By: Shayne Benowitz
If you’re traveling to Miami with your pooch, there’s more for your fluffy friend to do than relax inside the hotel room with the A/C cranking. Miami is home to a handful of dog-friendly beaches where Fido can run in the sand, splash in the surf and roll around in the green grass of oceanfront dog parks. There are also dozens of dog-friendly parks and off-leash bark parks across Miami. The majority of Miami’s beaches prohibit dogs, so this handy guide to dog-friendly beaches will have you and your pooch soaking up the sun without stress. Just remember to pack water, pick up after your pet and make sure he or she doesn’t overheat in Miami’s hot sun.
Haulover Beach Park
Head to Haulover Beach Park where you’ll find a small dog park, large dog park and a bark beach located directly on the sand. The dog parks feature enclosed areas with shade trees, picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains, waste bags and waste containers for a pleasant afternoon running around off leash. On the beach between lifeguard towers 2 and 3, dogs are allowed off leash from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It’s an incredibly fun experience to see your dog run wild in the sand, play with other dogs and test his or her limits in the surf. There’s a small parking entry fee per vehicle and then you can enjoy the park’s dog-friendly amenities all afternoon.
Bark Beach at North Beach Oceanside Park
North Beach Oceanside Park in North Beach between 79th and 87th Streets is where you’ll find another dog park with a dog-friendly stretch of beach. Here, you can enjoy the beautifully landscaped green space with jogging trails, benches, shady palms and picnic pavilions. The entire park is dog-friendly with dogs on leash and there are also two enclosed dog runs where you can take your dog off leash with waste bags and receptacles. At 81st Street, the beach is dog-friendly.
Hobie Island Beach Park
Directly off the Rickenbacker Causeway en route to Key Biscayne, you’ll find Hobie Island Beach Park. This is a popular beach for windsurfing, kayaking and standup paddleboarding with incredible views of Downtown Miami’s skyline. It’s also a completely dog-friendly beach. Play a rousing game of fetch and let your four-legged friend socialize with the other pooches in the surf.
Beach Walk
While South Beach prohibits dogs, the paved Beach Walk that runs parallel to the ocean is the perfect place to take your pup for a stroll on the leash. Start at 23rd Street and head south, taking in the iconic Art Deco architecture towards Lummus Park and Ocean Drive. It’s a great way to get the lay of the land, enjoy the sea breeze and spend some quality time with your dog in Miami.
South Pointe Park
At the southern tip of South Beach, South Pointe Park is a beautifully landscaped park with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, Government Cut and Downtown’s skyline. You’ll find playgrounds and walking trails that meander along the waterfront and lead you to a grassy area where dogs are allowed off leash from sunrise to 10:00 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Note that the area is not enclosed with a fence, so you’ll have to be comfortable with your dog off leash without these boundaries. It’s a lovely place to get your morning started or wind down the day, while giving your pup some exercise and enjoying Miami’s sky at golden hour.
Dog Parks Across Miami
While it’s great to splash in the surf at Miami’s beaches with your pooch, there are even more dog-friendly parks and off-leash bark parks across the city. For a complete list, click here.