top 5 would definitely put New Smyrna Dog Beach at the top 5 tier.

There are a lot of dog beaches in Florida where you can bring you dog, but many do not allow your pup to get close to the sand or waves.

This is definitely one place you need to check out next time you bring fluffy 🙂  

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Dog Friendly Beach Pin
Jess-and-Jeanette-at-the-beach

Jess & Jeanette

Jess and Jeanette, two sisters who founded Unseen Beaches, were inspired by their family’s beach vacations while growing up.

Their passion lies in guiding you toward the most remarkable beach destinations across the U.S., while also protecting and preserving these beautiful coastal treasures! 🌊❤️

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Don’t be caught off-guard like many others. Equip yourself with our Top Favorite 5 Essential Beach Must-Haves and avoid common beach pitfalls! 🏖️🌞🌊

1. YETI Wheeled Cooler: Keep your drinks and snacks chilled under the sun.

2. Kelty Tent: Seek refuge from the sun with a lightweight, easy-to-set-up beach tent.

3. BeachBub Umbrella: Stay cool and protected with a durable, stylish UPF beach umbrella.

4. Trailhead Chair: Sit back and relax with a comfortable and sturdy beach chair.

5. CGear Sand-Free Mat Sand Blanket: Keep the sand at bay and stay comfortable with a sand-resistant blanket.

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