Daytona Beach's 1.7-mile dog-friendly beach, Brownie's Dog Park and Lenox Park, riverfront trails and the city leash law: 8 feet on land, 6 feet on the sand.

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Facts on this page come from Volusia County’s Dogs on the Beach page, the City of Daytona Beach Animal City Ordinances and Animal Services pages, and the Riverfront Esplanade.

Daytona Beach has had a dog-friendly beach since Dec. 1, 2025: 1.7 miles of shoreline between the Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard approaches, open to leashed dogs during daylight. In town there are two fenced dog parks, a riverfront trail and a city leash law that applies everywhere off your own property.

Who to call

  • City Animal Services Unit: 386-318-3302 or 386-318-3303, email
  • Stray or loose animal: Volusia County non-emergency dispatch, 386-248-1777
  • Beach rules: Volusia County Beach Safety, 386-239-7873
  • Brownie’s Dog Park: Riverfront Esplanade ranger station, 249 N. Beach St.; 386-882-2731

The dog beach

The Volusia County Council approved the Daytona Beach dog-friendly area in November 2025, and it opened Dec. 1, according to the county’s announcement.
Where Between the Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard approaches
Length 1.7 miles
Hours Daylight, sunrise to sunset
Access Six vehicle ramps, nearly 300 off-beach parking spaces, two pedestrian walkovers

County rules, from its Dogs on the Beach page:

  • Dogs stay on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times.
  • No dogs in designated wildlife areas; keep dogs off the dune plants.
  • Owners clean up after their dogs. Violations can bring a fine.

Volusia County Animal Services enforces the rules. A local nonprofit, Daytona Dog Beach Inc., pledged startup money, a yearly supply of waste bags and volunteers for cleanup, the county says.

The county lists four places on its beaches where dogs may go. The other three are nearby: Rockefeller Drive to Milsap Road in Ormond Beach, Lighthouse Point Park in Ponce Inlet and Smyrna Dunes Park in New Smyrna Beach.

Dog parks

Brownie’s Dog Park, Riverfront Esplanade, downtown: a gated park with separate small and large dog areas, small and large agility courses and artificial turf, open sunrise to sunset. It runs on memberships; apply through the Esplanade’s site. The park is named for Brownie, a stray who wandered into the Daytona Cab Company in 1940 and became the town’s dog; when he died in 1954, 75 people attended his funeral. His statue and grave are on the south side of the Esplanade.

Lenox Park, 825 S. Grandview Ave., on the beachside: a city park with a dog park for small and large dogs, a playground, a walking path, a pavilion and parking (city). The city held its free Paws & Play Dog Festival there in May 2026, with an agility course, a costume parade and a fetch contest (city).

Walks and trails

  • Riverfront Esplanade: more than a mile of riverfront path along Beach Street. Pets must be on a leash, owners pick up, and dogs are barred from the splash pad (rules of conduct).
  • Sweetheart Trail: the city’s stretch of the East Coast Greenway along the Halifax River; see our walking and biking trails page.

Patios

We list a restaurant patio here only when the restaurant says on its own website that dogs are welcome. None we checked did so as of Oct. 8. Restaurants can tell the newsroom.

The leash law and other city rules

The rules are in Chapter 14 of the city’s Code of Ordinances. From the city’s violations flyer, each carrying a $100 fine:

  • Running at large (Sec. 14-11): no dog may run loose in the city. Off its owner’s property, a dog must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet.
  • Nuisance (Sec. 14-11(B)): do not let your dog relieve itself on someone else’s property, public or private, or bark, howl or yelp habitually.
  • Rabies (Sec. 14-15) and license (Sec. 14-16): yearly rabies shots and a yearly license tag for dogs and cats.
  • Limit: four adult dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs or ferrets per home in total.
  • Tethering a pet outdoors is prohibited under a separate city ordinance.

What this means for you

  • Take your dog to the sand only between Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard, in daylight, on a 6-foot leash.
  • Everywhere else in town, keep the leash 8 feet or shorter.
  • Call 386-248-1777 to report a loose dog.

Related: parks and trails, walking and biking trails and free things to do.

Frequently asked questions

Can dogs go on the beach in Daytona Beach?

Yes, on the dog-friendly stretch between the Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard approaches, 1.7 miles of shoreline open to leashed dogs during daylight hours since Dec. 1, 2025. Leashes can be no longer than 6 feet, and owners must clean up.

What is the leash law in Daytona Beach?

City Code Section 14-11 bars dogs from running at large. Off your own property a dog must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet. The city’s flyer lists a $100 fine for a violation.

Where is the dog park in Daytona Beach?

Brownie’s Dog Park on the Riverfront Esplanade downtown has separate small and large dog areas with agility courses and is open sunrise to sunset; it runs on memberships. Lenox Park, 825 S. Grandview Ave., also has a dog park for small and large dogs.

Do I need a license for my dog in Daytona Beach?

Yes. The city requires an annual dog or cat license and a yearly rabies vaccination for dogs and cats over six months old, and pets over six months must be spayed or neutered unless the owner has a permit.