Where Can i Take My Dog? To the Beach

Where Can i Take My Dog? To the Beach

It is hard to imagine many places a dog is happier than at a beach. Whether
running around on the sand, jumping in the water, digging a hole or just lying in the sun, every dog deserves a day at the beach. But all too often dog owners stopping at a sandy stretch of beach are met with signs designed to make hearts - human and canine alike - droop: NO DOGS ON BEACH. Below is a quick traveling tour of America's beaches with each state ranked from the most dog-friendly (****) to the worst (*).venezia beach 

DOGS ON ATLANTIC OCEAN BEACHES (traveling North to South)

The rocky coast of Maine (***) is mesmerizing to look at but doesn't leave much
room for sandy beaches. Dogs are generally banned from the beaches at the many
small state parks along the Maine coast, but dog owners will find more friendly
sands on the town beaches. Around Portland, the state's biggest city, and the tourist
towns of the Southern Coast dogs are often allowed on the beach anytime Labor Day
to Memorial Day and in the mornings and evenings during the summer. The
spectacular Acadia National Park is one of America's most dog-friendly national
parks but does not allow dogs on its beaches.

It is lucky for dog lovers that New Hampshire (*) has only 18 miles of coastline. State
beaches and parks don't allow dogs on the sand at all. If you must stop in New
Hampshire, try the Grand Island Common in New Castle or Foss Beach in Rye during
the off-season from October to late May.

Around Boston, the beaches of the North Shore are off-limits to dogs during the
summer but other towns in Massachusetts (****) are more generous - dogs are
usually allowed year-round with restrictive hours in the summer. Cape Cod,
however, is the best destination for beach-loving dogs in New England. Cape Cod
National Seashore, America's first national seashore, allows dogs on the beach
anytime outside the swimming areas (and not on the trails). The curviture of the
Cape limits sightlines down the beach and gives the park the impression of being
comprised of a series of dune-backed private coves. The two tourist islands off
southern Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, are both extremely dog-
friendly - on Nantucket, dogs can even take the shuttle to the beach.