Willard Beach
Casco Bay's favorite dog beach runs on a clock: summer mornings and evenings only, generous off-season hours with a midday leash window.
Season: May 1 – Sep 30: dogs 7–9 a.m. & 7–9 p.m. only; Oct 1 – Apr 30: 6 a.m.–9 p.m. (leashed 10 a.m.–3 p.m.)
The rules, verified
- May 1 – Sep 30: dogs permitted 7–9 a.m. and 7–9 p.m. only
- Oct 1 – Apr 30: dogs permitted 6 a.m.–9 p.m.; leash required 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
- Off-leash dogs: leash in hand, within 100 feet, under voice control
- Bag waste and remove or bin it
- Ball-launcher toys banned May–Sep
Set by City of South Portland. Rules change — posted signage and the current ordinance always take precedence over this page.
More like this: beaches where dogs can actually run free · winter dog beaches: the off-season payoff · seasonal dog beaches (know the dates)
Map & directions
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors — loads on demand.
Nearby & related beaches
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Hampton Beach State Park
Seasonal access Seasonal — check dates✓ New Hampshire State Parks · verified 2026-08
-
Cape Cod National Seashore beaches
Seasonal restrictions Seasonal — check dates✓ National Park Service · verified 2026-08
-
Jones Beach State Park
No dogs allowed Seasonal — check dates✓ NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation · verified 2026-06
-
Long Beach (City of Long Beach, NY)
No dogs allowed Seasonal — check dates✓ City of Long Beach, NY · verified 2026-06
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Verified against: City of South Portland — official source (checked 2026-08-30).
Rules change between checks. Spotted an update, or want this listing corrected or removed? Tell us — actioned within 7 days.