Taking your dog on vacation with you is preferable to leaving them behind at a kennel or with a sitter, but not every vacation location is dog-friendly. If you’re in Alabama, though, and you’re planning a trip to the Gulf Coast or surrounding areas, then you’re in luck! Alabama has several dog-friendly beaches you and your favorite furry pal can visit. Take a look below at the top seven dog-friendly beaches in Alabama, and see where your next vacation will take you!
The Top 7 Dog-Friendly Beaches in Alabama
- Dauphin Island Public Beach
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🗺️ Address: 1501 Bienville Blvd, Dauphin Island, AL 36528
🕐 Open Times: Year-round
💲 Cost: $10 parking fee
🐕 Off-Leash: No
Less crowded than other Alabama beaches
Can be accessed by road (2-hour drive from the mainland) or ferry (leashed, well-behaved dogs allowed)
Dogs are not allowed on the West End
Dogs are not allowed off-leash due to island-wide leash law
Walk is long from the parking lot to the beach
- Graham Creek Nature Preserve
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🗺️ Address: 23030 Wolf Bay Dr, Foley, AL 36535
🕐 Open Times: Preserve open 7 days a week from dusk till dawn; nature center open 10 AM–4 PM M–F, 10 AM–2 PM Saturday, closed Sunday
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
Hiking trails will take you to a dog-friendly beach
Also, a creek for you and your pups to enjoy
Can also spend time on the boardwalks, at disc golf, and at a kayak launch
Dogs must be leashed at all times
- Mayday Park
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🗺️ Address: 100 College Avenue, Daphne, AL
🕐 Open Times: Open dawn till dusk
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
Offers bayfront and beach access
Has a boardwalk/pier
Can boat with your dog in kayaks or canoes
Dogs must be leashed at all times
Keep an eye out for snakes and alligators
- Orange Beach Waterfront Park
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🗺️ Address: 26425 Canal Rd, Orange Beach, AL 36561
🕐 Open Times: 8 AM–6 PM Monday–Saturday, closed Sunday
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
Beach on Wolf Bay, not Gulf
Has a pier (though currently closed for hurricane damage)
Enjoy picnicking and kids’ park
Dogs must be leashed at all times
More dogs around after sunset hours, so you may want to go early in the day
- Pirate’s Cove Marina
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🗺️ Address: 6664 Co Rd 95, Elberta, AL 36530
🕐 Open Times: 8 AM–9 PM Monday–Thursday, 8 AM–10 PM Friday and Sunday, 8 AM–11 PM Saturday
💲 Cost: Varies, depending on the food you get
🐕 Off-Leash: No
On the north shore of Arnica Bay
Public boat launch for boating with your pup
A restaurant is one of the main features of Pirate’s Cove
Dogs must be leashed at all times
Extremely dog-friendly area
Dog-Friendly Beaches in Gulf Shores, AL Gulf Shores is one of the best places to hit the beach in Alabama. Unfortunately, though, they only have a couple of dog-friendly beach areas you can visit. 6. The Dog Pond at Lake Shelby (Gulf State Park)
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🗺️ Address: 20115 State Park Rd, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
🕐 Open Times: 8 AM to sunset
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: Only on beach
Inside Gulf State Park, so you can also go hiking
Dogs must be leashed in park but can be off-leash on beach
Dog food isn’t allowed, but treats are
Agility course area
Picnic area for the humans
- Fort Morgan Historic Site Bayside Beach
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🗺️ Address: 51 AL- 180, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
🕐 Open Times: Fort is 8 AM–4:30 PM; beach is always open
💲 Cost: Fort is $8 for adults, $5 for children 6–12 and seniors, children under 6 free; beach is free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
Public beach, plus historical fort located 22 miles outside Gulf Shores
Dogs can visit the beach and the fort (but not the museum)
Dogs must stay between Fisherman’s Wharf and the old Fort Morgan Pier while on the beach due to a nearby Federal Wildlife area
Dogs must be leashed at all times
Conclusion As you can see, Alabama is home to quite a few dog-friendly beaches (or beach-adjacent areas)! Whether you want to spend a day or two on the sandy shores of Dauphin Island or vary between nature trails and swimming in the water, you can find a bit of everything. So, next time you’re planning to take a beach vacation, look at Gulf Shores and the surrounding areas to find a dog-friendly location that will allow you to bring your furry friend along. Sources
Dauphin Insta Dauphin Map Dog Pond Insta Dog Pond Map Fort Morgan Insta Fort Morgan Map Graham Creek Insta Graham Creek Map Mayday Insta Mayday Map Orange Beach Insta Orange Beach Map Pirate’s Cove Insta Pirate’s Cove Map
Featured Image Credit: LyAn Voyages, Unsplash
Taking your dog on vacation with you is preferable to leaving them behind at a kennel or with a sitter, but not every vacation location is dog-friendly. If you’re in Alabama, though, and you’re planning a trip to the Gulf Coast or surrounding areas, then you’re in luck! Alabama has several dog-friendly beaches you and your favorite furry pal can visit.
Take a look below at the top seven dog-friendly beaches in Alabama, and see where your next vacation will take you!
