Dog beaches in California

California decides beach dog access city by city — and mostly says no. The exceptions are famous for a reason: dedicated off-leash zones like Rosie's Dog Beach and San Diego's Dog Beach and Fiesta Island. State beaches generally prohibit dogs on sand.

Dog-friendly beaches

• Rosie's Dog Beach

  Long Beach, CA

  Off-leash zone Year-round

  ✓ City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine · verified 2026-06

• Dog Beach (Ocean Beach)

  San Diego, CA

  Off-leash zone Year-round

  ✓ City of San Diego Parks & Recreation · verified 2026-06

• Fiesta Island (Mission Bay Park)

  San Diego, CA

  Off-leash zone Set hours

  ✓ City of San Diego Parks & Recreation · verified 2026-06

• Carmel Beach

  Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

  Voice control OK Year-round

  ✓ City of Carmel-by-the-Sea · verified 2026-08

• Coronado Dog Beach

  Coronado, CA

  Off-leash zone Year-round

  ✓ City of Coronado · verified 2026-08

• Del Mar North Beach (Dog Beach)

  Del Mar, CA

  Seasonal off-leash Seasonal — check dates

  ✓ City of Del Mar · verified 2026-08

Conditional access (leash, season, hours or permit)

• William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach

  San Simeon, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-06

• Newport Beach (city beaches)

  Newport Beach, CA

  Timed, leashed Set hours

  ✓ City of Newport Beach · verified 2026-06

• Huntington Dog Beach

  Huntington Beach, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ City of Huntington Beach · verified 2026-08

• Asilomar State Beach

  Pacific Grove, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Bean Hollow State Beach

  Pescadero, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Cardiff State Beach

  Encinitas, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Garrapata State Park beach (Gate 19)

  Carmel Highlands, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Jug Handle State Natural Reserve

  Caspar, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Leo Carrillo State Park — North Beach

  Malibu, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Lighthouse Field State Beach

  Santa Cruz, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Little River State Beach

  McKinleyville, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Montaña de Oro — Spooner's Cove Beach

  Los Osos, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Russian Gulch State Park beach

  Mendocino, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Sonoma Coast State Park — dog-friendly beaches

  Bodega Bay, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Pismo State Beach

  Pismo Beach, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Oceano Dunes SVRA beach

  Oceano, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Donner Memorial State Park — Donner Lake shore

  Truckee, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• South Yuba River State Park shoreline

  Penn Valley, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Corona del Mar State Beach

  Newport Beach, CA

  Timed, leashed Set hours

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Van Damme State Park beach

  Little River, CA

  Leash required Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

Where dogs are not allowed

Listed because people search for them — save yourself the fine.

• Kings Beach SRA — Dog Beach area

  Kings Beach (Lake Tahoe), CA

  Restricted area Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-06

• Monterey State Beach (Roberts lot south)

  Seaside, CA

  Restricted area Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Pigeon Point — Pistachio Beach

  Pescadero, CA

  Restricted area Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Tahoe State Recreation Area — Gatekeepers shoreline

  Tahoe City, CA

  Restricted area Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Carlsbad State Beach

  Carlsbad, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Carpinteria State Beach

  Carpinteria, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Doheny State Beach

  Dana Point, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• El Capitán State Beach

  Goleta, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Emma Wood State Beach

  Ventura, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Half Moon Bay State Beach

  Half Moon Bay, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Huntington State Beach

  Huntington Beach, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Bolsa Chica State Beach

  Huntington Beach, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Refugio State Beach

  Goleta, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• McGrath State Beach

  Oxnard, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• San Buenaventura State Beach

  Ventura, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• San Clemente State Beach

  San Clemente, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• San Elijo State Beach

  Encinitas, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• San Onofre State Beach

  San Clemente, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• South Carlsbad State Beach

  Carlsbad, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Silver Strand State Beach

  Coronado, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Torrey Pines State Beach

  San Diego, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Point Dume State Beach

  Malibu, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Morro Strand State Beach

  Morro Bay, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Crystal Cove State Park

  Laguna Beach, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Natural Bridges State Beach

  Santa Cruz, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Moss Landing State Beach

  Moss Landing, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Manchester State Park

  Manchester, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Fort Ord Dunes State Park

  Marina, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09

• Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach

  Alameda, CA

  No dogs allowed Year-round

  ✓ California State Parks · verified 2026-09