Fort Lauderdale with your dog

Pets are welcome at Turtle Nest Bungalow, and plenty of guests bring the dog. The fenced backyard, the outdoor shower and a quiet residential street make the house easy for a dog. The city takes a little more planning, because Fort Lauderdale keeps dogs off nearly all of its sand. Here is how it works, checked in September 2026.

The one beach where dogs can run

Canine Beach sits on A1A just north of Sunrise Boulevard, a strip of sand from lifeguard tower 16 to about 100 yards north of Sunrise. It is the only stretch of city beach where dogs are allowed; everywhere else the rule is service animals only.

The city's own dog-friendly places page lists Canine Beach hours as 6 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm (checked September 2026). Older tourism listings still show Friday-to-Sunday afternoons, so call Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation at (954) 828-7275 before you drive over. City code requires a permit and a leash on Canine Beach, and dogs need current vaccinations and a license; three dogs per handler. Permits are sold at Holiday Park, a five-minute walk from the house. Our dog beaches guide covers permits and the other dog beaches within a day trip.

Since November 2024, leashed dogs (on a leash of six feet or less) are also allowed in all 110 Fort Lauderdale city parks, though not on athletic fields, courts, playgrounds, splash pads, swimming areas or beaches.

Dog parks

Bark Park at Snyder Park (3299 SW 4th Ave) is the big one: an unstaffed off-leash park with a dog-swim lake, open 7 am to 7 pm and closed Tuesday and Thursday mornings for maintenance. It is about a 15-minute drive south of the house.

Holiday Park (1150 G. Harold Martin Dr) is about a five-minute walk from the nest and has a dog park too (7:30 am to 7 pm, closed Monday and Wednesday 8 to 11 am for maintenance), but the park is being upgraded. Work began in May 2026 and the western part of the dog run is expected to stay closed through summer 2027, so check the city's Holiday Park page before you go. The dog parks guide has the rest.

Patios that welcome dogs

Boatyard (1555 SE 17th St): dogs outdoors only, on a leash, and the house rule is all four paws on the floor.
Coconuts at the central beach: leashed pets on the Intracoastal patio.
Shooters Waterfront (3033 NE 32nd Ave): a dog menu and a big patio on the Intracoastal.

Policies change with management, so call ahead if the dog is the reason you are going. The dog-friendly restaurants guide lists more patios, area by area.

A dog-friendly afternoon

Canine Beach's limited hours make it easy to build a plan around. One of you can take the dog for the evening window while the rest of the group takes the main stretch of Fort Lauderdale Beach nearby, then everyone meets at one of the leashed-dog patios above for dinner on the water. For the full run of waterfront tables, see the waterfront restaurants guide.

Heat, pavement and paws

South Florida pavement gets hot enough to burn paw pads. The American Veterinary Medical Association's warm-weather advice is simple: walk in the cooler hours, avoid hot asphalt, and carry water. Between 11 am and 4 pm in summer, the yard and the shade at the house are kinder than the sidewalk. The pool is for people; hose the dog down with the outdoor shower instead.

At the nest

Tell us how many dogs and what kind when you book so the house is ready, keep them off the furniture, and pick up in the yard. Dog bowls, a towel by the back door and a bag of treats from the nearby supermarkets cover the rest. For walks, Victoria Park's shaded streets and the Riverwalk downtown are the easy options.

For the rest of the trip, from dog beaches and off-leash parks to patios, emergency vets and flying or driving in with a pet, see our pet guides.

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