Black and White Dog swimming in the ocean with hotels and beach in background

St. Pete/Clearwater has dog-friendly beaches where your pup can splash in the gentle Gulf water and zoom around in the soft sand.

fun and furry

Pet-Friendly Vacations

Dog parks and dog-friendly beaches? Check. Pet-friendly hotels and full-service pet spas? Sure thing, we’ve got those too. You can even bring Fido or Fluffy to quite a few restaurants around the area – some with special menus just for dogs. There’s no doubt, St. Pete/Clearwater caters to the quadruped set.


Play at Dog Beaches

Fort De Soto Park, voted among America’s best beaches by Dr. Beach and Tripadvisor, has a stretch of gorgeous beach just for dogs, and two large fenced-in areas (for small and larger pups, of course). Each offers hoses so you can wash the sand out of their paws after all the fun. Honeymoon Island State Park also has a sizeable dog beach. Sand Key Park has a special dog park as well as a playground for your (human) kiddos, plus grills and picnic tables that make this a great spot for the whole family. And here’s a well-kept local secret: Enterprise Dog Park in Clearwater. It’s a massive fenced-in park with acres of tree-shaded trails your dog can explore off-leash. There are also water stations and bags for picking up after your pup.

Check out our Pets FAQs page

A couple walking down the beach in shallow water with a large dog.

Your pup will have a blast exploring St. Pete/Clearwater's dog-friendly beaches.

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Dog sitting on a Dog platform with ramp at a bar patio with lots of other dogs and people in the background.

Grabbing a drink with your friends takes on a whole new meaning at Dog Bar in St. Pete's Grand Central District, where you'll find refreshing beverages and a fenced-in area where dogs can play off leash. 

Visit Dog-Friendly St. Pete

You’ll want to spend at least one day exploring walkable St. Petersburg with your best friend. It's the perfect place to travel with your dog. In fact, the CommercialCafe website even named it to their list of 20 Best U.S. Cities for Pet Owners. All along Beach Drive, you’ll find water bowls, treats and restaurants with outdoor seating. Some shops will even let you bring your pup inside to browse with you. You’ll love walking along Central Ave. between downtown and the Grand Central District. Mutts & Martinis offers drinks for you and a dip for your dog. With over 25 sports streaming TVs and a dog only swimming pool you can both take some time to chill. Stop in at Three Dog Bakery for some special goodies – they’ll even personalize treats with your dog’s name. Across the street, do a little shopping for yourself at Brutique, a stylish boutique-bar concept where the friendly staff keeps a big jar of Milk Bone biscuits behind the bar (bonus: you might even meet Brutique’s mascot, Ziggy the beagle).

A couple outdoor dining in the evening with there dog sitting at the table patiently.

Restaurants throughout St. Pete/Clearwater – like Cassis in downtown St. Pete, pictured here – welcome four-legged friends, and some even have menus for dogs.

Stay at a Pet-Friendly Hotel

Many of us just can’t leave home without them… so it’s excellent news that St. Pete/Clearwater offers many pet-friendly hotel properties and vacation rentals. Some notable pet-friendly accommodations: The Don CeSar and the TradeWinds, two full-service beachfront resorts in award-winning St. Pete Beach, which have gourmet room service for cats and dogs. Also in St. Pete Beach, The Sirata has pet-friendly rooms. Other solid options include Camelot Resort in North Clearwater Beach and Island Paradise Cottages in Madeira Beach.

See All Pet-Friendly Places to Stay

Arial view of Tradewinds Hotel Showing the pool by the beach, beach chairs lined on the beach and there iconic giant blowup slide.

Tradewinds Island Grand on St. Pete Beach has something for everyone, from kids' activities to pet-friendly rooms.