Dog-Friendly Beaches in California

Dog rules on California beaches are set beach by beach. A few beaches let dogs run off leash, many allow leashed dogs only at certain hours or seasons, and many popular beaches don't allow dogs on the sand at all. Below is every beach in Dockya's directory whose page covers dogs, grouped by what that page says.

Dogs allowed, with conditions

• Carmel Beach: dogs may be off leash on the beach but must stay under voice control; leashed elsewhere in town.
• Coronado Beach: dogs only at Dog Beach at the north end, where they may be off leash.
• Ocean Beach, San Diego: off leash at Dog Beach 24 hours a day; the city's hourly limits apply on the rest of the beach.
• Fiesta Island: has a fenced off-leash dog area.
• Muir Beach: dogs on the beach must be leashed or under voice control; leashed on Kaashi Way and the Coastal Trail.
• Huntington City Beach: dogs only on the service road and at Dog Beach.
• Pismo Beach: on Pismo State Beach, leash of 6 feet or less, not in the Pismo Dunes Natural Preserve; no dogs on the pier.
• Cayucos Beach: on leash (6 ft max) in permitted areas unless signs say otherwise.
• Leo Carrillo State Park: leashed dogs permitted, conditions permitting, south of Tower 1 and north of Tower 3.
• Imperial Beach: leashed (6 ft max), but not between Imperial Beach Blvd and Palm Ave, and never on the pier.
• Salt Creek Beach: dogs allowed in the park on a leash.
• Kings Beach SRA: leashed dogs only on the rocky beach east of the boat launch.
• Beals Point and Granite Bay Main Beach at Folsom Lake: not in the swim area; 6-foot leash elsewhere.

Seasonal or time-of-day limits

• Mission Beach and Pacific Beach: no dogs on the beach, boardwalk or adjacent parks 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (Nov 1–Mar 31) or 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (Apr 1–Oct 31); leashed at other hours.
• Corona del Mar State Beach, Newport Pier and Beach and Balboa Pier and Beach: no dogs on the beach 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; leash of 6 feet or less at other times.
• Main Beach, Laguna and Aliso Beach: leashed; from June 15 to September 10, allowed on the beach only before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
• Avila Beach: off leash under voice control before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.; no dogs 10 a.m.–5 p.m. except service dogs. Olde Port Beach allows dogs off leash under voice control; Fisherman's Beach allows none.
• Ocean Beach, San Francisco: 6-foot leash from July 1 to May 15 in the Snowy Plover Protection Area (Stairwell 21 to Sloat Blvd.).
• Crissy Field East Beach: dogs welcome; 6-foot leash from July 1 to May 15 in the signed Wildlife Protection Area.

Dogs nearby, but not on the sand

• Crystal Cove State Park: paved areas only, 6-foot leash; no animals on the beach or in the backcountry except ADA service animals.
• Doheny State Beach: 6-foot leash in the park, in a vehicle or tent at night; no dogs on beaches.
• Carpinteria State Beach and Refugio State Beach: 6-foot leash; not on the beach or in buildings.
• East Beach, Santa Barbara: leashed dogs on the park's grass and paths, not the sand.
• Santa Monica State Beach: leashed dogs on the pier and boardwalk only.
• Hermosa Beach Pier and Oceanside: leashed on The Strand; not on the sand or the pier.
• Stinson Beach: not on the NPS section; leashed in parking lots, picnic areas and on the adjacent county beach.
• Natural Bridges, Half Moon Bay State Beach and Crown Memorial State Beach: no dogs on the beach; 6-foot leash in listed areas such as parking lots, picnic areas, paths or the Coastal Trail.
• Morro Strand: no dogs on the state beach (only its campground); leashed within Morro Bay city limits.
• Lake Tahoe: Kiva Beach (picnic area, not near Taylor Creek Marsh), Commons Beach (paved trail) and Sugar Pine Point (developed areas, not beaches or dirt trails).

No dogs on the beach

• LA County: Venice Beach, Dockweiler and Manhattan Beach (no animals on the beach, including dogs), plus Cabrillo Beach.
• Zuma Beach: dogs aren't allowed on any Malibu beach.
• San Diego: La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Shores (per the City's beach listing) and Moonlight Beach (no dogs or cats).
• Ventura's state beach and Leadbetter Beach. Santa Barbara's code does allow licensed dogs off leash from the Shoreline Park staircase to the Arroyo Burro estuary.
• Santa Cruz Main Beach: no dogs on Main and Cowell beaches; service dogs only on the wharf.
• Tahoe: Pope Beach and Baldwin Beach: no pets.

Before you go

Rules vary by city, county and state park, and they change. Check posted signs, carry a leash even where dogs can run free, and pick up after your dog.

This guide is general information, not legal advice; rules change, so check the linked pages and posted signs.