Dog Friendly Beaches of Southern California

Southern California has its share of dog friendly beaches. Some cities allow leashed dogs on their beaches every day, just not during the busiest hours of the day. Other cities restrict them entirely from every beach. A few beaches along these sandy shores allow dogs to frolic unencumbered by a leash!

Dog Beaches of San Diego County

The “dogs on beaches” rules vary by city in San Diego County. The city of San Diego is quite dog-friendly and allows leashed dogs in the mornings and evenings. There are four beaches in the county that allow dogs the freedom to splash about with no strings attached. Coronado Dog Beach, Ocean Beach Dog Beach, and Del Mar Dog Beach are the best. See our list of San Diego dog beaches to see all the beaches and learn the specific hours.

Dog Beaches of Orange County

Orange County has many dog friendly options. Laguna Beach and Newport Beach are the most friendly cities as they allow dogs in the mornings and evenings like San Diego does. Most other OC coastal cities have a few options, but the best one is Huntington Dog Beach where dogs can bury the leash in the sand. See our Orange County dog beach list to locate all the beaches and learn the rules.

Dog Beaches of Los Angels County

The Los Angeles area doesn’t have many beaches that allow dogs, but there are a few. Unfortunately none of them are on the sandy shores of Santa Monica Bay. From there you’ll need to drive north to Malibu or south to Long Beach. Your dog will be happiest at Rosie’s Dog Beach as this is the only beach where they can roam free without a leash. See our LA dog beaches list to find the other beaches.