Dogs on Virginia beaches
Virginia Beach is one of the best East Coast beaches for dogs off-season: from after Labor Day to before Memorial Day weekend dogs can run off-leash on the sand.
Dogs allowedOff-leash OKLeash requiredNo dogs some hoursNo dogs that dayDog walk (paw marker)Walk route
Tap a beach or walk on the map to see its dog rules. Tapping a walk with a mapped route zooms to the green route line. Use two fingers to move the map on a phone.
- Dogs on a leash all year
Pocahontas State Park trails
Dog walk · Chesterfield - Dogs on a leash all year
Sky Meadows State Park trails
Dog walk · Delaplane - Dogs on a leash all year
Natural Tunnel State Park trails
Dog walk · Duffield - Dogs on a leash all year
High Bridge Trail
Dog walk · Farmville - Dogs on a leash all year
Mason Neck State Park trails
Dog walk · Lorton - Dogs on a leash all year
Hungry Mother State Park trails
Dog walk · Marion - Dogs on a leash all year
New River Trail
Dog walk · Max Meadows - Dogs on a leash all year
Douthat State Park trails
Dog walk · Millboro - Dogs on a leash all year
Grayson Highlands State Park trails
Dog walk · Mouth of Wilson - Dogs on a leash all year
Appalachian Trail at Big Meadows
Dog walk · Shenandoah National Park - No dogs 10am to 6pm, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Off-leash dogs allowed from the day after Labor Day to the Friday before Memorial Day. Dogs allowed the rest of the time (local leash laws apply)
Croatan Beach
Virginia Beach - Dogs on a leash all year
First Landing State Park trails
Dog walk · Virginia Beach - No dogs 10am to 6pm, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Off-leash dogs allowed from the day after Labor Day to the Friday before Memorial Day. Dogs allowed the rest of the time (local leash laws apply)
North End Beach
Virginia Beach - No dogs 10am to 6pm, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Off-leash dogs allowed from the day after Labor Day to the Friday before Memorial Day. Dogs allowed the rest of the time (local leash laws apply)
Sandbridge Beach
Virginia Beach - No dogs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Off-leash dogs allowed from the day after Labor Day to the Friday before Memorial Day
Virginia Beach Resort Area beach
Virginia Beach
Towns and parks in Virginia
What we coverVirginia Beach, Shenandoah and state park trails: 4 beaches, 11 walks. Next: Chincoteague and the Eastern Shore. Places not on the map aren't checked yet.
Shorebird closuresPiping plover and tern nesting areas close to dogs from spring to fall, and can change daily. Signs on the beach always take priority.
Leash laws"Dogs allowed" means there's no beach rule against dogs that day. Town and state leash laws still apply unless a beach is marked off-leash.