Prior to COVID, I used to travel a lot. I’ve been to Las Vegas, Austin, Portland (Maine and Oregon), Nashville, Boston, San Francisco, and Hawaii. And San Diego is by far my favorite dog-friendly city! Here’s why…
My top 3 favorite things to do:
- Fiesta Island Off Leash Dog Park
- Coronado Dog Beach
- SUP for Dogs
Fiesta Island Off Leash Dog Park
Located in Mission Bay Park, Fiesta Island Off Leash Dog Park is 60 fenced acres of doggie heaven-on-earth. It is my absolute favorite dog park I’ve been in the US (so far)! It is about a 15-20 min drive from downtown SD and there is a designated FREE parking area in front of the main gate.
(Note: The area is no longer grassy. It is now an extremely dry desert land. But I still have fun regardless).
Once you enter the main gate, there is a beach on each side to dip your paws (if you’re like me) or swim and splash in the deep ocean waters. Just beware of boats and other motorized water activity in the area.
It is also behind Sea World so you can see and hear the screams of the roller coaster riders, which makes it seem like I am there too! I can easily spend 3 hours at this park before exhausting my little legs. But be sure to BYO-water as there are no fresh water fountains anywhere in the park.
Coronado Dog Beach
Unlike other many other dog-friendly beaches around San Diego, Coronado Dog Beach welcomes off-leash dogs year-round! Parking is fairly easy to find on surrounding streets and it is FREE.
The beach itself has a huge sandy area before the water hits so it is great for playing fetch. Other dogs tend to leave my ball alone OR their owners are attentive enough to help me get it back (for the most part). And the shoreline is gradual, so I am able to dip my little paws in the water without becoming engulfed by a wave (again, for the most part).
As you leave the dog beach, there is also access to a fresh water hose to wash off the salt water before heading to your next dog-friendly activity for the day!
Other Water Activities
My first trip to San Diego in 2019 included a SUP beginner lesson with Sam at SUP Pups. It was the best way to start my weekend! Sam was very outgoing, knowledgeable, and EXTRA dog-friendly. I was able to learn how to walk on the board (with minimal falling off) and how to switch from my mom’s board to dad’s board while on the water.
And since then, I have returned to SD twice where I’ve also rented a tandem kayak and the megalodon from West Coast Paddle Board Rentals. Sitting in a kayak is like a low and slow car ride with my head out the window. It is awesome. But my favorite is the megalodon because it easily fits both of my pawrents with ample space for me to walk around it!
Both the lessons and rentals are located in Point Loma in front of the Courtyard San Diego Airport/Liberty Station, which is not a dog-friendly hotel. But it is an easy 15-min drive from other dog-friendly hotels in downtown. And FREE street parking is easy to find nearby.
Places to Eat
There are also a ton of dog-friendly restaurants in and around the San Diego area. Read my San Diego Eats post for all my favorite dog-friendly restaurants around SD.
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