Looking for a fun and dog friendly beach in Florida? Check out the dog beach at Lighthouse Point Park at the Ponce Inlet. For just $10 a vehicle or $20 for an annual pass, you can take your pup for a swim! This beach is one of the largest beaches for dogs in the whole state of Florida.
Although you do have to keep your dog on a leash, there are plenty of access points for dogs to swim in the water or just relax on the sand. Don’t miss our ice cream stop recommendation on the bottom as well, a place nearby that offers pup ice cream cups!
To find the park, you do have to go a bit off the beaten path. There is only one way to access Lighthouse Park, since is at the tip of an inlet. To get there, you will drive over the Dunlawton Bridge and then head south on A1A. In about 15 minutes, you will reach the park entrance. To head to the dog beach, continue straight through the intersection to the small payment booth. To the right, there is also a road that takes you down to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. However, that will not take you to the dog beach.
The beach itself is wide and spread out, so plenty of places to put a chair, umbrella, or tent. It’s shaped like a peninsula, so water is on three sides. The water is fairly shallow and easy to walk out into with your pup. My best tip is to bring a long rope or leash for your dog so they have plenty of room to run. Even if you don’t have a dog, this beach is a nice one to visit! If the visibility is good, you can also snorkel here.
Parking & Restrooms
The parking area gets super crowded on the weekends, so prepare to walk a distance to the beach. Bringing a large vehicle like an RV or anything with a trailer is not recommended. There is a small parking lot near the restrooms and the showers directly across the dog beach, and then there is parking in the grass areas along the roads nearby. I suggest a weekday visit if at all possible!
Ice Cream Stop!
As you head out of the park and back over the Dunlawton Bridge, you’ll spot a small food truck called Mimi’s. They are on the right just before you head over the bridge. The best part about this ice cream truck is that they make all their cookies and ice cream home made! We were happy to support this small business and our puppies enjoyed their $2 pup ice cream vanilla cups with treats on top.
We hope you will enjoy one of the largest dog friendly beaches in Florida! For more to do in the area, visit our page on Free Activities in the Daytona Area.
Park Address: 5000 S Atlantic Ave, Ponce Inlet, FL 32127Map
