If you've never been to Dog Beach in Huntington Beach, CA, and your dog loves water, you're missing out.
Well socialized dogs and their owners can be found strolling, surfing and swimming at this famous So. Cal location. Dog Beach starts at Lifeguard Tower 22, which approximately at Golden West and Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), and goes north west for about 2 miles (almost to the Seapoint/PCH intersection.
During the summer, and at the right time of day, the depth of the water and waves are pretty manageable. Most tall dogs can still touch the sandy bottom at a good "toss distance" from the shore. The water is low enough for even corgies to fetch (Jake and I ran into a couple of them, going after his bumper).
After a jaunt in the water, enjoy time on the sand, to wind down and drink some water. We came prepared
this time, with a beach umbrella and chairs. After a few minutes your pup will be ready to romp again!
With a group, some water shy dogs may even venture to get their feet wet! Whippets Ivy and Lilly, Jake's hiking buddies, actually stood in ankle deep water - a big deal to them!
Cyrus, our Rhodesian Ridgeback friend, enjoyed his stroll along the water's edge as well.
DIRECTIONS:
See map above.
You can get to Dog Beach by taking Golden West from the 405 freeway, down to the beach. This is probably one of the most traffic-free ways to get down and back. Beach Blvd is just FULL of traffic.
Once down near the beach, you can either park at one of the parking lots off PCH, (at $1.50/hour - and they accept cards at the lots) or park for free on one of the side streets off Golden West.
The weather is always comfortable in the summer. There is always a great breeze blowing off the water, especially in the afternoon. If you get too hot, and your dog is comfortable getting in the water, you might be able to coax him out past the surf without tossing the bumper. Please try not to leave your dog unsupervised. If your dog is water-shy, just leave him with a friend. This way, he will stay out of harm's way. Remember, you are visiting dog beach for your dog, not necessarily for you. Be kind and be respectful.