The Top 7 Dog-Friendly Beaches in Alabama
1. Dauphin Island Public Beach
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by 🐾 (@burnettfarmdogs)
🗺️ Address: 1501 Bienville Blvd, Dauphin Island, AL 36528
🕐 Open Times: Year-round
💲 Cost: $10 parking fee
🐕 Off-Leash: No
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by 🐾 (@burnettfarmdogs)
A post shared by 🐾 (@burnettfarmdogs)
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
- Less crowded than other Alabama beaches
- Can be accessed by road (2-hour drive from the mainland) or ferry (leashed, well-behaved dogs allowed)
- Dogs are not allowed on the West End
- Dogs are not allowed off-leash due to island-wide leash law
- Walk is long from the parking lot to the beach
2. Graham Creek Nature Preserve
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by GO-TO GULF COAST (@gotogulfcoast)
🗺️ Address: 23030 Wolf Bay Dr, Foley, AL 36535
🕐 Open Times: Preserve open 7 days a week from dusk till dawn; nature center open 10 AM–4 PM M–F, 10 AM–2 PM Saturday, closed Sunday
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by GO-TO GULF COAST (@gotogulfcoast)
A post shared by GO-TO GULF COAST (@gotogulfcoast)
- Hiking trails will take you to a dog-friendly beach
- Also, a creek for you and your pups to enjoy
- Can also spend time on the boardwalks, at disc golf, and at a kayak launch
- Dogs must be leashed at all times
3. Mayday Park
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A post shared by Jax the Shiba Inu (@jaxforthewin)
🗺️ Address: 100 College Avenue, Daphne, AL
🕐 Open Times: Open dawn till dusk
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Jax the Shiba Inu (@jaxforthewin)
A post shared by Jax the Shiba Inu (@jaxforthewin)
- Offers bayfront and beach access
- Has a boardwalk/pier
- Can boat with your dog in kayaks or canoes
- Dogs must be leashed at all times
- Keep an eye out for snakes and alligators
4. Orange Beach Waterfront Park
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Macy | Orange Beach Portrait & Wedding Photographer (@scottiemaephotos)
🗺️ Address: 26425 Canal Rd, Orange Beach, AL 36561
🕐 Open Times: 8 AM–6 PM Monday–Saturday, closed Sunday
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Macy | Orange Beach Portrait & Wedding Photographer (@scottiemaephotos)
A post shared by Macy | Orange Beach Portrait & Wedding Photographer (@scottiemaephotos)
- Beach on Wolf Bay, not Gulf
- Has a pier (though currently closed for hurricane damage)
- Enjoy picnicking and kids’ park
- Dogs must be leashed at all times
- More dogs around after sunset hours, so you may want to go early in the day
5. Pirate’s Cove Marina
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by June (@nora.river.june)
🗺️ Address: 6664 Co Rd 95, Elberta, AL 36530
🕐 Open Times: 8 AM–9 PM Monday–Thursday, 8 AM–10 PM Friday and Sunday, 8 AM–11 PM Saturday
💲 Cost: Varies, depending on the food you get
🐕 Off-Leash: No
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by June (@nora.river.june)
A post shared by June (@nora.river.june)
- On the north shore of Arnica Bay
- Public boat launch for boating with your pup
- A restaurant is one of the main features of Pirate’s Cove
- Dogs must be leashed at all times
- Extremely dog-friendly area
Dog-Friendly Beaches in Gulf Shores, AL
Gulf Shores is one of the best places to hit the beach in Alabama. Unfortunately, though, they only have a couple of dog-friendly beach areas you can visit.
6. The Dog Pond at Lake Shelby (Gulf State Park)
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Hank (@hurrayforhank)
🗺️ Address: 20115 State Park Rd, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
🕐 Open Times: 8 AM to sunset
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: Only on beach
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Hank (@hurrayforhank)
A post shared by Hank (@hurrayforhank)
- Inside Gulf State Park, so you can also go hiking
- Dogs must be leashed in park but can be off-leash on beach
- Dog food isn’t allowed, but treats are
- Agility course area
- Picnic area for the humans
7. Fort Morgan Historic Site Bayside Beach
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Duke (@ducdebourbonthefrenchie)
🗺️ Address: 51 AL- 180, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
🕐 Open Times: Fort is 8 AM–4:30 PM; beach is always open
💲 Cost: Fort is $8 for adults, $5 for children 6–12 and seniors, children under 6 free; beach is free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Duke (@ducdebourbonthefrenchie)
A post shared by Duke (@ducdebourbonthefrenchie)
- Public beach, plus historical fort located 22 miles outside Gulf Shores
- Dogs can visit the beach and the fort (but not the museum)
- Dogs must stay between Fisherman’s Wharf and the old Fort Morgan Pier while on the beach due to a nearby Federal Wildlife area
- Dogs must be leashed at all times
Conclusion
As you can see, Alabama is home to quite a few dog-friendly beaches (or beach-adjacent areas)! Whether you want to spend a day or two on the sandy shores of Dauphin Island or vary between nature trails and swimming in the water, you can find a bit of everything. So, next time you’re planning to take a beach vacation, look at Gulf Shores and the surrounding areas to find a dog-friendly location that will allow you to bring your furry friend along.
Sources
Dauphin Insta Dauphin Map Dog Pond Insta Dog Pond Map Fort Morgan Insta Fort Morgan Map Graham Creek Insta Graham Creek Map Mayday Insta Mayday Map Orange Beach Insta Orange Beach Map Pirate’s Cove Insta Pirate’s Cove Map
- Dauphin Insta
- Dauphin Map
- Dog Pond Insta
- Dog Pond Map
- Fort Morgan Insta
- Fort Morgan Map
- Graham Creek Insta
- Graham Creek Map
- Mayday Insta
- Mayday Map
- Orange Beach Insta
- Orange Beach Map
- Pirate’s Cove Insta
- Pirate’s Cove Map
Featured Image Credit: LyAn Voyages, Unsplash
