Dog Beach Miami: Bark Beach and Haulover Rules

Miami has two stretches of sand where dogs are allowed, and both are narrow, marked exceptions. Bark Beach in North Beach is the off-leash one and it only opens in the afternoon. Haulover is the other, between two specific lifeguard towers.

Plus the bark park, the boarding house and the patios that take dogs afterwards.

🏖️ 2 beaches that allow dogs ⏰ Afternoon hours only 🐕 1 bark park 📍 Miami & Miami Beach

🏖️ THE SHORT LIST

Where a dog can legally hit the sand in Miami

Two beaches and one bark park. Everything else on Miami Beach is closed to dogs, and that is enforced.

SEE ALL ON THE MAP →

🌅01

Bark Beach

Miami Beach's only off-leash dog beach, tucked between 80th and 81st Streets with entry at Collins and 81st. Afternoon hours only, and they change with the season.

Where8100 Collins Ave

HoursAfternoons only

VIEW THIS BEACH →

🏝️02

Haulover Park

Dogs are permitted on the beach only between lifeguard towers 2 and 3, and may be off-leash there if you keep them under control. A big county park either side of it.

Where10800 Collins Ave

ZoneTowers 2 to 3

VIEW THIS PARK →

🌴03

Belle Isle Bark Park

A small, well-kept park on the island between South Beach and the mainland, open sunrise to sunset. Leashed, but the most convenient green space in the area.

WhereBelle Isle, Miami Beach

HoursSunrise to sunset

VIEW THIS PARK →

⏰ CHECK THE CLOCK

Dog Beach Miami: Bark Beach Hours and Rules

This is the detail that ruins the trip if you miss it. Bark Beach is not open all day.

Bark Beach runs on afternoon hours that change twice a year:

March through October: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
November through February: 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Turn up at ten in the morning and you will be turned away from an empty beach. The upside is that afternoon timing avoids the worst of the midday sand temperature, which on a Miami summer day is genuinely dangerous for paws.

The rules the city posts and enforces:

Dogs are allowed only inside the designated Bark Beach area.
Off-leash is permitted inside it, but a leash is required outside and you must carry one with you on the sand.
Owners must clean up waste immediately.
Dogs must not disturb other beachgoers or wildlife.

There is a beachwalk and a water fountain on site. Bring your own bowl anyway, and never let the dog drink salt water.

🍽️ AFTER THE SAND

Dog-Friendly Miami Patios

Coconut Grove and the bay side of Miami Beach carry most of the dog-friendly dining.

5 SPOTS

⛵ Lido BaysideBayfront dining on Island Avenue with water bowls and complimentary dog treats on request. Open daily 8am to midnight, with a DJ at weekends.40 Island Ave, Miami Beach ☕ Greenstreet CafeA Coconut Grove institution on Main Highway, open from 7:30am daily and until 2am on Friday and Saturday.3468 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove 🍻 The Taurus Coconut GroveA short walk along Main Highway from Greenstreet, in the same walkable Grove stretch.3540 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove 🍝 Bella LunaTraditional Italian at Aventura Mall, with dog-friendly patio seating. Leashed dogs are not permitted indoors.19575 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura 🍴 MagieSmall plates on NE 2nd Avenue, up in the Little River and MiMo direction.8281 NE 2nd Ave, Miami

🐾 SERVICES

Boarding, Daycare and Supplies

For the days the beach is shut, or the dog needs somewhere to be.

2 SPOTS

🏨 DogtownCoconut Grove pet care running since 2012: boarding, daycare, grooming and training. Puppies under six months need a vaccination schedule, and dogs over six months must be spayed or neutered.3686 Grand Ave · Mon–Fri 7:30am–7:30pm 🦴 Dog BarLong-running pet supply shop on Euclid Avenue in South Beach, open seven days.1627 Euclid Ave · Mon–Sat 9–7, Sun 10–6

Dog Beach Miami, Honestly 🏖️

Miami's beaches are almost entirely closed to dogs. South Beach, Mid-Beach, Lummus Park, the famous stretches you have seen photographed, all of them prohibit dogs on the sand. Searching for a dog beach in Miami and heading for the nearest famous one is the classic mistake.

What exists instead are two exceptions. Bark Beach in North Beach is the off-leash one, and it is small, well kept and open only in the afternoon. Haulover Park allows dogs on the sand between lifeguard towers 2 and 3, off-leash if they stay under control.

Both are marked. Step outside the boundary and the standard rule applies again, which in Miami Beach means a fine rather than a friendly word.

Practical Notes for Miami 🐾

Check the Haulover posting. The park limits how many dogs one person may bring, and the number is on the sign at the access point.
Food Truck Tuesdays at Haulover are a no-pets event apart from service animals, so do not plan the beach around that evening.
Sand temperature. Bark Beach's afternoon hours help, but from June to September the sand can still burn. Press the back of your hand to it for five seconds first. Our guide to hot pavement and dog paws explains the test.
Rinse afterwards. Dried salt irritates skin and paws on the drive home, and neither beach has a rinse station.

For how beach designation works across the state, and why so few Florida beaches allow dogs at all, see Florida beach dog rules.

💬 COMMON QUESTIONS

Miami with a dog, answered

Is there a dog beach in Miami?

Two places allow dogs on the sand. Bark Beach between 80th and 81st Streets is Miami Beach's only off-leash dog beach, and Haulover Park permits dogs between lifeguard towers 2 and 3. Everywhere else on Miami Beach prohibits them.

What are Bark Beach hours?

Afternoons only, and they shift with the season: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from March through October, and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. from November through February. It is closed outside those windows.

Can dogs be off-leash on Miami beaches?

Inside the designated Bark Beach area, yes, though you must still carry a leash. At Haulover, dogs may be off-leash between towers 2 and 3 provided the owner keeps them under control. A leash is required everywhere else, including getting to and from the sand.

Are dogs allowed on South Beach?

No. South Beach and the other main Miami Beach stretches prohibit dogs on the sand. The designated exceptions are Bark Beach in North Beach and the marked section of Haulover.

Where can I walk a dog in Miami if the beach is closed?

Belle Isle Bark Park sits on the island between South Beach and the mainland and is open sunrise to sunset. Coconut Grove's Main Highway stretch is a pleasant leashed walk with Greenstreet Cafe and The Taurus at the end of it.

Is there dog boarding in Miami?

Dogtown in Coconut Grove has run boarding, daycare, grooming and training since 2012. Puppies under six months need to show a vaccination schedule, and dogs over six months must be spayed or neutered.

📍 NEARBY