Bark at the Beach: Exciting New Dog-Friendly Spot Opens in Daytona Next Month

Starting Dec. 1, you can finally bring your dog to the beach in Daytona Beach. The Volusia County Council just made it official with a vote this week—so now there’s a new, dog-friendly stretch of sand.

The council signed off on the idea last month, but now it’s set in stone. They all agreed, no one pushed back.

You’ll find the dog beach on a 1.7-mile stretch between Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard.

Councilman Troy Kent first pitched the idea. He says people have been pretty happy about it, and he hasn’t heard much in the way of complaints. When the topic first came up, he noticed a lot of businesses and hotels jumped on board right away. They wanted a dog beach for their guests, especially the dog-friendly hotels along that strip.

The nonprofit Daytona Dog Beach is stepping up to help pay for and take care of the new beach. They’ve already been a big part of the Ormond Beach dog beach, which is about 0.6 miles long. That one started as a trial and became permanent earlier this year.

Nanette McKeel Petrella, president of Daytona Dog Beach, spoke to the council and said what started as a small idea has turned into a real community win. She thanked the council and promised her group is ready to get to work—volunteers, cleanup, education, outreach, all of it.

There will be some rules. Volusia County Animal Services will make sure dogs are leashed, owners clean up after them, and nobody disturbs wildlife or the dunes.